The demand for money and the real exchange rate misalignments in emerging European countries: A nonlinear approach

This paper investigates the extent to which domestic and foreign money balances in emerging European countries are influenced by foreign exchange considerations. A well-specified and stable relationship between real money demand and the exchange rate can be perceived as an important part of a successful monetary policy. This study examines the long-run determinants of real exchange rates (RERs) associated with the behavioral equilibrium exchange rate (BEER) approach and identifies currency misalignments in these countries. The misalignment is later used to test the nonlinear behavior of the demand for money. The results indicate that the RER misalignments have a significant impact on domestic money demand. When the currencies are overvalued, there is a reduction in domestic money demand, and when they are undervalued, there is an increase in domestic money demand. Furthermore, it can be concluded that overvaluation causes an increase in foreign money demand indicating a shift of preference from domestic to foreign currency.     

Real exchange rate misalignments

This paper investigates episodes of real exchange rate appreciations and depreciations for a sample of 85 countries from 1960 to 1998. A Markov Switching Model is used to characterize real exchange rate misalignment series as stochastic autoregressive processes governed by two states corresponding to different means and variances. Our main findings are: first, some countries present no evidence of distinct misalignment regimes; second, for some countries there is no RER misalignment in one of the regimes; and, third, for the countries with two misalignment regimes, the appreciated regime has higher persistence than the depreciated one.     

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.     

The equilibrium real exchange rate and macroeconomic performance in developing countries

This article presents first estimates of the growth impact of the equilibrium real exchange rate (ERER) for a sample of 63 developing countries over 1970–2007. The results suggest that real exchange rate misalignment, not the level of the ERER, matters for macroeconomic performance in these countries.     

The effects of exchange rate volatility on exports: evidence from Armenia

The article examines how the volatility of exchange rate affected Armenia’s export to its main trading partner, Russia, in the period from January 2007 to February 2016. Along with real foreign income and competitiveness, the exchange rate volatility is considered as a determinant of real export. The estimation results indicate that the exchange rate volatility has negative significant effects on real export both in the long run and in the short run.     

A Darwinian perspective on “exchange rate undervaluation”

This paper studies how status competition for marriage partners can generate surprising effects on the real exchange rate (RER). In theory, a rise in the sex ratio (increasing relative surplus of men) can generate a decline in the RER. The effect can be quantitatively large if the biological desire for a marriage partner is strong. We also provide within-China and cross-country empirical evidence to support the theory. As an application, our cross-country estimation suggests that sex ratio as well as other factors in the existing literature can account for the recent evolution in Chinese RER almost completely.     

Causes of world trade growth in agricultural and food products, 1951–2000: a demand function approach

The objective of the present study is to analyse the causes of the growth of international agricultural and food trade in volume terms from 1951 to 2000. The results suggest that income growth has been the principal reason for this expansion, while exchange rate stability and the real price of agricultural products played only a minor role. Multilateral trade liberalization and trade costs, given their long-term stability, are not elements that could have stimulated their growth. Finally, the intensive liberalization of trade which took place in various economic regions, especially in Europe, became a key factor in promoting agricultural trade among the countries participating in regional trade agreements. The study results also indicate that the determinants of trade growth for these goods were different to those for other goods and other periods.     

Interdependency and adjustments in the European Union

Since the euro was launched, divergences in European economies'evolutions have been more significant than generally expected. The article, based on a multinational macroeconomic model describing the interdependence between 14 European countries, examines the role played by relative‐price adjustment mechanisms and difficulties inherent in asymmetric evolutions.

The efficiency of relative‐price adjustment mechanisms seems limited and, even in the most flexible countries, the return to equilibrium is slow and still incomplete after 10 years. Differences in relative‐price adjustment mechanisms remain a source of asymmetries between member countries. Extra‐European exchanges have a stabilizing role which is uneven on account of trade openness and price elasticities. A decrease of the world demand and a depreciation of the euro, still have an important impact with significant disparities between countries.

Several lessons can be drawn in terms of economic policy. A more restrictive European fiscal policy proves more costly in the long run in Germany and the Netherlands on account of the weakness of price compensation effects. On the contrary, thanks to their greater flexibility, the United Kingdom and Sweden can offset an initial negative shock more rapidly. The wage dimension in the definition of a good European policy mix has also to be examined.     

Exchange rate regime classifications and exchange rate variability

It is well known that the exchange rate regime (ERR) declared to the IMF is often different from the actual regime. Several alternative schemes for de facto regime classification have been developed. In this article, we compare the ability of four popular schemes to track exchange rate variability (ERV). We find that the existing ERR classifications do not match well with the degree of ERV, especially for intermediate regimes. For instance, in the Levy-Yeyati and Sturzenegger (2003) coding, the intermediate regimes exhibit greater ERV than the floaters. On the other hand, for the Reinhart and Rogoff (2004) coding, the fixers show greater variability than some intermediates.     

Real exchange rate and exchange rate policy in Hungary

Five real exchange rate indicators are computed to assess the international competitiveness of Hungarian industry. These indicators are explained in econometric equations by employment, unemployment, productivity, interest spread and real producer wage. Causality tests reveal that external performance has an impact on real exchange rates, and contributes to explaining real exchange rates. There is very limited scope for policy intervention to constrain the negative effects of capital inflows without incurring other costs.     

Do Fundamentals Explain the Behaviour of the Swedish Real Effective Exchange Rate?

This study examines the long‐run relationship between the real effective exchange rate and its fundamental determinants, and derives a real effective equilibrium exchange rate for the Swedish krona. Our results indicate that the krona was severely overvalued in late 1992, when the fixed exchange rate regime was abandoned. By the end of 2000 the krona was undervalued by approximately 5 percent, given the prevailing economic conditions. Arithmetic examples of suitable SEK/EUR conversion rates are calculated under various assumptions to provide a guideline if Sweden were to adopt the euro in the future.     

人民币均衡实际汇率的估计与实际汇率错位的测算

基于均衡实际汇率理论 ,本文应用多种经济计量方法实证分析了自 2 0世纪 50年代中期至 2 0 0 0年期间人民币实际汇率状况 ,估计出人民币均衡实际汇率 ,进而测算了实际汇率错位状况。研究结果表明 :在计划经济时期 ,人民币实际汇率长期被高估。改革开放后 ,均衡实际汇率长期处于贬值状况 ,现实的实际汇率长期被低估。在亚洲金融危机期间 (特别是 1 997和 1 998年 ) ,人民币实际汇率出现了明显的高估。 1 999年这种高估状况得到部分缓解 ;2 0 0 0年出现了根本性好转。在现实中 ,1 999年以后中国出口的快速增长也证实了这一结论。     

汇率制度与宏观经济政策环境——以加拿大为例

加拿大属于典型的资源性经济,加元的汇率变化多受国际商品和石油价格的影响,超出了国内货币政策的控制范围,是独立浮动或是固定汇率？经过两次试验后,加拿大政府坚定地选择了独立浮动汇率制度,并最终实现了汇率政策与货币政策脱离,以此给予了加拿大银行较大的决策空间,使后者专注于维持较低的通货膨胀环境。同时,加拿大政府努力为汇率制度创造有利的宏观经济政策环境,财政政策和货币政策分工明确、相互支持,为汇率制度和经济增长奠定了可持续的坚实基础。本文以加拿大浮动汇率制度为主线,从财政政策、货币政策、政策搭配角度讨论其宏观经济政策框架,分析加元汇率制度的运行环境。在此基础上,本文探讨加拿大汇率政策及浮动汇率制度的作用与功能。本文第五部分对加拿大银行提出的汇率预测模型作出了较深入的分析。     

The Effect of Changes in Real Exchange Rates on Employment: Evidence from Manufacturing Industries in China, 1980–2002

This paper analyzes the effect of changes in real exchange rate on manufacturing employment. Our theoretical model predicts the positive effect of depreciation of real exchange rate on employment through a firm’s expectation on changes in real exchange rate and the interaction between real exchange rate and a firm’s import and domestic input. Using China’s manufacturing data during the 1980–2003 period, we find that depreciation of real exchange rate promotes employment growth in manufacturing industries, while change in real exchange rate is not a significant factor in promoting wage growth. We also find that an increase in export share offsets partially the effects of real exchange rate on employment and real wages. Translated from Journal of World Economy, 2005, (4): (in Chinese)     

汇率失调、汇率中性假定和策略汇率

在资本不完全流动的情形下,汇率不仅是体现一国内部经济均衡和外部经济均衡的政策目标,也是一国政府实现其他政治、经济目标的重要政策工具。本文通过考察政府如何以汇率失调为代价,实现政治、经济等战略目标,并以此为基础提出策略汇率的概念,以完善对汇率失调的理论描述和加深对汇率失调内在机制的理解。本文还建立了汇率博弈的政治经济学模型,运用博弈论阐明策略汇率是一个Nash均衡结果。     

人民币行为均衡汇率及错位程度的测算研究:1978-2006

基于行为均衡汇率理论,应用多种计量经济方法对1978-2006年期间人民币实际汇率状况进行的实证分析结果表明:从名义汇率错位情况来看,1995年及以前的名义汇率都是高估的,1996-2005年的名义汇率基本上都是低估的,且低估程度在2000年达到顶点,然后逐渐下降;2005年约低估4.7%,但到2006年,受2005年人民币汇率改革的影响,名义汇率反而高估约0.9%.从实际汇率错位情况来看,1993年及以前的人民币实际有效汇率都是高估的,1994年以后,随着出口的快速增长以及美元的不断贬值,人民币实际有效汇率相对于行为均衡汇率低估程度总体上不断扩大,2005年约低估16.3%;到2006年,受2005年人民币汇率改革的影响,人民币实际有效汇率低估程度有所下降,约低估15.3%.     

Productivity,real exchange rate,and aggregate demand: An empirical exercise applied to Brazil from 1960 to 2011

This research analyzes, from a post Kaleckian perspective, the interactions among the aggregate demand, the real exchange rate, productivity, and real wages in the Brazilian economy from 1960 to 2011. It adopts the longstanding perspective that demand is the driver of capital accumulation and economic growth. The research comprises the following steps: (a) a critical assessment of the growth regime literature, with a particular emphasis on issues related to productivity and the real exchange rate; (b) understanding the relationship between the real exchange rate and the productivity and growth regimes; (c) proposing a theoretical model that relates the real exchange rate, productivity, and the growth regime; and (d) an empirical test of the interaction between the real exchange rate, productivity, and the growth regime. Theoretically the study develops a model showing the interactions between the aggregate demand, the real exchange rate, productivity, and real wages. Furthermore, this research attempts to address the lack of theoretical and empirical studies about the relationship between the aggregate demand, the real exchange rate, productivity and real wages.     

Exchange Rate Pass‐through: The Role of Regime Changes

We consider the effect on the degree of exchange rate pass‐through of the exchange rate regime in operation. We test the hypothesis that pass‐through will be lower under a float as firms may be reluctant to pass appreciations or depreciations on to their customers when there is a strong chance that they will be subsequently reversed. Taylor’s hypothesis that pass‐through will be lower in a low‐inflation environment is also considered. Both hypotheses are assessed in relation to the price of manufactured imports into New Zealand and we find that, whereas the shift to a float dramatically lowered the degree of pass‐through, the later shift to a low‐inflation regime has no significant additional effect on the pass‐through relationship.     

The internal and external equilibrium exchange rate of RMB: 1982–2010

This paper estimates fundamental equilibrium exchange rate of RMB based on internal and external balance of China’s economy. The findings indicate that RMB real exchange rate is overvalued in the period of 1982–1991, but the extent of the undervaluation has an enlarging trend since 2004. Then, we put forward a new theory called “Prior Equilibrium Exchange Rate” and apply it to RMB, finding that real effective exchange rate of RMB need to be appreciated about 20% between 2008 and 2010, and the appreciation range of bilateral nominal exchange rate between RMB and the world’s key currencies depends on the objective functions of the government. Policy implication indicates that decision makers need to refer to equilibrium exchange rate which is derived from different theories and to make great efforts to adjust it towards equilibrium level and establish RMB “Prior Equilibrium Exchange Rate.” Meanwhile, policymakers should implement a potential objective interval system of exchange rate appreciation. The appreciation range of bilateral exchange rate of RMB against USD from 2008 to 2010 may be set between 6% to 10%.     

Oil prices and the real exchange rate in Iran: an ARDL bounds testing approach

This article examines the impact of oil prices on the real exchange rate in Iran during the 1961–2014 period using the autoregressive distributed lag approach to cointegration as the estimation method. We find that higher oil prices lead to appreciation of the real exchange rate. The results reveal that oil prices have both short-run and long-run effects on the real exchange rate.