A role model for China? Exchange rate flexibility and monetary policy in Japan

A substantial number of papers have proposed to allow for more exchange rate flexibility of the Chinese yuan. But few papers have tried to project how Chinese monetary policy will behave under flexible exchange rates. As Japan provides an important role model for China, this paper studies the role of the yen/dollar exchange rate for Japanese monetary policy after the shift of Japan from a fixed to a floating exchange rate regime. In contrast to prior studies, we allow for regime shifts in the impact of the exchange rate on monetary policy. The results show that the exchange rate had a substantial impact on Japanese monetary policy in periods of appreciation. This implies that repeated attempts to soften the appreciation pressure by interest rate cuts have led Japan into the liquidity trap. The economic policy conclusion for China is to keep the exchange rate pegged (to the dollar).     

Monetary policy shocks and exchange rates in Asian countries

In this paper, we empirically investigate the effects of monetary policy shocks on exchange rates in Asian countries. To do so, we use VAR models which impose sign restrictions on impulse responses to identify monetary policy shocks. We find that contractionary monetary policy shocks lead to significant exchange rate appreciation in Malaysia, the People’s Republic of China, and the Republic of Korea. However, in India, Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand, we find either a significant depreciation or no significant effect. These results suggest that an interest rate increase (or decrease) may not necessarily shield Asian countries from exchange rate depreciation (or appreciation) pressure following a U.S. interest rate increase (or decrease).     

Autonomy and Effectiveness of Chinese Monetary Policy under the De Facto Fixed Exchange Rate System

This paper uses monthly data to examine the autonomy and effectiveness of monetary policy in China under the de facto fixed exchange rate arrangement in place from 1998 to 2005. The results obtained from Granger causality tests in a vector autoregression framework indicate that： （i） China actually conducted independent monetary policy during the fixed exchange rate period; and （ii） market-oriented policy measures are impotent in influencing real output and prices. The framework of the investigation into the autonomy of monetary policy adapts to the Chinese economic condition that primary loan and deposit rates are set by the central bank. Based on the empirical results, the present paper provides alternative strategies to improve the effectiveness of monetary policy in China, including developing the financial system and solidifying microeconomic fundamentals instead of forcing the adaptation of a more flexible exchange rate regime.     

Do Monetary Policy Announcements Affect Exchange Rate Returns and Volatility of Returns? Some Evidence from High‐Frequency Intra‐Day South African Data

This paper examines the temporal effect of domestic monetary policy surprises on both returns and volatility of returns of the South African rand/U.S. dollar exchange rate. The analysis in this “event study” proceeds using intra‐day minute‐by‐minute exchange rate data, repo rate data from the South African Reserve Bank's scheduled monetary policy announcements, and market consensus repo rate forecasts. A carefully selected sample over the period August 2003 to November 2017 ensures that the change in monetary policy is exogenous to the exchange rate. We find statistically and economically significant responses in intra‐day high‐frequency South African rand/U.S. dollar exchange rate returns and volatility of exchange rate returns to domestic interest rate surprises, but anticipated changes have no bearing on exchange rate returns and their volatility. The empirical results also indicate that there is an instantaneous response of the rand/dollar exchange rate to monetary policy surprises and that monetary policy news is an important determinant of the exchange rate until at least 42 minutes after the pronouncement – suggesting a high degree of market “efficiency” in its mechanical sense (although not necessarily in the deeper economic‐informational sense) in processing this information. Essentially, the asymmetric GARCH results exhibit no leverage effects – positive and negative information shocks have symmetric effects on conditional variance.     

Testing the Taylor Model Predictability for Exchange Rates in Latin America

Exchange rates forecasting performance is tested by a model which incorporates endogenous monetary policy through a Taylor rule reaction function. Other usual monetary and equilibrium empirical exchange rate models are also evaluated for comparison purposes. Predictability is tested by comparing the models to a benchmark random walk specification. We contribute to the recent literature in many ways. First, we include models of forward-looking endogenous monetary policy to the exchange rate forecasting exercise, the Taylor model. Second, our data, set across countries, is uniform in terms of economies adopting both inflation targeting and a flexible exchange rate. Third, our study sheds light on exchange rate determinants for emerging economies: Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Peru and Mexico. Our results show strong predictability evidence for the Taylor model and indicate that assuming models of endogenous monetary policy and the present value of expected fundamentals is a rewarding strategy to model exchange rate determination.     

MONETARY POLICY IN A SMALL OPEN ECONOMY: THE CASE OF MALAYSIA

This paper provides a case study to characterize the monetary policy regime in Malaysia, from a medium‐ and long‐term perspective. Specifically, we ask how the Central Bank of Malaysia, Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM), has structured its monetary policy regime, and how it has conducted monetary and exchange rate policy under the regime. By conducting three empirical analyses, we characterize the monetary and exchange rate policy regime in Malaysia by three intermediate solutions on three vectors: the degree of autonomy in monetary policy, the degree of variability of the exchange rate, and the degree of capital mobility.     

从“三元悖论”谈我国人民币汇率制度的选择

作为经典的汇率制度选择依据——“三元悖论“，长期以来一直被学术界所信奉，同样在我国，近年来关于人民币汇率制度的选择问题也是一直以此为基石。认为人民币汇率制度的选择主要依据是我国中央银行的货币政策自主。然而本文将利用Mendel-Fleming和Mendel-Fleming-Dombusch两个模型去分析，得出即使在国际资本完全不自由流动下的固定汇率政策以及在国际资本的完全自由流动情况下的浮动汇率政策都无法完全得以实现，从而理清了我国人民币汇率制度选择时依赖于中央银行货币政策自主的模糊认识。     

从“三元悖论”谈我国人民币汇率制度的选择

作为经典的汇率制度选择依据--"三元悖论",长期以来一直被学术界所信奉,同样在我国,近年来关于人民币汇率制度的选择问题也是一直以此为基石.认为人民币汇率制度的选择主要依据是我国中央银行的货币政策自主,然而本文将利用Mendel-Fleming和Mendel-Fleming-Dornbusch两个模型去分析,得出即使在国际资本完全不自由流动下的固定汇率政策以及在国际资本的完全自由流动情况下的浮动汇率政策都无法完全得以实现,从而理清了我国人民币汇率制度选择时依赖于中央银行货币政策自主的模糊认识.     

外汇储备剧增导致的货币政策困境

外汇储备是体现和制约货币政策有效性的重要因素。根据“三元悖论”,中国政府为确保汇率稳定,同时实现资本准自由流动,必定要以牺牲货币政策独立性为代价。外汇储备超常增长、大量外汇占款导致央行货币政策的实施陷入被动和效果趋弱的困境,给宏观调控政策的选择提出更加复杂的难题。基于此现状,本文对该困境形成的原因和不利影响加以分析,尝试寻求解决办法。     

财政、货币和汇率政策对经常账户的影响——以中美两国为例

本文从理论和实证的角度论证了财政、货币和汇率政策对中美两国经常账户的影响。理论模型推导出汇率和货币政策相较于财政政策对经常账户的影响更大,而实证分析得出汇率政策相较于其他政策对我国经常账户的影响更大,货币政策相较于其他政策对美国经常账户的影响更大,财政政策相较于汇率政策的影响力较大。所以,不能简单地套用传统的内外均衡调节方法,而应该根据各国的具体国情来灵活选择不同的调节政策。     

Policy Choices and Resilience to International Monetary Shocks

Abstract

The well-known trilemma theory states that the nominal exchange rate regime plays a crucial role in a country's ability to pursue monetary policy that is for its domestic objectives independent from other countries' influences. In particular, a flexible exchange rate is required for an independent monetary policy. Capital controls may help a country with a fixed exchange rate to gain some policy space but the effect of capital controls is leaky and often short-lived. We revisit these conventional wisdoms and find no strong evidence supporting them in practice. In particular, a flexible exchange rate does not reliably deliver monetary policy independence, but capital controls do. This is consistent with the view that most (developing) countries dislike either depreciation or appreciation of their currencies, and therefore would choose to follow US monetary policy moves even if they are on a flexible exchange rate regime. In other words, to build resilience to international monetary policy shocks, capital controls are a necessarily component.     

Inflation targeting in India: A comparison with the multiple indicator approach

The empirical literature on identification and measurement of the impact of monetary policy shocks on the real side of the economy is fairly comprehensive for developed economies, but very limited for emerging and transition economies. In this study, we propose an identification scheme for a developing economy (taking India as a case study), which is able to capture the monetary transmission mechanism for that economy without giving rise to empirical anomalies. Using a VAR approach with recursive contemporaneous restrictions, we identify monetary policy shocks by modelling the reaction function of the central bank and structure of that economy. The effect of monetary policy shocks on the exchange rate and other macroeconomic variables is consistent with the predictions of a broad set of theoretical models. This set-up is used to build a hypothetical case of inflation targeting where the monetary policy instrument is set after assessing the current values of inflation only. This is in contrast with the ‘multiple indicator approach’ currently followed by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The results in this study suggest that the demand effects of interest rate are stronger than the exchange rate effects. There is also evidence of the mitigation of potential conflict between exchange rate and interest rate, one of main monetary policy dilemmas of the RBI in inflation targeting.     

The Exchange Rate and the Monetary Transmission Mechanism in Germany

For the conduct of monetary policy under floating exchange rates it is important to understand the role of the exchange rate in the monetary transmission mechanism (MTM). The timing and the magnitude of the effects of a change in the exchange rate on output and inflation may be quite different from traditional interest rate channels, thereby affecting optimal policy. In this paper we examine the exchange rate channel in the MTM in Germany by estimating an identified VAR model. Two features of the results are highlighted. The effect of a policy shock on the exchange rate accelerates the pass-through of policy into prices and leads to a different response of the various components of GDP. We then show that these qualitative effects can be duplicated in a general equilibrium model for a semi-small open economy with sticky prices and wages that is calibrated to capture the main features of the German economy.     

Surfing the waves of globalization: Asia and financial globalization in the context of the trilemma

Using the “trilemma indexes” developed by Aizenman et al. (2010) that measure the extent of achievement in each of the three policy goals in the trilemma—monetary independence, exchange rate stability, and financial openness—we examine how policy configurations affect macroeconomic performances, with focus on the Asian economies. We find that the three policy choices matter for output volatility and the medium-term level of inflation. Greater monetary independence is associated with lower output volatility while greater exchange rate stability implies greater output volatility, which can be mitigated if a country holds international reserves (IR) at a level higher than a threshold (about 20% of GDP). Greater monetary autonomy is associated with a higher level of inflation while greater exchange rate stability and greater financial openness could lower the inflation rate. We find that trilemma policy configurations affect output volatility through the investment or trade channel depending on the openness of the economies. Our results indicate that policy makers in a more open economy would prefer pursuing greater exchange rate stability while holding a massive amount of IR. Asian emerging market economies are found to be equipped with macroeconomic policy configurations that help the economies to dampen the volatility of the real exchange rate. These economies’ sizeable amount of IR holding appears to enhance the stabilizing effect of the trilemma policy choices, and this may help explain the recent phenomenal buildup of IR in the region.     

Twin Banking and Currency Crises and Monetary Policy

Currency crises are found to be strongly associated with banking crises. This paper constructs a twin banking and currency crisis model by introducing the banking sector into the currency crisis model and examining the case in which the exchange rate risk is located in the banking system. The model shows that an unanticipated shock caused by the shift of investors’ expectations and/or a negative productivity shock can trigger a twin banking and currency crisis. To achieve both financial stability and economic stability, the central bank uses multiple monetary policy instruments. In contrast to the conventional policy recommendation in response to a currency crisis, i.e., interest rate hike, we find that when the exchange rate risk is located in the banking sector, the monetary policy option to prevent a twin crisis is to lower the policy interest rate and the reserve requirement ratio and raise the interest rate on reserves. Our results show that the location of the exchange rate risk matters for the choice of an appropriate monetary policy response during a crisis.     

Monetary Shocks and the Fundamental Determinants of the Real Exchange Rate under the Hong Kong Currency Board

To assess the claim that flexible markets render monetary policy unimportant under the currency board, we test the impact of monetary shocks on Hong Kong's real exchange rate. Using vector autoregressions, we find persistent effects of monetary shocks on the real exchange rate, implying money is not neutral in Hong Kong. We then estimate the equilibrium real exchange rate, employing the definition developed by Rogoff-Obstfeld-Stein. The divergence between the observed and equilibrium rates is clearly stationary throughout the 1980s, but after a key policy shift in 1991 that divergence becomes non-stationary. We conclude that Hong Kong's real exchange rate moved away from the real fundamentals in the latter period.     

The ‘trilemma’ hypothesis and policy implications for Fiji

This paper examines the trilemma constraint for Fiji; that is, we investigate how trilemma policy variables were used to address policy trade‐offs among the three objectives of exchange rate stability, monetary autonomy, and financial openness. Fiji makes an interesting case because of its policy orientation towards a stable exchange rate and adequate foreign reserves. Our results suggest that the trilemma constraint is binding for Fiji and policy priority is given to exchange rate stability and monetary policy independence, while less emphasis is placed on financial market openness. We also find that the actual policy levels do not deviate substantially from optimal levels, which evidences that Fiji's policy management has been efficient under the trilemma constraint. Finally, we also study the effects of various trilemma policy combinations and foreign reserve holdings on output growth and inflation.     

On Optimal Monetary Policy Rules and the Construction of MCIs in the Open Economy

This paper presents a simple open-economy forward-looking model to underscore the important role of the real exchange rate channel in the conduct of optimal monetary policy. As opposed to the closed economy, optimal monetary policy in the open economy depends on both demand-side and supply-side parameters.The paper also highlights the importance of the exchange rate channel for the design and implementation of a Monetary Conditions Index in the conduct of monetary policy. The model gives rise to an alternative MCI where the weight on the real exchange rate depends on all parameters of the model and the policymakers preferences.     

International monetary arrangements in the Asia-Pacific before and after

This paper assesses the characteristics and policy implications of the international monetary arrangements in the Asia-Pacific pre- and post-July 1997. It first examines the literature on speculative attacks on fixed and managed exchange rate regimes. Since these speculative attacks are more likely to be successful when financial markets are well integrated, it then assesses the degree of financial market integration in the region. Furthermore, as the empirical evidence also suggests a possible role for real exchange rate overvaluation, we examine the evidence regarding misalignment. Using a purchasing power parity (PPP) criterion and a criterion based on a Balassa-Samuelson model, we find mixed evidence of exchange rate overvaluation. Given that our ability to determine the equilibrium real exchange rate is so limited, we caution against a return to a fixed or highly managed exchange rate regime. Finally, we assess how monetary policy and exchange rate policy have interacted over the pre- and post-crisis periods, using a monetary model of exchange rates. JEL classification: F31; F33; F34     

人民币国际化对货币政策有效性的影响

人民币国际化是否影响货币政策有效性?是人民币国际化程度提高之后货币大规模跨境流动而引起的担忧。文章研究发现,在给定其他因素不变的情况下,人民币国际化程度的提高放大了境外汇率变动对国内经济产出和价格的影响。因此,人民币国际化背景下,中央银行应将境外汇率失衡纳入货币政策的反应函数,反应系数取决于境外利率、产出和价格对境外货币需求的决定系数。理论分析还表明,人民币国际化程度不影响货币政策对国内价格的有效性,而是否影响货币政策对国内经济产出的有效性,则取决于经济结构特征。实证结果表明,目前人民币国际化未对国内利率、产出和价格带来明显冲击,且无论是在M0层次,还是在M2层次,人民币国际化均未明显影响国内货币政策有效性。