How do currency misalignments’ threshold affect economic growth?

Based on panel smooth transition regressions, this paper determines for a large sample of developed and emerging countries, the value of currency misalignments from which we observe a regime shift in economic growth, over the 1980–2009 period. Misalignments, defined as the difference between the current real exchange rate and its equilibrium counterpart, are derived from the behavioural equilibrium exchange rate (BEER) approach. Our estimate relies on recent panel cointegration techniques that allow for heterogeneity and cross-sectional dependencies. We also control for the presence of structural breaks. Our findings show that our misalignments index plays a key role in the reversal of trend growth. Although the undervaluation of their currency acts positively on their growth, emerging countries cannot base their strategy on this finding to promote growth. We relate this result to the adverse effects of depreciation, as in “original sin”. The implications of our findings, in terms of economic policy, clearly emphasise the economic leverage role of undervaluation: it remains a powerful cyclical instrument but has to be, nevertheless, employed with precautionary to be globally and internationally consistent.     

人民币均衡汇率与汇率失调:1991-2004

本文运用行为均衡汇率模型对人民币均衡实质汇率和汇率失调程度进行了实证研究,样本区间为1 991年1季度—2 0 0 4年3季度。本文的主要发现是:( 1 )从1 994年4季度起人民币均衡实质汇率处于不断升值的状态,其背后的主要驱动力量是我国制造业劳动生产率的快速上升和经常项目盈余导致的净对外资产余额的不断增加;( 2 ) 2 0世纪90年代以来,人民币实际实质汇率在大部分时期偏离均衡实质汇率轨迹,表现为人民币汇率的失调。其中,1 992年2季度—1 994年4季度为人民币汇率低估时期,1 995年1季度—1 999年2季度为人民币汇率高估时期,而1 999年3季度往后的时期人民币汇率重新转为低估,并且低估程度有进一步扩大的趋势。本文对人民币汇率失调的原因分析表明1 997年以来硬钉住美元的汇率政策是造成人民币汇率失调的一个主要宏观政策因素。因此,本研究的政策含义是,从应对人民币汇率失调的角度,更为灵活的汇率政策将更有利于中国经济的稳定健康发展     

Persistence of Current‐account Disequilibria and Real Exchange‐rate Misalignments

This paper aims at studying whether the persistence of the gap between the observed current‐account position and its equilibrium value nonlinearly depends on real exchange‐rate misalignments. Estimating a panel smooth transition regression model on a sample of 22 industrialized countries, we find evidence for this hypothesis, showing that persistence of current‐account imbalances strongly depends on the deviation of the real exchange rate from its long‐term equilibrium. More specifically, while there is no persistence in cases of currency undervaluation or weak overvaluation, persistence tends to augment for overvaluations higher than 11%. In addition, whereas disequilibria are persistent even for very low overvaluations in the euro area, persistence is observed only for overvaluations higher than 14% for non‐eurozone members.     

人民币实际汇率错位的经济效应实证研究

本文运用行为均衡汇率模型和协整理论,测算1984—2004年人民币实际汇率错位的季度状况,结果表明,人民币实际汇率在此期间经历了三个阶段的币值低估和两个阶段的币值高估。结合这21年间中国主要经济指标的增长率,划分阶段研究人民币实际汇率错位的经济效应,可以发现:较大幅度的实际汇率错位对涉外经济变量产生了比较明显的影响;而低幅度的实际汇率错位,不会对经济产生较大危害,经济系统本身可自动调节;另外,实际汇率错位对涉外经济变量的变动有非常好的解释作用,这反过来证明,对人民币实际汇率错位状况的测算是准确的。通过建立计量模型,从1984—2004年整体时段来研究人民币实际汇率错位的经济效应,结果表明,实际汇率错位对出口和进口都产生了显著的负面影响。     

China’s equilibrium exchange rate dynamics 1994–2004: A cointegration analysis

Motivated by the global debate on the possible revaluation of the Chinese currency, the RMB, in recent years, the objective of this paper is to measure the equilibrium value of the RMB exchange rate through the macroeconomic balance approach in order to produce an assessment of the RMB in terms of periods of misalignment. The empirical evidence indicates that although there turns out to be an increasing degree of the RMB undervaluation in these measures from 2003 to 2004, the RMB is not substantially undervalued in both measures of real effective exchange rates and nominal bilateral exchange rates against the US dollar over the full period 1994–2004.     

Structural Change in Current Account and Real Exchange Rate Dynamics: Evidence from the G7 Countries

Previous studies decompose the current account and the real exchange rate into temporary and permanent shocks and argue that a temporary shock creates the combination of a current account surplus (deficit) and real exchange rate depreciation (appreciation). The present paper extends their framework by examining a possible structural break in current account and real exchange rate dynamics. Using G7 country data for 1980–2007, we find structural changes in two‐variable dynamics for all G7 countries during the 1990s. Temporary shocks have not been the main source of fluctuation in the current account since the 1990s. Our empirical results imply that the conventional mechanism has played a limited role in explaining the dynamics of the two variables.     

The Real Exchange Rate and Growth in Emerging Markets: The Case of Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe has been facing growth and external competitiveness challenges, as shown by declining shares in global exports, high current account deficits, external debt and a widening productivity gap with South Africa. Estimates of the real equilibrium exchange rate reveal periods of sizeable misalignment, both prior to 2008 and under the current multicurrency regime. Misalignment has an asymmetric impact on growth. While overvaluation hampers growth, we have not found robust evidence that undervaluation would raise it. Replacing the multicurrency regime anchored in the US dollar by the South African rand would help reduce overvaluation and stimulate exports and growth. Under any currency regime, Zimbabwe needs to implement sound macroeconomic policies and an environment conducive to investment.     

人民币实际汇率水平的合理性评估:1994—2008

本文基于行为均衡汇率模型,采用1994年第1季度-2008年第2季度的时序数据样本,运用自回归分布滞后模型测算了人民币均衡实际汇率,并对人民币实际汇率的合理性进行了评估.分析结果表明,经济基本面因素能较好地拟合人民币实际汇率的变化过程;人民币实际汇率经历了三次低估和三次高估,但失调程度并不严重.     

Exchange rate regime,real misalignment and currency crises

Based on 69 sample countries, this paper examines the effect of macroeconomic fundamentals on real effective exchange rates (REER) in these sample countries. Using the misalignment of actual REER from its equilibrium level, we have estimated the factors explaining the extent of currency over- or under-valuation. Overall, we find that the higher the flexibility of the currency regime, the lower is the misalignment. The estimates are robust to different sub-samples of countries. We then explore the impact of such misalignment on the probability of a currency crisis in the next period, indicating the extent to which misalignment could be used as a leading indicator of a potential crisis. This paper thus makes a new contribution to the debate on the choice of exchange rate regime by bringing together real exchange rate misalignment and currency crisis literature.     

The real effect of currency misalignment on productivity growth: evidence from middle-income economies

There have been interesting perspectives on the role of real currency misalignment in productivity growth. Whereas some studies warn against the destructive effect of real currency misalignment on productivity growth, others simply encourage it, at least, in the form of undervaluation. This paper documents evidence in support of the latter argument for 100 middle-income countries for the 1994–2010 period, using fixed-effects and generalized method of moments estimation techniques. The paper finds real currency misalignment to enhance productivity growth if it occurs as undervaluation; and to hamper productivity growth if it occurs as overvaluation. The paper also finds the impact of real currency misalignment on productivity growth to be symmetric, implying that the size of the impact is independent of the size of the misalignment. Moreover, the choice of the real misalignment measure may matter.     

Determinants of the Euro Real Effective Exchange Rate: A BEER/PEER Approach

This paper presents an empirical analysis of the medium–term determinants of the euro effective exchange rate. The empirical analysis builds on synthetic quarterly data from 1975 to 1998, and derives a Behavioural Equilibrium Exchange Rate (BEER) and a Permanent Equilibrium Exchange Rate (PEER). Four different specifications are retained, due to the difficulties encountered in specifying an encompassing model. The results indicate that differentials in real interest rates and productivity, and (in some specifications) the relative fiscal stance and the real price of oil, have a significant influence on the euro effective exchange rate. Assessing the existence and the extent of the over– or undervaluation of the exchange rate is not straightforward, since these different specifications often lead to contrasting findings. However, all four specifications point unambiguously to the undervaluation of the euro in 2000, although the extent of this undervaluation largely depends on the specification chosen.     

Endogenous Growth in an Open Economy and the Real Exchange Rate

This paper is a step in the direction of a larger research project aimed at determining the long run equilibrium value of the euro/dollar real exchange rate. Given this value, one could then give a precise meaning to the notion of undervaluation or overvaluation of the euro, and calculate its misalignment. The problem however arises of how to assess the reliability of such misalignment calculations. In our opinion, we must have a benchmark (namely a period in which we exactly know from outside sources the misalignment itself), against which we can test the validity of the model underlying our calculations. This of course is not (yet) possible for the euro, so that all the calculations of the misalignment of the euro that have been made can only be compared with one another, without knowing which is the good one. Hence, before building a model to be applied to the euro/dollar, we tested our ideas incorporating them in a basic model to be applied to the lira/dollar in a period in which we do know the actual misalignment of the lira from outside sources.     

人民币实际汇率错位对出口贸易影响的实证研究

本文在既有文献的基础上,通过结合我国经济转型的特点,研究了人民币实际汇率错位对出口贸易的影响。文中提出了更加合理的模型,引入关税(出口退税额)、政府支出、贸易条件等变量,通过Johansen协整检验、误差修正模型、格兰杰因果检验、脉冲响应函数和预测方差分解等计量方法进行了实证检验,结果表明,1978￣2005年,人民币实际汇率错位对出口贸易产生负面影响。其后,运用二元离散选择模型(Logit模型)进一步对二者关系进行了考察,得出了人民币实际汇率错位幅度与净出口呈负相关的结论,即汇率错位幅度越小,越有利于出口,从而出现贸易顺差。     

The Real Exchange Rate Always Floats

This paper makes two main points. First, irrespective of nominal exchange rate arrangements, the real exchange rate always floats — if not through nominal exchange rate adjustment, then through price change. Further, because prices and wages tend to be sticky, the adjustment of real exchange rates towards long–run equilibrium takes time, as witnessed by long–lasting currency misalignments around the world. In second place, real exchange rates are rather likely to fluctuate on their way towards long–run equilibrium because of the dynamic interaction between real exchange rates and the current account or, put differently, because the structure of lags with which exchange rates impact the volume of exports and imports may give rise to oscillatory behaviour.     

Exchange rate and long run equilibrium in transition economies

The purpose of this paper is to calculate pruchasing power parity rates and the real exchange rate using several methods of calculation to estimate long-run equilibrium real exchange rates in transition economies, mainly in Eastern European countries considered in transition, such as Poland. The authors calculate different measures of exchange rate misalignment (absolute and relative deviations from long-run equilibrium). Each measure is calculated using different price indices, which include consumer price indices, GDP deflactor, and unit labor cost. The expected values of these variables are used. To calculate the long-run equilibrium, different methods such as an error correction equation and a forward-looking model are utilized, and again, the expected values of the variables are introduced along with new variables. The estimation of the long-run cointegration equation of the equilibrium real exchange rate and the corresponding dynamic error correction specification strongly corroborates the model and produced fairly consistent results across the countries under study. Using appropriated proxies, the estimated long run equations were used to derive indices of the equilibrium real exchange rate.     

OFFICIAL FOREIGN EXCHANGE INTERVENTION AS A COORDINATING SIGNAL IN THE DOLLAR–YEN MARKET

Abstract. I examine the effectiveness of exchange rate intervention within the context of a Markov‐switching model for the real dollar–yen exchange rate over the period April 1991–December 2003. The probability of switching between stable and unstable regimes depends nonlinearly upon the amount of intervention, the degree of misalignment and the duration of the regime. I find that intervention increases the probability of stability when the rate is misaligned, and that its influence grows with the degree of misalignment. However, intervention within a small neighbourhood of equilibrium will result in a greater probability of instability.     

Modelling the Long–run Real Effective Exchange Rate of the New Zealand Dollar

In this paper we use the behavioural and permanent equilibrium exchange rate approaches to produce long–run equilibrium exchange rates for the effective real exchange rates of the New Zealand dollar. We demonstrate that a well founded measure of the equilibrium value of the dollar may be recovered from a relatively small set of fundamental variables and that this can be used to produce an assessment of the dollar in terms of periods of misalignment.     

A Test of Long-run Purchasing Power Parity Allowing for Structural Breaks*

If exchange rates and prices are integrated processes, standard econometric tests of the purchasing power parity (PPP) hypothesis may be biased towards rejection. This paper avoids this problem by using the Engle and Granger (1987) theory of cointegrated processes. If the absolute version of purchasing power parity is true, and nominal exchange rates and prices are integrated processes, inter-commodity arbitrage should ensure that the real exchange rate is stationary. The stationarity hypothesis is tested using Australian real exchange rate data for the 1890–1984 period We find that the effective real exchange rate cannot be modelled as a stationary process and therefore reject the absolute version of PPP. We also employ a test for structural breaks due to, for instance, the oil price shock and find mixed results. Another interpretation of our results is that the real exchange rate was affected by a series of permanent, real shocks during the sample period     

Exchange rate misalignments and the external balance under a pegged currency system

This paper analyzes the link between the exchange rate misalignments and the external balance under a pegged currency system focusing on the former French colonies of Africa (the CFA zone). Having discussed and chosen an appropriate analytical framework, it addresses the issue of model uncertainty regarding the equilibrium exchange rate model before estimating currency misalignments. The results show that misalignments have a negative and asymmetric impact on the current account. While overvaluation of the CFA franc deteriorates the current account, undervaluation does not improve it. Finally, our results highlight that the export concentration tends to exacerbate the overall negative impact of currency misalignments.     

Is the Cyprus Pound Real Effective Exchange Rate Misaligned? A BEER Approach

Abstract

This paper investigates whether the real effective exchange rate of the Cyprus pound is misaligned by generating measures of the equilibrium rate using the Behavioral Equilibrium Exchange Rate (BEER) approach. Several measures of the equilibrium exchange rate were derived and used to check for the existence of exchange rate misalignment. The results suggest that, during the 1990s, the actual real effective exchange rate and the various equilibrium measures generated move closely together and there is no evidence of any significant and persistent misalignment. However, the empirical evidence suggests persistent overvaluation during the 1980s.