The paper re-assesses the impact of exchange rate regimes on macroeconomic performance. We test for the relationship between de jure and de facto exchange rate classifications on the one hand, and inflation, output growth and output volatility on the other. We find that, once high-inflation outliers are excluded from the sample, only hard exchange rate pegs are associated with lower inflation compared to the floating regime. There is no significant relationship between output growth and exchange rate regimes, confirming results from previous studies. De jure pegged regimes (broadly defined) are correlated with higher output volatility, but this relationship is reversed for the de facto classification. The last result points to a potential endogeneity problem present when the de facto classification is used in testing for the relationship between exchange rate behavior and macroeconomic performance.
Authored by: Maryla Maliszewska, Wojciech Maliszewski
Published in 2004
Inferences from Interest Rate Behavior for Monetary Policy SignalingIOSR Journals
Weak mean reversion of interest rates towards the long term mean suggests high probability of agents in financial markets failing to interpret monetary policy signalling efficiently and financial market related interest rate unable to achieve equilibrium. Increased randomness penetrating interest rate markets is due to the weak monetary policy signalling effect which dilutes information flow from central banks’ to agents in the financial market. In such cases the effectiveness monetary policy erodes as it departs from the objectives of central banks and financial regulators
The paper proposes two econometric models of inflation for Azerbaijan: one based on monthly data and eclectic, another based on quarterly data and takes into account disequilibrium at the money market. Inflation regression based on monthly data showed that consumer prices dynamics is explained by money growth (the more money, the higher the inflation), exchange rate behaviour (appreciation drives disinflation), commodities price dynamics (“imported” inflation) and administrative changes in regulated prices. For the quarterly model, nominal money demand equation (with inflation, real non-oil GDP and nominal interest rate on foreign currency deposits as predictors) and money supply equation were estimated, and error-correction mechanism from money demand equation was included into inflation equation. It is shown that disequilibrium at the money market (supply higher than demand) drives inflation together with money supply growth and nominal exchange rate depreciation and administrative changes in prices. No cost-push variables appeared to be significant in this equation specification. Both models give similar inflation projections, but sudden changes in money demand (2012) lead to significant differences between the projections. It is shown that money is the most important inflation determinant that explains up to 97.8% of CPI growth between 2012 and 2015, and that in order to keep inflation under control the Central Bank of Azerbaijan should link money supply to real non-oil GDP growth.
Authored by: Alexander Chubrik, Przemyslaw Wozniak, Gulnar Hajiyeva
Published in 2012
The paper deals with the choice of the nominal euro conversion rates for the acceding countries upon their accession to EMU. The paper reviews theoretical models of equilibrium exchange rates as well as discusses their interpretation and the ensuing policy recommendations. Problems with empirical estimations of existing models are addressed. It is argued that despite several equilibrium exchange rate theories not all of them are useful for the real policy choice of the nominal conversion rate. This and the intrinsic uncertainty of equilibrium exchange rate estimates lead to the conclusion that the range of “optimal” euro conversion rates is quiet wideand other issues must be taken into account. In particular, a smooth transition to the euro conversion rate and minimisation of risks of potential shocks to the economy should be the keyconcern. Consequently, recommendations for the selection of nominal conversion rates are largely dependent on the current exchange rate regime.
Authored by: Łukasz Rawdanowicz
Published in 2003
Developing economies are different than developed economies in many aspects, i.e., in terms of institutional framework and political situation etc. Thus, the monetary policy needed in developing countries is also different than developed countries. The goal of this study is to investigate exchange rate channel of monetary transmission mechanism in a developing country’s setup. The variables included in our analysis are interest rate, exchange rate, exports, consumer price index and gross domestic product. Johansen cointegration technique is applied to analyze the long run relationship among variables while multivariate VECM granger causality test is used to explore the direction of causality among the set of our variables. We use annual data ranging from 1980 to 2015 while taking account of the limitations of time series data. Our findings suggest that output has a negative long run relationship with exchange rate and interest rate, positive relationship with exports and no statistically significant relationship with inflation. Interest rate granger causes all four of our variables thus showing the power of this policy tool. Exchange rate causes exports, consumer price index and output which means exchange rate is the second most powerful variable in our analysis. Output is granger caused by interest rate, exports and exchange rate which confirms the sensitivity of output to these variables. Consumer price index is granger caused by all four of our variables and came out to be the most sensitive variable in our analysis.
In this paper I estimate a Bayesian structural VAR models for the Czech Republic and Poland, allowing for changes in parameters between the two monetary policy arrangements. The four-variables structural VAR methodology adopted in the study is successful in identifying monetary policy shocks and their effects for the Czech and Polish economies. The time-varying model is capable of detecting a change in the policy reaction function consistent with introduction of the floating exchange rate system and switching to short-term interest rate as the main policy instrument. The results indicate the dominant role of exchange rate in the monetary transmission mechanism.
Authored by: Wojciech Maliszewski
Published in 2002
Inferences from Interest Rate Behavior for Monetary Policy SignalingIOSR Journals
Weak mean reversion of interest rates towards the long term mean suggests high probability of agents in financial markets failing to interpret monetary policy signalling efficiently and financial market related interest rate unable to achieve equilibrium. Increased randomness penetrating interest rate markets is due to the weak monetary policy signalling effect which dilutes information flow from central banks’ to agents in the financial market. In such cases the effectiveness monetary policy erodes as it departs from the objectives of central banks and financial regulators
The paper proposes two econometric models of inflation for Azerbaijan: one based on monthly data and eclectic, another based on quarterly data and takes into account disequilibrium at the money market. Inflation regression based on monthly data showed that consumer prices dynamics is explained by money growth (the more money, the higher the inflation), exchange rate behaviour (appreciation drives disinflation), commodities price dynamics (“imported” inflation) and administrative changes in regulated prices. For the quarterly model, nominal money demand equation (with inflation, real non-oil GDP and nominal interest rate on foreign currency deposits as predictors) and money supply equation were estimated, and error-correction mechanism from money demand equation was included into inflation equation. It is shown that disequilibrium at the money market (supply higher than demand) drives inflation together with money supply growth and nominal exchange rate depreciation and administrative changes in prices. No cost-push variables appeared to be significant in this equation specification. Both models give similar inflation projections, but sudden changes in money demand (2012) lead to significant differences between the projections. It is shown that money is the most important inflation determinant that explains up to 97.8% of CPI growth between 2012 and 2015, and that in order to keep inflation under control the Central Bank of Azerbaijan should link money supply to real non-oil GDP growth.
Authored by: Alexander Chubrik, Przemyslaw Wozniak, Gulnar Hajiyeva
Published in 2012
The paper deals with the choice of the nominal euro conversion rates for the acceding countries upon their accession to EMU. The paper reviews theoretical models of equilibrium exchange rates as well as discusses their interpretation and the ensuing policy recommendations. Problems with empirical estimations of existing models are addressed. It is argued that despite several equilibrium exchange rate theories not all of them are useful for the real policy choice of the nominal conversion rate. This and the intrinsic uncertainty of equilibrium exchange rate estimates lead to the conclusion that the range of “optimal” euro conversion rates is quiet wideand other issues must be taken into account. In particular, a smooth transition to the euro conversion rate and minimisation of risks of potential shocks to the economy should be the keyconcern. Consequently, recommendations for the selection of nominal conversion rates are largely dependent on the current exchange rate regime.
Authored by: Łukasz Rawdanowicz
Published in 2003
Developing economies are different than developed economies in many aspects, i.e., in terms of institutional framework and political situation etc. Thus, the monetary policy needed in developing countries is also different than developed countries. The goal of this study is to investigate exchange rate channel of monetary transmission mechanism in a developing country’s setup. The variables included in our analysis are interest rate, exchange rate, exports, consumer price index and gross domestic product. Johansen cointegration technique is applied to analyze the long run relationship among variables while multivariate VECM granger causality test is used to explore the direction of causality among the set of our variables. We use annual data ranging from 1980 to 2015 while taking account of the limitations of time series data. Our findings suggest that output has a negative long run relationship with exchange rate and interest rate, positive relationship with exports and no statistically significant relationship with inflation. Interest rate granger causes all four of our variables thus showing the power of this policy tool. Exchange rate causes exports, consumer price index and output which means exchange rate is the second most powerful variable in our analysis. Output is granger caused by interest rate, exports and exchange rate which confirms the sensitivity of output to these variables. Consumer price index is granger caused by all four of our variables and came out to be the most sensitive variable in our analysis.
In this paper I estimate a Bayesian structural VAR models for the Czech Republic and Poland, allowing for changes in parameters between the two monetary policy arrangements. The four-variables structural VAR methodology adopted in the study is successful in identifying monetary policy shocks and their effects for the Czech and Polish economies. The time-varying model is capable of detecting a change in the policy reaction function consistent with introduction of the floating exchange rate system and switching to short-term interest rate as the main policy instrument. The results indicate the dominant role of exchange rate in the monetary transmission mechanism.
Authored by: Wojciech Maliszewski
Published in 2002
This paper analyses the impact of exchange rate regimes on the real sector. While most studies in this field have so far concentrated on aggregate variables, we pursue a sectoral approach distinguishing between the tradable and nontradable sectors. Firstly, we present a survey of the relevant theoretical and empirical literature. This demonstrates that evaluations of exchange rate regimes and their impact on the real economy are largely dependant on specific assumptions concerning, in particular, the parameters of a utility function, the nature of the price adjustment process and the characteristics of analysed shocks. Secondly, we conduct an empirical analysis of the behaviour of the tradable and nontradable sectors under different exchange rate regimes for seven Central and Eastern European countries. We find no firm evidence of a differential impact of given exchange rate regimes on the dynamics of output and prices in the two sectors. We proffer a conceptual and technical interpretation of this.
Authored by: Przemyslaw Kowalski, Wojciech Paczynski, Łukasz Rawdanowicz
Published in 2003
The objective of this paper is to test the exchange rate dynamics by measuring the speed of adjustment of prices. In this overshooting model, we assume price stickiness (gradual adjustment). If the prices are adjusted instantaneously, we will have the monetarist view; otherwise, the overshooting one, due to slow adjustment of prices and consequently, it affects all the other variables and slowly the exchange rate. We outline, here, an approach of testing the dynamic models of exchange rate determination. This approach is based upon the idea that it is difficult to measure directly the process by which market participants revise their expectations about current and future money supplies. On the other hand, it is possible to make indirect inferences about these expectations through a time series analysis of related financial and real prices. Empirical tests of the above exchange rate dynamics are taking place for four different exchange rates ($/€, $/£, C$/$, and ¥/$). Theoretical discussion and empirical evidence have emphasized the impact of gradual adjustment and “overshooting” that it is taking place. Only for the $/€ exchange rate the monetarist model is correct.
Abstract The main purpose of this paper is to investigate whether stock prices and exchange rates are related to each
other or not. Both the short term and the long term association between these variables are discovered. The study applies
monthly and quarterly data on two gulf countries, including Kingdom Saudi Arabia (KSA) and United Arab Emirate (UAE)
for the period January 2008 to December 2009. The results of this study in the short term found that the exchange rate
influence positively on the stock market price index for United Arab Emirate and there is no association between them for
Kingdom Saudi Arabia. Moreover the study in the long term found that the exchange rate influence negatively on stock
market price index for the United Arab Emirate. While no association between these variables in Kingdom Saudi Arabia.
Macroeconomic Variables on Stock Market Interactions: The Indian ExperienceIOSR Journals
To examine the effect of macroeconomic variables on the stock price movement in Indian Stock Market. Six variables of macro-economy (inflation, exchange rate, Industrial production, MoneySupply, Goldprice, interest rate) are used as independent variables. Sensex, Nifty and BSE 100are indicated as dependent variable. The monthly time series data are gathered from RBI handbook over the period of April 2008 to June 2012. Multiple regression analysis is applied in this paper to construct a quantitative model showing the relationship between macroeconomics and stock price. The result of this paper indicates that significant relationship is occurred between macroeconomics variable’s and stock price in India.
Asymmetric Analysis of Exchange Rates Volatility: Evidence from Emerging EconomyIOSRJBM
The primary objective of this study is to empirically establish the level of volatility persistence and ascertain the presence of asymmetric effect on the three segment of the Nigerian foreign exchange market (Inter-bank Foreign Exchange Market (IFEM), bureau de change (BDC) and Wholesale Dutch Auction System (WDAS)). Asymmetric Threshold Generalized Authoregressive Conditional Heteroscadasticity (TGARCH) approach was adopted in the research methodology for the empirical analysis to capture the simultaneous estimation of the mean and the conditional variance in 1,262 sample observations. Generally, this study produced some interesting findings: first, it reveals that naira to US dollar nominal exchange rate volatilities were found to be persistent in all the market segments. Second, the exchange rate volatility in the interbank is persistent and explosive; while the volatilities in the BDC and WDAS market are high and moderate, respectively. This means that the BDC segment of the Nigerian foreign exchange market is less volatile than the interbank market segment even when the interbank segment of the market is more funded with foreign exchange from autonomous and official sources. Additionally, it is evident that interbank segment reacts more to past shocks of the foreign exchange market. Finally, the study also confirms the existence of asymmetric effect in the Nigerian foreign exchange market. The practical implication of these findings is that it raises a policy concerns for the regulators of interbank foreign exchange transaction because the finding of this study signals liquidity squeeze in the market and it is a disincentive to international investors and market players. This is not unconnected to trend seeking and round tripping behavior.
Empirical literature on money demand is mainly based on the estimation of a long run relation by means of time-invariant cointergration approach. Taiwan has experienced the economic and financial regime change since 1979. The purpose of this paper is to test structural breaks in Taiwan long run money demand equation. We examine six of the most influential specifications proposed in the literature. The classical set of explanatory variables (e.g. income and interest rates) is extended on the base of a number underlying economic reasons related to financial, labor and international portfolio characteristics. The results suggest that international financial market variables and the classical specifications are the key determinants of structural instability observed in Taiwan broad money.
This paper analysed the forecasting ability of yield-curve as a predictor of the short-run fluctuations in economic activities in Namibia. The study employed the techniques of unit root, cointegration, impulse response functions and forecast error variance decomposition on the quarterly data covering the period 1996 to 2015. The results revealed a negative relationship between the term structure of interest rates and economic activities, though statistically insignificant. This suggests that the yield-curve has no forecasting ability as a predictor of economic activity in Namibia.
The paper aims to see the effect of Nominal, Real (External) and Effective Exchange rates (EER) of the U.S dollar on its Terms of Trade with two of its APEC trading partners Australia and New Zealand for the period 1991 to 2010. For analysis, the whole values, percentage changes and relationships between Nominal, Real, EER and Terms of Trade of U.S with the two countries has been taken into consideration. In order to fully access the relationship between the EER and TOT of the U.S with the two trading partners, the Classical Regression analysis is used. It was found that the Real Exchange rate was overvalued as compared to the Nominal Exchange Rate. It was also found that when compared to Nominal exchange rate, Real exchange rate is more effective in explaining the TOT. The Real AUD/USD had both short run and long run impacts on the TOT of U.S.A with Australia but the Real NZD/USD had no impact on the TOT of U.S.A with New Zealand. The EER has been found to be the most effective in determining the TOT balance. The regression analysis showed a regression function of “Terms of Trade= -122.026 + 2.1 Effective Exchange Rate”. The relationship is found by coefficient correlation (r) and there is found to be a positive and strong relationship between the two variables. The 𝑟2 value shows that although some values of the TOT are caused by the EER, there are also other variables that might be influencing the EER as well. The t-values show that the values of β0 and β1 are significant. Also the F-test confirms the overall significance of the model and terms the results as authentic.
This paper aims to devise a monetary policy instrument rule that is suitable for open economies undergoing monetary convergence to a common currency area. The open-economy convergence-consistent Taylor rule is forward-looking, consistent with monetary framework based on inflation targeting, containing input variables that are relative to the corresponding variables in the common currency area. The policy rule is tested empirically for three inflation targeting countries converging to the euro, i.e. the Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary. Stability tests of the input variables affirm prudent inclusion of these variables in the suggested policy rule. Empirical tests of the proposed instrument rule point to systemic differences in monetary policies among these euro-candidates. The Czech inflation targeting is forwardlooking relying on a sensible balance between inflation and output growth objectives. Poland's policy focuses on backward-looking inflation, while the Hungarian policy on exchange rate stability. Forecasts of policy instruments based on the prescribed rule are more accurate and reliable for the Czech Republic and Hungary, but less for Poland.
Authored by: Lucjan T. Orlowski
Published in 2008
Forecasting real economic growth by using the information contents of financial asset prices is one of the main themes in financial studies in recent years. Based on the micro-level stock data from Shenzhen Stock Exchange Market, the paper constructs a cross-section volatility measure using sample stocks, investigates the impact of stock price volatility on economic growth, and forecasts economic growth with stock prices volatility of different firm size. The empirical results indicate that stock price volatility is a good indicator for forecasting economic growth. The results also show that volatility of both large and small firms can be useful in forecasting economic growth. In addition, volatility of small firms can better predict economic growth.
This paper estimates responses to monetary shocks for several of the current members of the EMU (in the pre-EMU sample) and for the Central and East European (CEE) countries, along with the mean response in each of the groups. The problem of the short sample, especially acute in the case of the CEE, is mitigated by using a Bayesian estimation which combines information across countries. The estimated responses are similar across regions, but there is some evidence of more lagged and deeper price responses in the CEE economies. If this results from structural differences, premature entering the EMU would cause problems, but if from credibility issues, entering the EMU would be desirable. Also, with longer response lags, conducting a stabilizing monetary policy should be difficult in the CEE currently, and giving it up might not be a big loss after all.
Authored by: Marek Jarocinski
Published in 2004
This paper analyses the impact of exchange rate regimes on the real sector. While most studies in this field have so far concentrated on aggregate variables, we pursue a sectoral approach distinguishing between the tradable and nontradable sectors. Firstly, we present a survey of the relevant theoretical and empirical literature. This demonstrates that evaluations of exchange rate regimes and their impact on the real economy are largely dependant on specific assumptions concerning, in particular, the parameters of a utility function, the nature of the price adjustment process and the characteristics of analysed shocks. Secondly, we conduct an empirical analysis of the behaviour of the tradable and nontradable sectors under different exchange rate regimes for seven Central and Eastern European countries. We find no firm evidence of a differential impact of given exchange rate regimes on the dynamics of output and prices in the two sectors. We proffer a conceptual and technical interpretation of this.
Authored by: Przemyslaw Kowalski, Wojciech Paczynski, Łukasz Rawdanowicz
Published in 2003
The objective of this paper is to test the exchange rate dynamics by measuring the speed of adjustment of prices. In this overshooting model, we assume price stickiness (gradual adjustment). If the prices are adjusted instantaneously, we will have the monetarist view; otherwise, the overshooting one, due to slow adjustment of prices and consequently, it affects all the other variables and slowly the exchange rate. We outline, here, an approach of testing the dynamic models of exchange rate determination. This approach is based upon the idea that it is difficult to measure directly the process by which market participants revise their expectations about current and future money supplies. On the other hand, it is possible to make indirect inferences about these expectations through a time series analysis of related financial and real prices. Empirical tests of the above exchange rate dynamics are taking place for four different exchange rates ($/€, $/£, C$/$, and ¥/$). Theoretical discussion and empirical evidence have emphasized the impact of gradual adjustment and “overshooting” that it is taking place. Only for the $/€ exchange rate the monetarist model is correct.
Abstract The main purpose of this paper is to investigate whether stock prices and exchange rates are related to each
other or not. Both the short term and the long term association between these variables are discovered. The study applies
monthly and quarterly data on two gulf countries, including Kingdom Saudi Arabia (KSA) and United Arab Emirate (UAE)
for the period January 2008 to December 2009. The results of this study in the short term found that the exchange rate
influence positively on the stock market price index for United Arab Emirate and there is no association between them for
Kingdom Saudi Arabia. Moreover the study in the long term found that the exchange rate influence negatively on stock
market price index for the United Arab Emirate. While no association between these variables in Kingdom Saudi Arabia.
Macroeconomic Variables on Stock Market Interactions: The Indian ExperienceIOSR Journals
To examine the effect of macroeconomic variables on the stock price movement in Indian Stock Market. Six variables of macro-economy (inflation, exchange rate, Industrial production, MoneySupply, Goldprice, interest rate) are used as independent variables. Sensex, Nifty and BSE 100are indicated as dependent variable. The monthly time series data are gathered from RBI handbook over the period of April 2008 to June 2012. Multiple regression analysis is applied in this paper to construct a quantitative model showing the relationship between macroeconomics and stock price. The result of this paper indicates that significant relationship is occurred between macroeconomics variable’s and stock price in India.
Asymmetric Analysis of Exchange Rates Volatility: Evidence from Emerging EconomyIOSRJBM
The primary objective of this study is to empirically establish the level of volatility persistence and ascertain the presence of asymmetric effect on the three segment of the Nigerian foreign exchange market (Inter-bank Foreign Exchange Market (IFEM), bureau de change (BDC) and Wholesale Dutch Auction System (WDAS)). Asymmetric Threshold Generalized Authoregressive Conditional Heteroscadasticity (TGARCH) approach was adopted in the research methodology for the empirical analysis to capture the simultaneous estimation of the mean and the conditional variance in 1,262 sample observations. Generally, this study produced some interesting findings: first, it reveals that naira to US dollar nominal exchange rate volatilities were found to be persistent in all the market segments. Second, the exchange rate volatility in the interbank is persistent and explosive; while the volatilities in the BDC and WDAS market are high and moderate, respectively. This means that the BDC segment of the Nigerian foreign exchange market is less volatile than the interbank market segment even when the interbank segment of the market is more funded with foreign exchange from autonomous and official sources. Additionally, it is evident that interbank segment reacts more to past shocks of the foreign exchange market. Finally, the study also confirms the existence of asymmetric effect in the Nigerian foreign exchange market. The practical implication of these findings is that it raises a policy concerns for the regulators of interbank foreign exchange transaction because the finding of this study signals liquidity squeeze in the market and it is a disincentive to international investors and market players. This is not unconnected to trend seeking and round tripping behavior.
Empirical literature on money demand is mainly based on the estimation of a long run relation by means of time-invariant cointergration approach. Taiwan has experienced the economic and financial regime change since 1979. The purpose of this paper is to test structural breaks in Taiwan long run money demand equation. We examine six of the most influential specifications proposed in the literature. The classical set of explanatory variables (e.g. income and interest rates) is extended on the base of a number underlying economic reasons related to financial, labor and international portfolio characteristics. The results suggest that international financial market variables and the classical specifications are the key determinants of structural instability observed in Taiwan broad money.
This paper analysed the forecasting ability of yield-curve as a predictor of the short-run fluctuations in economic activities in Namibia. The study employed the techniques of unit root, cointegration, impulse response functions and forecast error variance decomposition on the quarterly data covering the period 1996 to 2015. The results revealed a negative relationship between the term structure of interest rates and economic activities, though statistically insignificant. This suggests that the yield-curve has no forecasting ability as a predictor of economic activity in Namibia.
The paper aims to see the effect of Nominal, Real (External) and Effective Exchange rates (EER) of the U.S dollar on its Terms of Trade with two of its APEC trading partners Australia and New Zealand for the period 1991 to 2010. For analysis, the whole values, percentage changes and relationships between Nominal, Real, EER and Terms of Trade of U.S with the two countries has been taken into consideration. In order to fully access the relationship between the EER and TOT of the U.S with the two trading partners, the Classical Regression analysis is used. It was found that the Real Exchange rate was overvalued as compared to the Nominal Exchange Rate. It was also found that when compared to Nominal exchange rate, Real exchange rate is more effective in explaining the TOT. The Real AUD/USD had both short run and long run impacts on the TOT of U.S.A with Australia but the Real NZD/USD had no impact on the TOT of U.S.A with New Zealand. The EER has been found to be the most effective in determining the TOT balance. The regression analysis showed a regression function of “Terms of Trade= -122.026 + 2.1 Effective Exchange Rate”. The relationship is found by coefficient correlation (r) and there is found to be a positive and strong relationship between the two variables. The 𝑟2 value shows that although some values of the TOT are caused by the EER, there are also other variables that might be influencing the EER as well. The t-values show that the values of β0 and β1 are significant. Also the F-test confirms the overall significance of the model and terms the results as authentic.
This paper aims to devise a monetary policy instrument rule that is suitable for open economies undergoing monetary convergence to a common currency area. The open-economy convergence-consistent Taylor rule is forward-looking, consistent with monetary framework based on inflation targeting, containing input variables that are relative to the corresponding variables in the common currency area. The policy rule is tested empirically for three inflation targeting countries converging to the euro, i.e. the Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary. Stability tests of the input variables affirm prudent inclusion of these variables in the suggested policy rule. Empirical tests of the proposed instrument rule point to systemic differences in monetary policies among these euro-candidates. The Czech inflation targeting is forwardlooking relying on a sensible balance between inflation and output growth objectives. Poland's policy focuses on backward-looking inflation, while the Hungarian policy on exchange rate stability. Forecasts of policy instruments based on the prescribed rule are more accurate and reliable for the Czech Republic and Hungary, but less for Poland.
Authored by: Lucjan T. Orlowski
Published in 2008
Forecasting real economic growth by using the information contents of financial asset prices is one of the main themes in financial studies in recent years. Based on the micro-level stock data from Shenzhen Stock Exchange Market, the paper constructs a cross-section volatility measure using sample stocks, investigates the impact of stock price volatility on economic growth, and forecasts economic growth with stock prices volatility of different firm size. The empirical results indicate that stock price volatility is a good indicator for forecasting economic growth. The results also show that volatility of both large and small firms can be useful in forecasting economic growth. In addition, volatility of small firms can better predict economic growth.
This paper estimates responses to monetary shocks for several of the current members of the EMU (in the pre-EMU sample) and for the Central and East European (CEE) countries, along with the mean response in each of the groups. The problem of the short sample, especially acute in the case of the CEE, is mitigated by using a Bayesian estimation which combines information across countries. The estimated responses are similar across regions, but there is some evidence of more lagged and deeper price responses in the CEE economies. If this results from structural differences, premature entering the EMU would cause problems, but if from credibility issues, entering the EMU would be desirable. Also, with longer response lags, conducting a stabilizing monetary policy should be difficult in the CEE currently, and giving it up might not be a big loss after all.
Authored by: Marek Jarocinski
Published in 2004
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Article 1Authors Christian Ewerhart, Nuno Cassola, Steen Ejersk.docxfredharris32
Article 1
Authors: Christian Ewerhart, Nuno Cassola, Steen Ejerskov, Natacha Valla
Title of the article: Manipulation in money markets
Journal Name: International Journal of Central Banking, March 2007
Summary
The article talks about the impact of manipulation in the implementation of the monetary policy. The authors claim that as a result of the impulsive reactions to the fundamental index of interbank interest rates, manipulation has turned out to be a major challenge for the operational enactment of the monetary policy. Therefore, to address the issue, the authors have focused on a microstructure model whereby a commercial bank can have a strategic alternative to the standing facilities of the central bank. They typify equilibrium where market rates are positively manipulated. The findings of the study prove that manipulation can be lucrative for a commercial bank with appropriate ex-ante features. And so, manipulation will continue to be a characteristic of equilibrium albeit stakeholders in the derivatives market create rational prospects regarding potential manipulation. The authors conclude by recognizing that the monetary authority has controlling techniques to fight manipulation and that further vigilance is required to ascertain that there is no operational manipulation (Ewerhart, Cassola, Ejerskov, & Valla, 2007).
Key points
The principal ideas discussed in the article regarding manipulation in the money markets include:
· Manipulation is a potential concern in money markets, particularly when a commercial bank holds a profitable position in which it can gain from may be an increase in interest rates.
· From an operational viewpoint, manipulation can increase volatility to the immediate interest rate thereby complicating the liquidity control of both the central bank and the commercial banks.
· Manipulation can have an impact on the market's confidence during a smooth execution of monetary policy, which will in turn affect the long-term refinancing conditions thereby upsetting the effectiveness of the monetary policy.
· The decision to manipulate a market by a commercial bank is contingent on factors such as the bank's general trading and deposit capacities, its readiness to take premeditated measures in search of profitable frontiers as well as the internal distribution of its risk budget between money markets.
· Competition amongst potential manipulators cannot impede the likelihood of manipulation.
· The immediate reaction by the central bank can help in reducing the volatility in the money markets caused by manipulations.
Reaction to the article
The microstructure model used in the study to show that manipulation can be lucrative for a commercial bank is efficient to illustrate the nature of financial markets. The model implies that investors can benefit from insider information and use it to change the nature of financial markets. In the financial stock market, insider information may lead to trading of stocks between invest ...
The standard Keynesian view of fiscal policy holds that in short-run fiscal adjustments (expansions) reduce (stimulate) aggregate demand and due to sticky wages, prices or other market rigidities, these demand shifts affect the factors of production and output. These conventional predictions have been challenged by the observation of episodes of perverse effects of fiscal policy – so called “non-Keynesian” effects. This paper reassess the short-run consequences of fiscal policy. We provide evidence that consumption reacts in a non-linear fashion to discretionary fiscal policy changes. The results of our estimations show that households tend to behave in non-Keynesian manner when the fiscal situation of a country is bad, i.e. when public debt or fiscal deficit is large, while Keynesian behavior dominates, when the fiscal situation is sound. Our results suggest that, similarly to OECD countries, consumption function does not react in linear fashion to changes in fiscal policy also in transition economies.
Authored by: Piotr Bujak, Joanna Siwinska-Gorzelak
Published in 2003
Predicting U.S. business cycles: an analysis based on credit spreads and mark...Gabriel Koh
Our paper aims to empirically test the significance of the credit spreads and excess returns of the market portfolio in predicting the U.S. business cycles. We adopt the probit model to estimate the partial effects of the variables using data from the Federal Reserve Economic Data – St. Louis Fed (FRED) and the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) from 1993:12 to 2014:08. Results show that the contemporaneous regression model is not significant while the predictive regression model is significant. Our tests show that only the credit spread variable lagged by one period is significant and that the lagged variables of the excess returns of the market portfolio is also significant. Therefore, we can conclude that credit spreads and excess returns of the market portfolio can predict U.S. business cycles to a certain extent.
This study reviews monetary policy options that are seemingly viable for adopting the euro by the new Member States of the European Union. A fully autonomous direct inflation targeting is believed to be suboptimal for convergence to the euro as it does not incorporate convergence parameters into the central bank reaction function and instrument rules. In an attempt to correct for such deficiency, this study advocates adopting a framework of relative inflation forecast targeting where a differential between the domestic and the eurozone inflation forecasts becomes the main objective of the central bank's decisions.
At the same time, some attention to the exchange rate stability objective becomes necessary for facilitating the monetary convergence process. Foreign exchange market interventions, rather than interest rate adjustments, are viewed as a preferred way of achieving this objective.
Authored by: Lucjan T. Orlowski
Published in 2005
This paper deals with the choice of the exchange rate parity upon Poland's entry to EMU. Given that the euro parity should reflect some equilibrium exchange rate, two theoretical concepts are discussed: fundamental and behavioural equilibrium exchange rates. These approaches are then estimated. According to these calculations, the zloty euro exchange rate in 2002 is not far from the level consistent with the current state of fundamentals (as indicted by BEER) and requires some depreciation to be in line with the equilibrium level of fundamentals (as indicated by FEER). The possible FEERs range between 3.88 and 4.08 zlotys per euro depending on the variant and REER definition. The results should be treated with great caution as they are demonstrated to be sensitive to the adopted assumptions and model specifications. It is argued that the range of "optimal" exchange rates is quiet wide. This stems from the fact that consequences of exchange rate misalignment depend primarily on its degree as well as due to the intrinsic uncertainty about empirical estimates of equilibrium exchange rate. Moreover, the scope for depreciation of the nominal zloty-euro exchange rate is limited by the ensuing costs to the economy, needs to meet Maastricht criteria, and political bargain.
Authored by: Łukasz Rawdanowicz
Published in 2002
The identification of a possible European business cycle has been inconclusive and is complicated by the enlargement to the new member states and their transition to market economies. This paper shows how to decompose a business cycle into a time-frequency framework in a way that allows us to accommodate structural breaks and nonstationary variables. To illustrate, calculations of the growth rate spectrum and coherences for the Hungarian, Polish, German and French economies show the instability of the transition period. However, since then there has been convergence on the Eurozone economy at short cycle lengths, but little convergence in long cycles. We argue that this shows evidence of nominal convergence, but little real convergence. The Maastricht criteria for membership of the Euro therefore need to be adapted to test for real convergence.
Authored by: Andrew Hughes Hallett, Christian R. Richter
Published in 2007
This paper is concentrated on the comparative macroeconomic analysis of the differences stemming from the extent to which the institutional framework of the currency board arrangement is implemented in the legal and regulatory systems in the different countries.
The main objective of taking into consideration and examining the currency board institutional arrangements is to distinguish between the impact that currency board countries and countries with pegged exchange rate have on different macroeconomic indicators. During the analysis of these two extreme representatives of the fixed exchange rate mechanism, a third group of countries naturally emerges, which consists of countries acting like currency boards but without official, legal implementation of this arrangement. Once the distinction among all 22 countries taken into consideration had been made, the main scope of the analysis concentrates on the econometric estimation of the currency boards' effects over inflation, nominal and real interest rates and economic growth in countries under currency board and all other pegged exchange rate economies.
Authored by: Lubomira Anastassova
Published in 2000
Exchange Rate Overshooting and its Impact on the Balance of Trade for the Tur...Hüseyin Tekler
Exchange rate overshooting is the short run phenomenon under the Dornbusch Model presented in 1976. We are really desiderative to find out whether the overshoots are for the short run or for the long run period for the Turkish economy. The estimated result using the Johansen Julius method and VECM, we have found that overshooting is for the short run period as opposed to the findings of Bahmani-Oskooee & Orhan (2000) while the Purchasing power parity [PPP] does not hold for the Turkish economy.
Callan's director of Hedge Fund Research, Jim McKee, explores the advantages of momentum-based investing strategies, which profit from market trends in whichever direction. He discusses the rationale behind them, how they are defined and harnessed for different diversification needs, and whether they are appropriate for fund sponsors.
2. IB UNIT 3 - INTERNATIONAL MONETARY SYSTEM .pptxShudhanshuBhatt1
This PPT deals with
The International Monetary System which refers to the framework of rules, institutions, and procedures that govern international financial transactions and exchange rate arrangements among countries.
The report examines the social and economic drivers and impact of circular migration between Belarus and Poland, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic. The core question the authors sought to address was how managing circular migration could, in the long term, help to optimise labour resources in both the country of origin and the destination countries. In the pages that follow, the authors of the report present the current and forecasted labour market and demographic situation in their respective countries as well as the dynamics and characteristics of short-term labour migration flows between Belarus and Poland, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic, concentrating on the period since 2010. They also outline and discuss related policy responses and evaluate prospects for cooperation on circular migration.
Podręcznik został opracowany w celu przekazania trenerom i nauczycielom podstawowej wiedzy, która może być przydatna w prowadzeniu szkoleń promujących pracę rejestrowaną. Prezentuje on z jednej strony korzyści z pracy rejestrowanej, z drugiej – potencjalne koszty związane z pracą nierejestrowaną. W pierwszej kolejności informacje te przedstawiono w odniesieniu do pracowników najemnych (rozdział 2), podkreślając w sposób szczególny to, że negatywne konsekwencje pracy nierejestrowanej są ponoszone przez całe życie. Ze względu na specyficzną sytuację cudzoziemców pracujących w Polsce konsekwencje ponoszone przez tę grupę opisano oddzielnie (rozdział 3). Ponadto zaprezentowano skutki dotyczące pracodawców z szarej strefy z wyodrębnieniem tych, którzy zatrudniają cudzoziemców (rozdział 4). Uzupełnieniem przedstawionych informacji jest opis działań podejmowanych przez państwo w celu ograniczenia zjawiska pracy nierejestrowanej w Polsce (rozdział 5) oraz prowadzonych w Wielkiej Brytanii, czyli w kraju będącym liderem w walce z szarą strefą (rozdział 6).
European countries face a challenge related to the economic and social consequences of their societies’ aging. Specifically, pension systems must adjust to the coming changes, maintaining both financial stability, connected with equalizing inflows from premiums and spending on pensions, and simultaneously the sufficiency of benefits, protecting retirees against poverty and smoothing consumption over their lives, i.e. ensuring the ability to pay for consumption needs at each stage of life, regardless of income from labor.
One of the key instruments applied toward these goals is the retirement age. Formally it is a legally established boundary: once people have crossed it – on average – they significantly lose their ability to perform work (the so-called old-age risk). But since the 1970s, in many developed countries the retirement age has become an instrument of social and labor-market policy. Specifically, in the 1970s and ‘80s, an early retirement age was perceived as a solution allowing a reduction in the supply of labor, particularly among people with relatively low competencies who were approaching retirement age, which is called the lump of labor fallacy. It was often believed that people taking early retirement freed up jobs for the young. But a range of economic evidence shows that the number of jobs is not fixed, and those who retire don’t in fact free up jobs. On the contrary, because of higher spending by pension systems, labor costs rise, which limits the supply of jobs. In general, a good situation on the labor market supports employment of both the youngest and the oldest labor force participants. Additionally, a lower retirement age for women was maintained, which resulted to a high degree from cultural conditions and norms that are typical for traditional societies.
Until now, the banking sector has been one of the strong points of Poland’s economy. In contrast to banks in the U.S. and leading Western European economies, lenders in Poland came through the 2008 global financial crisis without a scratch, without needing state financial support. But in recent years the industry’s problems have been growing, creating a threat to economic growth and gains in living standards.
For an economy’s productivity to increase, funds can’t go to all companies evenly, and definitely shouldn’t go to those that are most lacking in funds, but to those that will use them most efficiently. This is true of total external financing, and thus funding both from the banking sector and from parabanks, the capital market and funds from public institutions. In Poland, in light of the relatively modest scale of the capital market, banks play a clearly dominant role in external financing of companies. This is why the author of this text focuses on the bank credit allocation efficiency.
The author points out that in the very near future, conditions will emerge in Poland which – as the experience of other countries shows – create a risk of reduced efficiency of credit allocation to business. Additionally, in Poland today, bank lending to companies is to a high degree being replaced by funds from state aid, which reduces the efficiency of allocation of external funds to companies (both loans and subsidies), as allocation of government subsidies is not usually based on efficiency. This decline in external financing allocation efficiency may slow, halt or even reverse the process, that has been uninterrupted for 28 years, of Poland’s convergence, i.e. the narrowing of the gap in living standards between Poland and the West.
The economic characteristics of the COVID-19 crisis differ from those of previous crises. It is a combination of demand- and supply-side constraints which led to the formation of a monetary overhang that will be unfrozen once the pandemic ends. Monetary policy must take this effect into consideration, along with other pro-inflationary factors, in the post-pandemic era. It must also think in advance about how to avoid a policy trap coming from fiscal dominance.
This paper is organized as follows: Chapter 2 deals with the economic characteristics of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the effectiveness of the monetary policy response measures undertaken. In Chapter 3, we analyse the monetary policy decisions of the ECB (and other major CBs for comparison) and their effectiveness in achieving the declared policy goals in the short term. Chapter 4 is devoted to an analysis of the policy challenges which may be faced by the ECB and other major CBs once the pandemic emergency comes to its end. Chapter 5 contains a summary and the conclusions of our analysis.
Purpose: This paper tries to identify the wage gap between informal and formal workers and tests for the two-tier structure of the informal labour market in Poland.
Design/methodology/approach: I employ the propensity score matching (PSM) technique and use data from the Polish Labour Force Survey (LFS) for the period 2009–2017 to estimate the wage gap between informal and formal workers, both at the means and along the wage distribution. I use two definitions of informal employment: a) employment without a written agreement and b) employment while officially registered as unemployed at a labour office. In order to reduce the bias resulting from the non-random selection of
individuals into informal employment, I use a rich set of control variables representing several individual characteristics.
Findings: After controlling for observed heterogeneity, I find that on average informal workers earn less than formal workers, both in terms of monthly earnings and hourly wage. This result is not sensitive to the definition of informal employment used and is
stable over the analysed time period (2009–2017). However, the wage penalty to informal employment is substantially higher for individuals at the bottom of the wage distribution, which supports the hypothesis of the two-tier structure of the informal labour market in Poland.
Originality/value: The main contribution of this study is that it identifies the two-tier structure of the informal labour market in Poland: informal workers in the first quartile of the wage distribution and those above the first quartile appear to be in two partially different segments of the labour market.
The rule of law, by securing civil and economic rights, directly contributes to social prosperity and is one of our societies’ greatest achievements. In the European Union (EU), the rule of law is enshrined in the Treaties of its founding and is recognised not just as a necessary condition of a liberal democratic society, but also as an important requirement for a stable, effective, and sustainable market economy. In fact, it was the stability and equality of opportunity provided by the rule of law that enabled the post-war Wirtschaftswunder in Germany and the post-Communist resuscitation of the economy in Poland.
But the rule of law is a living concept that is constantly evolving – both in its formal, de jure dimension, embodied in legislation, and its de facto dimension, or its reception by society. In Poland, in particular, according to the EU, the rule of law has been heavily challenged by government since 2015 and has evolved amid continued pressure exerted on the institutions which execute laws. More recently, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic transformed the perception of the rule of law and its boundaries throughout the EU and beyond (Marzocchi, 2020).
This Study contains Value Added Tax (VAT) Gap estimates for 2018, fast estimates using a simplified methodology for 2019, the year immediately preceding the analysis, and includes revised estimates for 2014-2017. It also includes the updated and extended results of the econometric analysis of VAT Gap determinants initiated and initially reported in the 2018 Report (Poniatowski et al., 2018). As a novelty, the econometric analysis to forecast potential impacts of the coronavirus crisis and resulting recession on the evolution of the VAT Gap in 2020 is reported.
In 2018, most European Union (EU) Member States (MS) saw a slight decrease in the pace of gross domestic product (GDP) growth, but the economic conditions for increasing tax compliance remained favourable. We estimate that the VAT total tax liability (VTTL) in 2018 increased by 3.6 percent whereas VAT revenue increased by 4.2 percent, leading to a decline in the VAT Gap in both relative and nominal terms. In relative terms, the EU-wide Gap dropped to 11 percent and EUR 140 billion. Fast estimates show that the VAT Gap will likely continue to decline in 2019.
Of the EU-28, the smallest Gaps were observed in Sweden (0.7 percent), Croatia (3.5 percent), and Finland (3.6 percent), the largest – in Romania (33.8 percent), Greece (30.1 percent), and Lithuania (25.9 percent). Overall, half of the EU-28 MS recorded a Gap above 9.2 percent. In nominal terms, the largest Gaps were recorded in Italy (EUR 35.4 billion), the United Kingdom (EUR 23.5 billion), and Germany (EUR 22 billion).
The euro is the second most important global currency after the US dollar. However, its international role has not increased since its inception in 1999. The private sector prefers using the US dollar rather than the euro because the financial market for US dollar-denominated assets is larger and deeper; network externalities and inertia also play a role. Increasing the attractiveness of the euro outside the euro area requires, among others, a proactive role for the European Central Bank and completing the Banking Union and Capital Market Union.
Forecasting during a strong shock is burdened with exceptionally high uncertainty. This gives rise to the temptation to formulate alarmist forecasts. Experiences from earlier pandemics, particularly those from the 20th century, for which we have the most data, don’t provide a basis for this. The mildest of them weakened growth by less than 1 percentage point, and the worst, the Spanish Flu, by 6 percentage points. Still, even the Spanish Flu never caused losses on the order of 20% of GDP – not even where it turned out to be a humanitarian disaster, costing the lives of 3-5% of the population. History suggests that if pandemics lead to such deep losses at all, it’s only in particular quarters and not over a whole year, as economic activity rebounds. The strength of that rebound is largely determined by economic policy. The purpose of this work is to describe possible scenarios for a rebound in Polish economic growth after the epidemic.
A separate issue, no less important, is what world will emerge from the current crisis. In the face of the 2008 financial crisis, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel said: “You never want a serious crisis to go to waste. And what I mean by that is an opportunity to do things that you think you could not do before.” Such changes can make the economy and society function better than before the crisis. Unfortunately, the opportunities created by the global financial crisis were squandered. Today’s task is more difficult; the scale of various problems has expanded even more. Without deep structural and institutional changes, the world will be facing enduring social and economic problems, accompanied by long-term stagnation.
"Many brilliant prophecies have appeared for the future of the EU and our entire planet. I believe that Europe, in its own style, will draw pragmatic conclusions from the crisis, not revolutionary ones; conclusions that will allow us to continue enjoying a Europe without borders. Brussels will demonstrate its usefulness; it will react ably and flexibly. First of all, contrary to the deceitful statements of members of the Polish government, the EU warned of the threats already in 2021. Secondly, already in mid-March EU assistance programs were ready, i.e. earlier than the PiS government’s “shield” program. The conclusion from the crisis will be a strengthening of all the preventive mechanisms that allow us to recognize threats and react in time of need. Research programs will be more strongly directed toward diagnosing and treating infectious diseases. Europe will gain greater self-sufficiency in the area of medical equipment and drugs, and the EU – greater competencies in the area of the health service, thus far entrusted to the member states. The 2021-27 budget must be reconstructed, to supplement the priority of the Green Deal with economic stimulus programs. In this way structural funds, which have the greatest multiplier effect for investment and the labor market, may return to favor. So once again: an addition, as a conclusion from the crisis, and not a reinvention of the EU," writes Dr. Janusz Lewandowski the author of the 162nd mBank-CASE seminar Proceeding.
Dla wielu rodaków europejskość Polski jest oczywista, trudno jest im nawet wyobrazić sobie, jak kształtowałyby się losy naszego kraju bez uczestnictwa w integracji europejskiej. Szczególnie młode pokolenie traktuje osiągnięty przez nas dzięki uczestnictwie w Unii ogromny postęp cywilizacyjny jako coś danego i naturalnego. Jednak świadomość tego, jaki był nasz punkt wyjścia, jaką przeszliśmy drogę i jak przyczyniły się do tego unijne działania oraz jakie wynikały z tego korzyści powinna nam stale towarzyszyć. Bez tej świadomości, starannego weryfikowania faktów i docenienia naszych osiągnięć grozi nam uleganie niesprawdzonym argumentom przeciwników integracji europejskiej i popełnienie nieodwracalnych błędów. Dla tych, którzy chcą poznać te fakty, przygotowany został raport "Nasza Europa. 15 lat Polski w Unii Europejskiej". Podjęto w nim ocenę 15 lat członkostwa Polski z perspektywy doświadczeń procesu integracji, z jego barierami i sukcesami, a także wyzwaniami przyszłości.
Raport jest wynikiem pracy zbiorowej licznych ekspertów z różnych dziedzin, od wielu lat analizujących wielowymiarowe efekty działania instytucji UE oraz współpracy z krajami członkowskimi na podstawie europejskich wartości i mechanizmów. Autorzy podsumowują korzyści członkostwa Polski w Unii Europejskiej na podstawie faktów, nie stroniąc jednakże od własnych ocen i refleksji.
This report is the result of the joint work of a number of experts from various fields who have been - for many years – analysing the multidimensional effects of EU institutions and cooperation with Member States pursuant to European values and mechanisms. The authors summarise the benefits of Poland’s membership in the EU based on facts; however, they do not hide their own views and reflections. They also demonstrate the barriers and challenges to further European integration.
This report was prepared by CASE, one of the oldest independent think tanks in Central and Eastern Europe, utilising its nearly 30 years of experience in providing objective analyses and recommendations with respect to socioeconomic topics. It is both an expression of concern about Poland’s future in the EU, as well as the authors’ contribution to the debate on further European integration.
Poland’s new Employee Capital Plans (PPK) scheme, which is mandatory for employers, started to be implemented in July 2019. The article looks at the systemic solutions applied in the programme from the perspective of the concept of the simultaneous reconstruction of the retirement pension system. The aim is to present arguments for and against the project from the point of view of various actors, and to assess the chances of success for the new system. The article offers a detailed study of legal solutions, an analysis of the literature on the subject, and reports of institutions that supervise pension funds. The results of this analysis point to the lack of cohesion between certain solutions of the 1999 pension reform and expose a lack of consistency in how the reform was carried out, which led to the eventual removal of the capital part of the pension system. The study shows that additional saving for old age is advisable in the country’s current demographic situation and necessary for both economic and social reasons. However, the systemic solutions offered by the government appear to be chiefly designated to serve short-term state interests and do not create sufficient incentives for pension plan participants to join the programme.
Belarus was among the few post-communist countries to resign from comprehensive market reforms and attempt to improve the efficiency of the economy through administrative means, leaving market mechanisms only an auxiliary role. Since its inception, the ‘Belarusian economic model’ has undergone several revisions of a de-statisation and de-regulation kind, but still the Belarusian economy remains dominated by the state. This paper analyses the characteristic features of the Belarusian economic system – especially those related to the public sector – as well as its evolution over time during the period following its independence. The paper concludes that during the post-Soviet period, the Belarusian economy evolved from a quasi-Soviet system based on state property, state planning, support to inefficient enterprises and the massive redistribution of funds to a more flexible hybrid model where the public sector still remains the core of the economy. The case of Belarus shows that presently there is no appropriate theoretical perspective which, in an unmodified form, could be applied to study this type of economic system. Therefore, a new perspective based on an already existing but updated approach or a multidisciplinary approach that incorporates the duality of the Belarusian economy is required.
Belarusian economy has been stagnating in 2011-2015 after 15 years of a high annual average growth rate. In 2015, after four years of stagnation, the Belarusian economy slid into a recession, its first since 1996, and experienced both cyclical and structural recessions. Since 2015, the Belarusian government and the National Bank of Belarus have been giving economic reforms a good chance thanks to gradual but consistent actions aimed at maintaining macroeconomic stability and economic liberalization. It seems that the economic authorities have sustained more transformation efforts during 2015-2018 than in the previous 24 years since 1991.
As the relative welfare level in Belarus is currently 64% compared to the Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) countries average, Belarus needs to build stronger fundaments of sustainable growth by continuing and accelerating the implementation of institutional transformation, primarily by fostering elimination of existing administrative mechanisms of inefficient resource allocation. Based on the experience of the CEE countries’ economic transformation, we highlight five lessons for the purpose of the economic reforms that Belarus still faces today: keeping macroeconomic stability, restructuring and improving the governance of state-owned enterprises, developing the financial market, increasing taxation efficiency, and deepening fiscal decentralization.
Inflation in advanced economies is low by historical standards but there is no threat of deflation. Slower economic growth is caused by supply-side constraints rather than low inflation. Below-the-target inflation does not damage the reputation of central banks. Thus, central banks should not try to bring inflation back to the targeted level of 2%. Rather, they should revise the inflation target downwards and publicly explain the rationale for such a move. Risks to the independence of central banks come from their additional mandates (beyond price stability) and populist politics.
Estonia has Europe’s most transparent tax system (while Poland is second-to-last, in 35th place), and is also known for its pioneering approach to taxation of legal persons’ income. Since 2000, payers of Estonian corporate tax don’t pay tax on their profits as long as they don’t realize them. In principle, this approach should make access to capital easier, spark investment by companies and contribute to faster economic growth. Are these and other positive effects really noticeable in Estonia? Have other countries followed in this country’s footsteps? Would deferment of income tax be possible and beneficial for Poland? How would this affect revenue from tax on corporate profits? Would investors come to see Poland as a tax haven? Does the Estonian system limit tax avoidance and evasion, or actually the opposite? Is such a system fair? Are intermediate solutions possible, which would combine the strengths or limit the weaknesses of the classical and Estonian models of profit tax? These questions are discussed in the mBank-CASE seminar Proceeding no. 163, written by Dmitri Jegorov, deputy general secretary of the Estonian Finance Ministry, who directs the country’s tax and customs policy, Dr. Anna Leszczyłowska of the Poznań University of Economics and Business and Aleksander Łożykowski of the Warsaw School of Economics.
The trade war between the U.S. and China began in March 2018. The American side raised import duties on aluminum and steel from China, which were later extended to other countries, including Canada, Mexico and the EU member states. This drew a negative reaction from those countries and bilateral negotiations with the U.S. In June 2018 America, referring to Section 301 of its 1974 Trade Act, raised tariffs to 25% on 818 groups of products imported from China, arguing that the tariff increase was a response to years of theft of American intellectual property and dishonest trade practices, which has caused the U.S. trade deficit.
Will this trade war mean the collapse of the multilateral trading system and a transition to bilateral relationships? What are the possibilities for increasing tariffs in light of World Trade Organization rules? Can the conflict be resolved using the WTO dispute-resolution mechanism? What are the consequences of the trade war for American consumers and producers, and for suppliers from other countries? How high will tariffs climb as a result of a global trade war? How far can trade volumes and GDP fall if the worst-case scenario comes to pass? Professor Jan J. Michałek and Dr. Przemysław Woźniak give answers to these questions in the mBank-CASE Seminar Proceeding No. 161.
This Report has been prepared for the European Commission, DG TAXUD under contract TAXUD/2017/DE/329, “Study and Reports on the VAT Gap in the EU-28 Member States” and serves as a follow-up to the six reports published between 2013 and 2018.
This Study contains new estimates of the Value Added Tax (VAT) Gap for 2017, as well as updated estimates for 2013-2016. As a novelty in this series of reports, so called “fast VAT Gap estimates” are also presented the year immediately preceding the analysis, namely for 2018. In addition, the study reports the results of the econometric analysis of VAT Gap determinants initiated and initially reported in the 2018 Report (Poniatowski et al., 2018). It also scrutinises the Policy Gap in 2017 as well as the contribution that reduced rates and exemptions made to the theoretical VAT revenue losses.
More from CASE Center for Social and Economic Research (20)
Falcon stands out as a top-tier P2P Invoice Discounting platform in India, bridging esteemed blue-chip companies and eager investors. Our goal is to transform the investment landscape in India by establishing a comprehensive destination for borrowers and investors with diverse profiles and needs, all while minimizing risk. What sets Falcon apart is the elimination of intermediaries such as commercial banks and depository institutions, allowing investors to enjoy higher yields.
The secret way to sell pi coins effortlessly.DOT TECH
Well as we all know pi isn't launched yet. But you can still sell your pi coins effortlessly because some whales in China are interested in holding massive pi coins. And they are willing to pay good money for it. If you are interested in selling I will leave a contact for you. Just telegram this number below. I sold about 3000 pi coins to him and he paid me immediately.
Telegram: @Pi_vendor_247
how to sell pi coins in all Africa Countries.DOT TECH
Yes. You can sell your pi network for other cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, usdt , Ethereum and other currencies And this is done easily with the help from a pi merchant.
What is a pi merchant ?
Since pi is not launched yet in any exchange. The only way you can sell right now is through merchants.
A verified Pi merchant is someone who buys pi network coins from miners and resell them to investors looking forward to hold massive quantities of pi coins before mainnet launch in 2026.
I will leave the telegram contact of my personal pi merchant to trade with.
@Pi_vendor_247
what is the future of Pi Network currency.DOT TECH
The future of the Pi cryptocurrency is uncertain, and its success will depend on several factors. Pi is a relatively new cryptocurrency that aims to be user-friendly and accessible to a wide audience. Here are a few key considerations for its future:
Message: @Pi_vendor_247 on telegram if u want to sell PI COINS.
1. Mainnet Launch: As of my last knowledge update in January 2022, Pi was still in the testnet phase. Its success will depend on a successful transition to a mainnet, where actual transactions can take place.
2. User Adoption: Pi's success will be closely tied to user adoption. The more users who join the network and actively participate, the stronger the ecosystem can become.
3. Utility and Use Cases: For a cryptocurrency to thrive, it must offer utility and practical use cases. The Pi team has talked about various applications, including peer-to-peer transactions, smart contracts, and more. The development and implementation of these features will be essential.
4. Regulatory Environment: The regulatory environment for cryptocurrencies is evolving globally. How Pi navigates and complies with regulations in various jurisdictions will significantly impact its future.
5. Technology Development: The Pi network must continue to develop and improve its technology, security, and scalability to compete with established cryptocurrencies.
6. Community Engagement: The Pi community plays a critical role in its future. Engaged users can help build trust and grow the network.
7. Monetization and Sustainability: The Pi team's monetization strategy, such as fees, partnerships, or other revenue sources, will affect its long-term sustainability.
It's essential to approach Pi or any new cryptocurrency with caution and conduct due diligence. Cryptocurrency investments involve risks, and potential rewards can be uncertain. The success and future of Pi will depend on the collective efforts of its team, community, and the broader cryptocurrency market dynamics. It's advisable to stay updated on Pi's development and follow any updates from the official Pi Network website or announcements from the team.
Exploring Abhay Bhutada’s Views After Poonawalla Fincorp’s Collaboration With...beulahfernandes8
The financial landscape in India has witnessed a significant development with the recent collaboration between Poonawalla Fincorp and IndusInd Bank.
The launch of the co-branded credit card, the IndusInd Bank Poonawalla Fincorp eLITE RuPay Platinum Credit Card, marks a major milestone for both entities.
This strategic move aims to redefine and elevate the banking experience for customers.
Empowering the Unbanked: The Vital Role of NBFCs in Promoting Financial Inclu...Vighnesh Shashtri
In India, financial inclusion remains a critical challenge, with a significant portion of the population still unbanked. Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) have emerged as key players in bridging this gap by providing financial services to those often overlooked by traditional banking institutions. This article delves into how NBFCs are fostering financial inclusion and empowering the unbanked.
Introduction to Indian Financial System ()Avanish Goel
The financial system of a country is an important tool for economic development of the country, as it helps in creation of wealth by linking savings with investments.
It facilitates the flow of funds form the households (savers) to business firms (investors) to aid in wealth creation and development of both the parties
Turin Startup Ecosystem 2024 - Ricerca sulle Startup e il Sistema dell'Innov...Quotidiano Piemontese
Turin Startup Ecosystem 2024
Una ricerca de il Club degli Investitori, in collaborazione con ToTeM Torino Tech Map e con il supporto della ESCP Business School e di Growth Capital
how can i use my minded pi coins I need some funds.DOT TECH
If you are interested in selling your pi coins, i have a verified pi merchant, who buys pi coins and resell them to exchanges looking forward to hold till mainnet launch.
Because the core team has announced that pi network will not be doing any pre-sale. The only way exchanges like huobi, bitmart and hotbit can get pi is by buying from miners.
Now a merchant stands in between these exchanges and the miners. As a link to make transactions smooth. Because right now in the enclosed mainnet you can't sell pi coins your self. You need the help of a merchant,
i will leave the telegram contact of my personal pi merchant below. 👇 I and my friends has traded more than 3000pi coins with him successfully.
@Pi_vendor_247
how can I sell pi coins after successfully completing KYCDOT TECH
Pi coins is not launched yet in any exchange 💱 this means it's not swappable, the current pi displaying on coin market cap is the iou version of pi. And you can learn all about that on my previous post.
RIGHT NOW THE ONLY WAY you can sell pi coins is through verified pi merchants. A pi merchant is someone who buys pi coins and resell them to exchanges and crypto whales. Looking forward to hold massive quantities of pi coins before the mainnet launch.
This is because pi network is not doing any pre-sale or ico offerings, the only way to get my coins is from buying from miners. So a merchant facilitates the transactions between the miners and these exchanges holding pi.
I and my friends has sold more than 6000 pi coins successfully with this method. I will be happy to share the contact of my personal pi merchant. The one i trade with, if you have your own merchant you can trade with them. For those who are new.
Message: @Pi_vendor_247 on telegram.
I wouldn't advise you selling all percentage of the pi coins. Leave at least a before so its a win win during open mainnet. Have a nice day pioneers ♥️
#kyc #mainnet #picoins #pi #sellpi #piwallet
#pinetwork
what is the best method to sell pi coins in 2024DOT TECH
The best way to sell your pi coins safely is trading with an exchange..but since pi is not launched in any exchange, and second option is through a VERIFIED pi merchant.
Who is a pi merchant?
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CASE Network Studies and Analyses 272 - Exchange Rate: Shock Generator or Shock Absorber?
1. S t u d i a i A n a l i z y
S t u d i e s & A n a l y s e s
C e n t r u m A n a l i z
S p o ł e c z n o – E k o n o m i c z n y c h
C e n t e r f o r S o c i a l
a n d E c o n o m i c R e s e a r c h
2 7 2
Maryla Maliszewska, Wojciech Maliszewski
Exchange Rate: Shock Generator or Shock Absorber?
Wa r s a w , F e b r u a r y 2 0 0 4
3. Contents
1. Introduction.....................................................................................................................................6
2. The Theory of the Exchange Rate Regime Choices .....................................................................7
2.1 Transmission of shocks to the real economy............................................................................7
2.2. Economic integration...............................................................................................................8
2.3. Credibility ................................................................................................................................8
2.4. Fiscal constraints, financial fragility and other considerations..................................................9
3. Classification of Exchange Rate Regimes ..................................................................................10
4. Data................................................................................................................................................12
5. Inflation and GDP growth performance across different regimes according to the RR
classification ..............................................................................................................................13
6. Methodology .................................................................................................................................16
6.1 Inflation ..................................................................................................................................17
6.2 GDP growth ...........................................................................................................................19
7. Results...........................................................................................................................................20
7.1 Inflation performance .............................................................................................................20
7.2 Growth performance ..............................................................................................................26
7.3 Output volatility ......................................................................................................................29
8. Conclusions ..................................................................................................................................31
References ........................................................................................................................................32
4. Studies Analyses No. 272 – Exchange Rate: Shock Generator or Shock Absorber?
Maryla Maliszewska
Maryla Maliszewska (born 1973) has been working with the CASE Foundation since 1996. Her
research interests cover modelling of international trade flows, determinants of real exchange rate,
location of production and agglomeration externalities in transition. Her study on the impact of
Poland's accession to the EU within a computable general equilibrium framework was rewarded
with the second prize at the annual GDN's Research Medals Competition for Outstanding
Research in Development in January 2004. Between 1997-98 and in 1999, she worked as a
CASE representative in the ProDemocratia advisory mission in Romania. In 2000 she was a
summer intern at the World Bank, Washington DC. Maryla Maliszewska graduated from the
University of Sussex (1996) and Warsaw University's Department of Economics (1997). She
successfully defended her DPhil thesis at the University of Sussex in 2004.
Wojciech Maliszewski
Wojciech Maliszewski (born 1973) has been associated with the CASE Foundation since 1996. His
research interests cover central bank independence, exchange rate behavior, monetary policy
transmission mechanism, and fiscal policy in transition economies. Between 1997-98 and in 1999,
he worked in Romania as a CASE representative in the ProDemocratia advisory mission. In 2001
he was an intern at the World Bank, Washington, DC. Wojciech Maliszewski graduated from the
University of Sussex (1996), Warsaw University's Department of Economics (1997) and the
London School of Economics (1999). He studies for his doctorate at the London School of
Economics. After this paper was written he joined the International Monetary Fund where he is an
economist in the Fiscal Affairs Department.
4
5. Studies Analyses No. 272 – Maryla Maliszewska, Wojciech Maliszewski
5
Abstract
The paper re-assesses the impact of exchange rate regimes on macroeconomic performance.
We test for the relationship between de jure and de facto exchange rate classifications on the one
hand, and inflation, output growth and output volatility on the other. We find that, once high-inflation
outliers are excluded from the sample, only hard exchange rate pegs are associated with lower
inflation compared to the floating regime. There is no significant relationship between output
growth and exchange rate regimes, confirming results from previous studies. De jure pegged
regimes (broadly defined) are correlated with higher output volatility, but this relationship is
reversed for the de facto classification. The last result points to a potential endogeneity problem
present when the de facto classification is used in testing for the relationship between exchange
rate behavior and macroeconomic performance.
6. Studies Analyses No. 272 – Exchange Rate: Shock Generator or Shock Absorber?
6
1. Introduction
The aim of this paper is to assess the impact of exchange rate regimes on inflation and per
capita growth in a wide group of countries. There are several theoretical arguments for and against
flexible and fixed exchange rate regimes and depending on several domestic factors one regime
may be preferred to the other. Depending on the level of capital mobility, exchange rate regimes
vary in their ability to insulate output against real shocks. Pegged exchange rates may help the
countries to achieve low inflation, but they also create an incentive for the government to cheat
running unsustainable deficits. On the other hand flexible exchange rates may allow smooth
adjustment to trade imbalances or to exacerbate the effects of speculative capital flows. Given a
wide range of factors that influence the choice and effectiveness of the exchange rate regime, we
turn to the empirical analysis to see which regimes have been associated with lower output
volatility, attempting to answer the question whether a flexible exchange regimes insulate
economies from shocks or generate disturbances on their own. Since the literature suggest several
trade-offs in the choice of exchange rate regime, we also investigate the effects of the choice on
growth and inflation.
The study draws on Ghosh, Gulde and Wolf (2002) (GGW), who conduct a similar exercise
employing the exchange rate classification based on the IMF Annual Report on Exchange Rate
Arrangements and Exchange Restrictions. GGW find that inflation is lower under pegged regimes.
This result reflects both a greater discipline imposed on a central bank – reflected in a lower
monetary growth – and a higher credibility of the system, reflected in a lower velocity of money.
Flexible exchange rate arrangements are, on the other hand, associated with a lower variance of
output. The lower inflation delivered by the pegged regimes comes therefore at the cost of higher
real volatility. There seems to be no strong link between the per capita output growth and the
exchange rate regime.
The official classification, however, takes no notice of the de facto exchange rate behaviour,
treating equally exchange rate pegs subject to frequent and infrequent adjustments. GGW
approach this problem by constructing a “consensus” classification, dropping cases where the
actual exchange rate behavior is markedly different from the official classification. Our paper
applies the “natural classification” of Reinhart and Rogoff (2002) (RR), which is based on the
behavior of exchange rates – either official or parallel – which are predominant in the economy. We
conduct an extensive comparison of results across various classifications and samples.
The actual behavior of the exchange rate may reflect shocks affecting the economy, rather
than the authorities’ attempts to affect the exchange rate movements. The “natural” classification
does not distinguish between the two cases, creating problems for the interpretation of the
relationship between macroeconomic variables and exchange rate arrangements. In the absence
of shocks, it is more likely that economic performance will be above average, and that the
exchange rate behavior will be classified as a variant of a limited flexibility regime. A relationship
7. Studies Analyses No. 272 – Maryla Maliszewska, Wojciech Maliszewski
between the exchange rate regime and economic performance may therefore be spurious,
reflecting an impact of common shocks on the economy and on the exchange rate classification.
We address this problem, which may be particularly acute when using the “natural” classification,
by checking for the robustness of our analysis in alternative specifications of the inflation equation.
The paper is organized as follows. The first section describes the theoretical considerations
pertaining to the choice of exchange rate regime. The second section explains the RR
classification adopted in our study. Section 3 discusses the data. Section 4 describes the
methodology, providing a further motivation for the use of the “natural” classification and for
handling regime endogeneity. Section 5 reports and discusses empirical results, and the last
section concludes.
7
2. The Theory of the Exchange Rate Regime Choices
The literature on the choice between fixed and flexible exchange rates can be grouped into
three broad categories. The first focuses on the insulating properties of regimes. The second
strand of the literature examines the impact of different exchange rate regimes on economic
integration. Two main issues here are whether the fixed exchange rates reduce uncertainty and
transaction costs thereby leading to greater economic integration and what are the conditions
under which it is preferable for a group of countries to forgo a domestic monetary policy and form a
currency union. The third strand focuses on the credibility aspect of the monetary regime. These
strands of the literature are discussed in more detail below.
2.1 Transmission of shocks to the real economy
The literature on how various regimes would operate under condition of high capital mobility
derives from Fleming (1962) and Mundell (1963). These papers point to different implications of the
fixed and floating exchange rates for the conduct of stabilization policy. If an economy faces mainly
nominal shocks then a fixed exchange rate regime looks more attractive. If a monetary shock
results in inflation, the exchange rate will depreciate and the nominal shock will be transmitted into
a real one. A fixed exchange rate will allow for the adjustment of money supply or demand with
less output volatility.
If the shocks are real e.g. like productivity shock or a change in the terms of trade, the
economy needs to react to changes in relative prices. A flexible exchange rate regime allows for a
quick change in relative prices, which ameliorates the impact of the shock on output and
employment. In an economy with a fixed exchange rate regime the demand for money falls and the
central bank needs to absorb excess money supply in exchange for foreign currency. Under
perfect capital mobility a decrease in the demand for domestic money leads to an outflow of hard
currency and an increase in interest rate. In this case the fixed exchange rate contributes to depth
of the downturn of the economy.
8. Studies Analyses No. 272 – Exchange Rate: Shock Generator or Shock Absorber?
The combination of shocks under which fixed exchange rate would be preferable to floating
depends on capital mobility. If capital is relatively immobile, fixed exchange rates provide better
insulation of output against shocks to aggregate demand, while under high capital mobility flexible
exchange rate regime is preferable. This is due to asymmetric impact of trade and capital flows on
the balance of payments. If capital mobility is low, under fixed exchange rate a positive shock to
aggregate demand leads to higher imports and loss of reserves through trade deficit. If the loss of
reserves is not sterilized the money supply contracts partly offsetting the original shock. Under
floating regime the trade deficit leads to depreciation of the exchange rate, which leads to higher
exports magnifying the initial shock.
When capital is highly mobile, the balance of payments effects dominate. Under fixed
exchange rates, the positive demand shock raises interest rates, which results in capital inflow that
more than compensates for the loss of reserves due to trade deficit. Therefore money supply is
higher magnifying the initial shock. Under floating exchange rate the capital inflow appreciates the
exchange rate, this reduces exports and partly offsets the initial shock.
8
2.2. Economic integration
Adopting the peg implies that surrendering the nominal exchange rate can not longer serve as
an adjustment tool. Therefore the case for adoption of the common currency is stronger if countries
are subject to similar shocks. This is the main finding of the optimum currency area literature
originating from Mundell (1961). The loss of the adjustment mechanism of exchange rate is less
significant if other adjustment mechanisms are available (such as wage and price flexibility, factor
mobility, and fiscal transfer systems). The gains from hard peg include increased trade and
investment flows.
The link between exchange rate variability and greater cross-border trade is not strong in case
of industrialized countries. However, a hard exchange rate peg will tend to promote openness to
trade and economic integration (Frankel and Rose, 2002; Rose, 2000). Whether greater trade
linkages lead to correlation of shocks is ambiguous. While greater trade integration leads to
specialization, which tends to reduce the correlation of supply shocks, they also ease the
transmission of demand shocks.
2.3. Credibility
The main advantage of a floating exchange rate is that it provides the ability to employ
monetary policy to cope with shocks to the domestic economy. However it might be at the same
time criticized for allowing too much discretion in monetary policy and for not providing sufficient
nominal anchor.
In a closed economy the central bank can pre-commit to low inflation by relaying on the
repeated game nature of the interaction with wage setter or on the appointment of w hawkish
central banker (in an independent central bank). In an open economy an alternative pre-
9. Studies Analyses No. 272 – Maryla Maliszewska, Wojciech Maliszewski
commitment is pegging of the nominal exchange rate to a low-inflation country. The peg then
imposes an additional constraint on the central bank’s ability to create inflation surprises. This
constraint is credible as long as the perceived costs of abandoning the peg are greater then the
benefits of generating surprise inflation. Adoption of the hard peg can thus increase credibility and
make it easier for the central bank to achieve and maintain low inflation.
The conclusion from the analysis so far is that the nominal exchange rate serves as a
stabilization tool and as a credibility devise. These objectives are not always in agreement. For
example a country fighting high inflation and subject to real shocks, the case of many emerging
economies, will need to choose between insulation properties of the flexible exchange rate and the
credibility benefits of a peg. There are however other important consideration in choosing an
exchange rate regime, the most important of them are discussed in the following section.
9
2.4. Fiscal constraints, financial fragility and other considerations
Under the fixed exchange rate regime and high capital mobility, fiscal policy is the only tool of
macroeconomic stabilization. Therefore the ability to employ fiscal policy as an adjustment
mechanism is one of the factors that one needs to consider in choosing the exchange rate regime.
High fiscal deficits or debt ratios can undermine the credibility of the government, as investors
might expect that the government will seek to monetize the deficit abandoning the peg in the
process. The fiscal theory of price determination applied to the exchange rate regime (Canzoneri,
Cumby and Diba, 1998) suggests that the fixed exchange rate will be sustainable only if the fiscal
policy is sufficiently flexible to respect the government’s present value budget constraint at a price
level consistent with the exchange rate peg.
On the other hand some model suggest that fixed exchange rates create an incentive for a
government with short time horizons to run larger deficits and deliver short term growth with
inflationary costs imposed on the future governments (Tornell and Velasco, 2000).
Another issue to be considered is the ability of the central bank to act as a lender of last resort.
Hard exchange rate pegs do not allow the central bank to act as a money-printing lender of last
resort. However, in the case of emerging economies this does not seem to be a genuine concern.
While in developed countries the monetary authority can issue liquidity to bail out the banking
system, this extra liquidity is expected to be absorbed in the near future by open market operations
without inflationary consequences. In emerging economies central bank lending to the banking
system in a wake of a financial crisis and a sudden stop in capital inflow is likely to unleash fears of
an inflationary explosion and lead to a sharp depreciation of the exchange rate. If a large
proportion of private debt is denominated in foreign currency, this will lead to even more financial
instability.
Further, even if a country is better off with a floating exchange rate, the shift from a fixed
regime might have serious economic consequences. The move from peg to floating regime in the
midst of a crisis is likely to exacerbate the crises. The initial devaluation which raises the value of
10. Studies Analyses No. 272 – Exchange Rate: Shock Generator or Shock Absorber?
foreign-denominated debt can cause widespread destruction of the private balance sheets, which
can lead to a downward spiral. In addition restoring of the national currency might also lead to a
major overhaul of the domestic financial sector (Caballero and Krishnamnurthy, 2002, Jeanne,
2002).
10
3. Classification of Exchange Rate Regimes
It is widely recognized that exchange rate regime classifications based on the stated intentions
of the central bank do not correctly depict exchange rate policy. Officially pegged exchange rates
are often subject to frequent adjustments. On the other hand, Calvo and Reinhart (2001 and 2002)
and Hausmann, Panizza and Stein (2001) claim that countries with de jure flexible exchange rates
regimes often do not allow their exchange rates to move freely (“fear of floating”). Factors such as
the lack of credibility, combined with a high exchange rate effect on inflation (“pass-through”) and
the potentially devastating impact of large exchange rate changes on the banking sector may
prevent countries from pursuing an independent monetary policy. There is evidence that in the
developing countries where authorities defend the exchange rate without a formal commitment
interest rates are more sensitive to changes in the US interest rate than in countries with officially
fixed exchange rates. The “floaters’” risk premiums may thus be more sensitive to the US interest
rates, requiring stronger interest rate adjustments to reduce exchange rate volatility, and further
limiting the scope for independent monetary policy.
In addition to the vast difference between the de jure and de facto exchange rate behavior,
relying on the behavior of officially reported exchange rates may be also misleading. Most of the
countries in the post-World War II history relied on capital controls and/or multiple exchange rate
systems at some stage, and it is not possible to assess the underlying monetary policy of a country
and the ability of an economy to adjust imbalances without looking at the market-determined
exchange rate. RR identify the periods when dual or multiple exchange rates were in place or
when parallel markets were active. They use monthly data on parallel/dual exchange rates to
check for the consistency between the de facto and de jure exchange rate regimes and construct a
“natural” classification, based on the actual behavior of the predominant – either official or parallel
– exchange rate. They find that under the Bretton-Woods system many countries had a de facto
floating exchange rate. In about 45 percent of arrangements officially classified as pegs, the actual
regime was in fact a managed or freely floating arrangement with limited flexibility. On the other
hand, RR classify 53% of the regimes officially classified as managed floating as in reality being
pegs, crawls or narrow bands to an anchor currency. Under the “natural” classification, the most
popular exchange rate regime over 1970-2001 was the peg (33% of observations based on 153
countries), followed by the crawling peg or narrow crawling band (26% of observations). Figures 1
and 2 show the differences between the official and the “natural” classifications of the exchange
rate regimes at the beginning and end of our sample.