The effect of relative monetary surprises on spot exchange rates

This paper examines the hypothetical relationship between US and Canadian monetary surprises and the behaviour of US-Canadian spot exchange rates. Past studies have found that positive US monetary surprises were correlated with an appreciating US dollar in foreign exchange markets.

In this paper, it is argued that monetary surprises in the US must be measured relative to foreign monetary innovation (rather than in the conventional absolute sense) when examining their impact on exchange markets. Rational investors consider expected returns and risk differentials in the US and local markets jointly in determining whether to be net buyers or sellers of US dollars. The monetary actions of both the Fed and the Central Bank operating in the local (foreign) economy will be considered in the foreign exchange market. Because of the close synchronization between the weekly money supply announcements in Canada and the US, it is possible to examine whether the relative or absolute US monetary surprise is more significant in the foreign exchange market. The empirical findings provide considerable support for the relative over the absolute measure of US monetary innovations. With monetary innovations measured in relative terms, the empirical results provide support for the policy reaction over the inflation expectation hypothesis.     

The effects of exchange rate risk on economic performance: the Turkish experience

This study examines the effects of real exchange rate risk on the economic performance for an emerging, small open economy: Turkey. When the ratios of the total foreign exchange liabilities of the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey (CBRT) to: (1) total reserves; (2) the CBRT's reserves; and (3) the CBRT's total Turkish lira liabilities are taken proxy of exchange rate risk, the empirical evidence suggests that the increase in exchange rate risk causes a depreciation in the real exchange rate, an increase in prices and a decrease in output.     

Interest expectations and exchange rates news

Using a new survey data set ofmatched exchange rate and interest rate expectations for eight currencies relative to the German mark, we examine empirically the relationship between exchange rate returns, news and risk premia. News on interest differentials enters significantly in equations for the difference between the spot rate and the lagged forward rate for the British pound, Japanese yen, Spanish peseta and the US dollar. An unexpected rise in the interest rate differential tends to strengthen the domestic exchange rate. For each of these currencies, we also find significant effects of our ex-ante measure of the risk premium. In addition, we investigate the effect of lagged interest rate differentials as proxy for the risk premium and find that they do not capture time-varying risk premia as is widely suggested in the literature, but probably capture a peso-problem, learning about a policy change, a market-inefficiency or a combination of these factors.     

A simple inflation indicator for the euro zone

This article proposes and estimates an inflation indicator for the European Monetary Union (EMU). This indicator is set up so that it is contemporarily not affected by the changes in price differentials among EMU countries. The results show that the Monetary Union Index of Consumer Prices (MUICP), which is the inflation measure that the European Central Bank (ECB) takes as a reference for monetary policy purposes, could be understating the value of the inflation in the euro zone. It is also concluded that regional peculiarities are fundamental in the evolution of prices in the different EMU countries.     

Do the central bank actions reduce interest rate volatility?

This paper investigates how Central Bank of Brazil (CBB) actions influence market uncertainty. We consider two kinds of actions: the monetary policy decision about the interest rate target and the pure communication event of this decision published one week later. Unlike related papers, we measure the market uncertainty by the implied volatility extracted from interest rate options. Implied volatility is more suitable than physical volatility to assess economic effects since it encompass market beliefs adjusted by risk. We use an event study approach to evaluate the impact of CBB actions. The results show that both the decisions about the target rate and the communication event reduce the interest rate volatility.     

An assessment of the dynamic effects of monetary policy in Macedonia

Macedonia, as a small emerging economy, is exposed to foreign risks such as: exchange rate volatility, trade distortions, and highly volatile capital flows. To ‘protect’ its economy, since 1995, the Macedonian Central Bank has applied the monetary strategy of exchange rate targeting, where the interest rate on Central Bank bills auctions is a basic monetary-policy instrument. This paper re-examined the effectiveness of the current monetary policy in Macedonia using the policy-oriented vector error correction model (VECM). We found that the Macedonian Central Bank demonstrates a low level of monetary-policy effectiveness and the existing monetary-policy strategy does not necessarily promote its ability to react countercyclically.     

Diverse beliefs and time variability of risk premia

Why do risk premia vary over time? We examine this problem theoretically and empirically by studying the effect of market belief on risk premia. Individual belief is taken as a fundamental primitive state variable. Market belief is observable; it is central to the empirical evaluation and we show how to measure it. Our asset pricing model is familiar from the noisy REE literature but we adapt it to an economy with diverse beliefs. We derive equilibrium asset prices and implied risk premium. Our approach permits a closed form solution of prices; hence we trace the exact effect of market belief on the time variability of asset prices and risk premia. We test empirically the theoretical conclusions. Our main result is that, above the effect of business cycles on risk premia, fluctuations in market belief have significant independent effect on the time variability of risk premia. We study the premia on long positions in Federal Funds Futures, 3- and 6-month Treasury Bills (T-Bills). The annual mean risk premium on holding such assets for 1?C12?months is about 40?C60 basis points and we find that, on average, the component of market belief in the risk premium exceeds 50% of the mean. Since time variability of market belief is large, this component frequently exceeds 50% of the mean premium. This component is larger the shorter is the holding period of an asset and it dominates the premium for very short holding returns of less than 2?months. As to the structure of the premium we show that when the market holds abnormally favorable belief about the future payoff of an asset the market views the long position as less risky hence the risk premium on that asset declines. More generally, periods of market optimism (i.e. ??bull?? markets) are shown to be periods when the market risk premium is low while in periods of pessimism (i.e. ??bear?? markets) the market??s risk premium is high. Fluctuations in risk premia are thus inversely related to the degree of market optimism about future prospects of asset payoffs. This effect is strong and economically very significant.     

Partial adjustment without tears: A tale for the tolar

The design of monetary system in Slovenia was influenced by the heritage of peristent shortages of foreign exchange. This and other considerations prompted a decision that a new currncy-Tolar was to float on two separate foreign exchange markets: a market for current account transactios, and a market for capital account transactios. Actual developments differed considerably from forecasts; an abundance prevailed, and the Tolar remained remarkably strong. The aim of the paper is to present, estimate and test a simple model describing the behaviour of the Tolar in the first period of high uncertainty; and to assess its relevance for the real world. Exchange-rate movements are analyzed as if they were adjusting to the expected price level. The results imply that the dealers do not wait for new data on prices to be disclosed; they, howevr, try and anticipate the likely effects of inflation on the exchange rate. It is shown that interventions by the Central Bank did not affect the SIT/DM exchange rate appreciably. The answer to the question whether other Eastern European countries could have benefitted from the short-run story of the tolar, is inconclusive, if not negative.We are grateful to A. Beltratti, A. Brzeski, Ch. Flinn, P. Sgro, H. Wagener and the referees of this Journal for their comments on a preliminary draft of this paper. Part of this work has been carried out while J. Mencinger was a Fellow at ICER, Turin, to which we are both indebted.     

Foreign currency debt, risk premia and macroeconomic volatility

This paper studies the relationships between foreign currency debt, macroeconomic volatility, and risk premia in a model of a small open emerging market economy. The external value of the local currency is counter-cyclical, so that foreign currency debt requires larger repayments than local currency debt in bad states of nature. The level of foreign currency-denominated debts, therefore, affects the volatility of aggregate demand and by extension of the exchange rate. Exchange rate volatility is in turn an important determinant of the risk premium on local currency debt. Finally, this risk premium is a major factor in the choice of local versus foreign currency for emerging market borrowers. The mutual endogeneity of foreign currency debt, risk premia, and macroeconomic volatility creates important feedback effects in the economy: small increases in international risk aversion may entail large amplification effects on macroeconomic volatility since domestic borrowers substitute towards cheaper but riskier foreign currency debt finance.     

Too small to be independent? On the influence of ECB monetary policy on interest rates of the EEA countries

Monetary policy independence is regarded as the central argument in favour of floating exchange rates and monetary integration. We evaluate the actual independence of non-euro members of the European Economic Area by using heterogeneous panel cointegration methods that allow cross-dependency. We show that domestic interest rates follow the euro interest rates. These spillovers imply a low monetary independence despite the insulation given by floating exchange rate regimes and inflation-targeting frameworks. We therefore find significant spillover effects of the European Central Bank policy and argue that the costs of monetary integration in Europe may be lower than expected.     

Imperfect credibility and risk premia in the European Monetary System

The paper deals with the estiamation of models for the expected rate of depreciation within the currency bands of the French franc and the Italian lira against the deutshmark, both unconditional and conditional upon no realignment, as well as the estimastion of models for risk premia. Using these estimates,estimates are constructed for the expected rate of depreciation, the expected rate of realignment and the expected rate of devaluation of these exchange rates during their EMS period by appropriate adjustment of interest rate differentials. It is found that these adjustments are of non-trivial magnitude.     

Single Beta Models and Currency Futures Prices

The conditional capital asset pricing model is applied to foreign currency futures prices, covariance risk being measured relative to excess returns from a broadly diversified international portfolio of equities. Positive time-varying risk premia are found in all five currencies tested when the difference between the US and the average foreign interest rates is used as an instrumental variable for the expected excess return from the common stock portfolio.     

Currency Boards when Interest Rates are Zero

In a fixed exchange rate system, any expectation that the peg may be abandoned will normally be reflected in an interest rate differential between instruments denominated in domestic and anchor currencies: the possibility of a revaluation will drive domestic interest rates below those in the anchor currency, for example. However, when interest rates are close to the zero lower bound, there is limited scope for exchange rate expectations to be reflected in interest rate differentials. Here we introduce a new mechanism, based on the central bank balance sheet, which works to bring about equilibrium in currency markets even when interest rates are zero. An expectation of exchange rate appreciation will cause foreign exchange reserves to swell, increasing the cost to policy‐makers of allowing an appreciation and, therefore, lowering the likelihood of the fixed exchange rate being abandoned. Under normal circumstances, this channel reinforces the equilibrating effect of interest rate differentials. When interest rates cannot adjust only this channel operates, implying that much larger changes in reserves are required to equilibrate currency markets. We develop a simple model to illustrate these arguments and find support for the predictions of the model using data for Hong Kong, the world's largest economy with a currency board.     

Inflation,interest and exchange rates in the transition1

Central and Eastern European economies have made extraordinary progress in their trade and exchange regimes. Surprisingly, instant convertibility was established for a great variety of exchange rate regimes. In spite of diversity, all these countries have followed a common pattern: severe initial undervaluation - the cost of speed and unrestricted trade - followed by rapid real revaluation and incipient protectionism. Since 1994 in many cases an embarrass de richesse has appeared: high capital inflows which are either inflationary or costly to sterilize. A major cause of these flows - or at any rate of the high cost of sterilization - is the presence of significant interest rate differentials higher than required to cover the risk of devaluation. These are the necessary consequence of a policy of positive real interest rates and of real revaluation from excessively undervalued exchange rates. Lower interest rates are recommended, both to stem financial capital inflows and to reduce the cost of their sterilization.     

PRICE-BASED MEASUREMENT OF FINANCIAL GLOBALIZATION: A CROSS-COUNTRY STUDY OF INTEREST RATE PARITY

Abstract.   We characterize the relationship between ex post exchange rate depreciation and the interest differential for both developed and emerging market economies. The measured ex post uncovered interest differentials in terms of both levels and absolute values are then related to a set of variables that capture macroeconomic and policy conditions. We find that a wide diversity in the coefficient relating depreciations and interest differentials can be attributed to differences in inflation volatility, financial development, capital account openness, legal development and the nature of the exchange rate regimes. The robust results are mainly found in the emerging market country grouping.     

State prices,liquidity, and default

We show, in a monetary exchange economy, that asset prices in a complete markets general equilibrium are a function of the supply of liquidity by the Central Bank, through its effect on default and interest rates. Two agents trade goods and nominal assets to smooth consumption across periods and future states, in the presence of cash-in-advance financing costs that have effects on real allocations. We show that higher spot interest rates reduce trade and as a result increase state prices. Hence, states of nature with higher interest rates are also states of nature with higher risk-neutral probabilities. This result, which cannot be found in a Lucas-type representative agent model, implies that the yield curve is upward sloping in equilibrium, even when short-term interest rates are fairly stable and the variance of the (macroeconomic) stochastic discount factor is 0. The risk-premium in the term structure is, therefore, a monetary-cost risk premium.     

The Exchange Rate: A Shock Absorber or Source of Shocks in Turkey?

This study investigates the role of the exchange rate as shock-absorber as opposed to a source of its own shocks in Turkey during the period from 1990 to 2009 by employing a structural VAR framework with long-run and short-run restrictions. We find that the economic shocks have predominantly been asymmetric relative to one of the largest trading partner, the US. Our results provide evidence of the fact that while the major source of variability in exchange rates in the pre-2001 crisis period is mainly nominal shocks, a large proportion of the exchange rate variability can be attributed to supply and demand shocks in the post-2001 crisis period. This suggets that, rather than reacting to shocks to the foreign exchange market, such as shifts in risk premia, the exchange rate moves mainly in response to the real shocks during the post-2001 crisis period. Hence, there is a sizeable role for exchange rate stabilization during this period, absorbing those shocks and therefore requiring opposed monetary policy responses.     

Using survey data to test market efficiency in the foreign exchange markets

The paper uses cointegration methods to test the market efficiency hypothesis (MEH) in the foreign exchange markets. Four exchange rates are considered-all relative to the US dollar: BP, DM, SF and JY. Survey data on expectations are used to see whether the violation of the MEH is due to expectational errors or risk premia. The results differ for the one-week ahead and the one-month ahead forecasts. With the weekly data we conclude that it is risk premia, and with the monthly data it is both expectational errors and risk premia that account for the violation of the MEH. Given the volatility of the exchange markets, it appears that forecasts over an extended period fail tests of rationality, but one-week ahead forecasts do not fail such tests.     

Currency Options and Export-Flexible Firms

This paper examines the production and hedging decisions of a globally competitive firm under exchange rate uncertainty. The firm is risk averse and possesses export flexibility in that it can distribute its output to either the domestic market or a foreign market after observing the realized spot exchange rate. To hedge against its exchange rate risk exposure, the firm can trade fairly priced currency call options of an arbitrary strike price. We show that both the separation and the full‐hedging results hold if the strike price of the currency call options is set equal to the ratio of the domestic and foreign selling prices. Otherwise, neither result holds. Specifically, we show that the optimal level of output is always less than that of an otherwise identical firm that is risk neutral. Furthermore, an under‐hedge (over‐hedge) is optimal whenever the strike price of the currency call options is below (above) the ratio of the domestic and foreign selling prices.