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One side-effect of the Global Financial Crisis of 2008-09 was the resurgence of a debate over exchange rates. The conventional wisdom dictates that real-exchange rate adjustments are needed in order to bring about changes in trade balances across countries. However, the literature on the effect of exchange rate fluctuations and currency under-valuations on exports is surprisingly ambiguous. This note explores for the first time the potential role of foreign direct investment as an intermediate variable in the process of trade adjustment after large real-exchange rate changes. Real-exchange rate devaluations might result in increases in foreign direct investment inflows, as investors can take advantage of changes in the foreign-currency value of domestic assets. If so, the response of exports will depend to some extent on the nature of such foreign direct investment inflows, with inflows motivated by "horizontal" foreign direct investment associated with negligible changes in export growth after devaluation. The author utilizes quarterly data on real effective exchange rates, foreign direct investment inflows and exports to explore the effects of large devaluations (defined as the largest observed quarterly real effective exchange rate devaluation) on foreign direct investment and exports from 1990 to 2010. The admittedly speculative evidence suggests that there were heterogeneous experiences regarding the timing and magnitude of subsequent changes in foreign direct investment and exports, but on average foreign direct investment inflows tended to precede export surges within two year horizons.

Currencies and Exchange Rates --- Debt Markets --- Devaluations --- Economic Theory & Research --- Emerging Markets --- Exchange Rate Fluctuations --- Exports --- Foreign Direct Investment --- Global Financial Crisis --- International Economics & Trade

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Nearly two years after the onset of the financial crises, many central banks have brought their policy interest rates down to, or close to zero. Various governments have seen their budget deficits soar. Both policies have affected exchange rates, partly through market expectations. With a majority of exchange rates officially floating, exchange rate movements do not necessarily reflect official decisions as was the case in the 1930s. Yet, also in the 2008 crisis, authorities have directly intervened in the foreign exchange market, sometimes in order to defend a falling currency but in other instances with the aim to limit appreciation pressure, akin of competitive devaluations. This paper documents the exchange rate interventions during the height of the 2008/09 financial crisis and identifies the countries which have particular high incentives to intervene in the foreign exchange market to competitively devalue their currency. While various countries had increased incentives to devalue, we find that direct exchange rate interventions have been rather limited and contagion of devaluation has been restricted to one regionally contained case. However, sharp market-driven exchange rate movements have reshaped competitive positions. It appears that these movements have so far not seriously disrupted global trade. After all, a world crisis is likely to require widespread exchange rate adjustments as different countries are affected in different ways and have different capacities to weather the shocks.

Budget deficits --- Central bank --- Central bank policy --- Central banks --- Competitive devaluations --- Currencies and Exchange Rates --- Currency --- Debt Markets --- Devaluation --- Economic Stabilization --- Economic Theory and Research --- Emerging Markets --- Exchange rate --- Exchange rate intervention --- Exchange rate interventions --- Exchange rate movements --- Exchange rates --- Finance and Financial Sector Development --- Financial architecture --- Financial crises --- Foreign exchange --- Foreign exchange market --- Interest rates --- International trade --- Macroeconomics and Economic Growth --- Poverty reduction --- Private Sector Development

Choose an application

• Reference Manager
• EndNote
• RefWorks (Direct export to RefWorks)

Nearly two years after the onset of the financial crises, many central banks have brought their policy interest rates down to, or close to zero. Various governments have seen their budget deficits soar. Both policies have affected exchange rates, partly through market expectations. With a majority of exchange rates officially floating, exchange rate movements do not necessarily reflect official decisions as was the case in the 1930s. Yet, also in the 2008 crisis, authorities have directly intervened in the foreign exchange market, sometimes in order to defend a falling currency but in other instances with the aim to limit appreciation pressure, akin of competitive devaluations. This paper documents the exchange rate interventions during the height of the 2008/09 financial crisis and identifies the countries which have particular high incentives to intervene in the foreign exchange market to competitively devalue their currency. While various countries had increased incentives to devalue, we find that direct exchange rate interventions have been rather limited and contagion of devaluation has been restricted to one regionally contained case. However, sharp market-driven exchange rate movements have reshaped competitive positions. It appears that these movements have so far not seriously disrupted global trade. After all, a world crisis is likely to require widespread exchange rate adjustments as different countries are affected in different ways and have different capacities to weather the shocks.

Budget deficits --- Central bank --- Central bank policy --- Central banks --- Competitive devaluations --- Currencies and Exchange Rates --- Currency --- Debt Markets --- Devaluation --- Economic Stabilization --- Economic Theory and Research --- Emerging Markets --- Exchange rate --- Exchange rate intervention --- Exchange rate interventions --- Exchange rate movements --- Exchange rates --- Finance and Financial Sector Development --- Financial architecture --- Financial crises --- Foreign exchange --- Foreign exchange market --- Interest rates --- International trade --- Macroeconomics and Economic Growth --- Poverty reduction --- Private Sector Development