Accommodative monetary policy, fiscal stimulus and foreign exchange reserves within the framework of Russian national economic interests: Long-standing problems and new challenges

The development of financial integration makes a country’s economic links difficult. This is especially so for emerging market countries, which are more vulnerable to economic shocks. The objective of this paper is to explore whether the emerging market countries which adopt floating exchange rate system have realized, at the same time, in the aftermath of a crisis, free movement of capital flow and independence of monetary policy. This is done by introducing foreign exchange reserves into Mundell–Fleming model to do derivation. The approach is supported by empirical research based on 20 emerging countries including China, Brazil, Poland and South Africa and others. It was found that: (1) after the crisis, the emerging market countries that implemented floating exchange rate system did not achieve monetary policy independence. Rapid accumulation of foreign exchange reserves weakened the positive effect of the increase in money supply on output; (2) As a result of holding foreign exchange reserves, the independence of monetary policy in emerging market countries has been challenged, independently of the type of exchange rate system adopted, which proves the existence of dilemma phenomenon. Finally, this study puts forward policy recommendations on the exchange rate system and capital account convertibility for China.

In this paper we analyzed the effect of the accumulation of foreign exchange reserves to economic growth in emerging countries. In order to empirical estimates of the impact of foreign exchange reserves to economic growth in emerging countries, were collected annual data on real GDP per capita, share of investment in GDP and population from the database of the International Monetary Fund (IMF WEO) in October 2013, while data from the level of foreign exchange reserves statistics collected from the relevant central banks. For a balanced panel data for Brazil, China and Russia, for the period from 1993 to 2012, estimated the relationship between economic growth and changes in foreign exchange reserves by applying the method includes the ONK with fixed individual effects. The empirical results in this paper suggest that the increase in foreign exchange reserves causes the growth of GDP, while in the opposite direction causality has not been proven. Exchange rate depreciation that occurs as a result of the accumulation of foreign exchange reserves is not inflationary because it is a one-time, non-persistent shock, unlike the sudden depreciation of the exchange rate that occurs as a result of maintaining an overvalued exchange rate in the long term and leads to currency crisis. The accumulation of foreign exchange reserves does not lead to inflation if the rate of accumulation of foreign exchange reserves does not exceed the rate of economic growth. Slightly higher inflation is not necessarily harmful, particularly for developing economics and emerging economics.

The research aims to analyze the influence of macroeconomic variables on foreign exchange reserves in Indonesia. This cannot be separated from the fact that the accumulation of foreign exchange reserves is very closely related to the condition of macroeconomic variables. The research uses time-series data from 2019:M01-2023:M12. The multiple linear regression approach is applied to determine the influence of the independent variable on the dependent variable in the foreign exchange reserve model. The research results show that imports, inflation and the exchange rate have a negative effect on foreign exchange reserves. An increase in these three variables will reduce foreign exchange reserves. The money supply has a positive effect on the exchange rate. The OLS approach produces BLUE regression, because the model is free from classical assumption problems. The implication of the research is that the government needs to implement an expansionary fiscal policy by increasing government spending, encouraging exports and maintaining the stability of the rupiah exchange rate against the US dollar. Stable domestic economic conditions will have an impact on increasing the accumulation of foreign exchange reserves.

This research looks into the accumulation of foreign exchange reserves and the development of the macro-economy in the Gulf and Cooperation Council countries (GCC countries), namely, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Using yearly data covering the period from 1996 through 2015, the empirical results show positive and significant relationships between foreign exchange reserves accumulation on one hand, and oil prices, GDP, the ratio of current account to GDP, and the ratio of broad money to GDP on the other hand. Moreover, the results point to negative and significant relationships between foreign exchange reserves accumulation on one hand, and real effective exchange rate, the ratio of debt to GDP, and call money rates on the other hand. However, the results show that the stockpile of foreign exchange reserves in the GCC countries is not sensitive to nominal effective exchange rates, neither to the ratio of imports to GDP, and nor to interest rates on the US Dollar. Furthermore, the study shows a robust and positive link between foreign exchange reserves and oil prices on the one hand and economic growth in these countries on the other hand.

Cross-country regressions, reported in this paper for 1960-99 period, seem to suggest that the accumulation of foreign exchange reserves (FER) contributes to economic growth of a developing economy by increasing both the investment/GDP ratio and capital productivity. We offer the following interpretation of these stylized facts: (1) FER accumulation causes real exchange rate (RER) undervaluation that is expansionary in the short run and may have long term effects, if such devaluations are carried out periodically and unexpectedly; (2) RER undervaluation allows to take full advantages of export externality and triggers export-led growth; (3) FER build up attracts foreign direct investment because it increases the credibility of the government of a recipient country and lowers the dollar price of real assets. A three-sector model of endogenous economic growth (including a consumer good sector, investment good sector and an export trade sector) is suggested to demonstrate how undervaluation may improve social welfare. Concepts of FER accumulation trajectories and equilibrium trajectories are introduced. It is demonstrated that small udervaluation of the equilibrium exchange rate may be wealth improving.

In this paper, the adequacy of foreign exchange reserves in Serbia and the factors that influence their accumulation is analyzed by means of an econometric model. The relevant variables, such as the gross domestic product (GDP), the real effective exchange rate (REER) and monetary aggregate M2/GDP are included in the analysis. The unit root tests applied in the research led to the conclusion that the timeseries were integrated of the order I(1). The cointegration test revealed that there was one cointegration equation. The regression model was estimated using the quarterly data for the period from 2002q1 to 2020q3. The estimated cointegration coefficients showed that the economic activity approximated in terms of the gross domestic product (GDP) had a significant influence on foreign exchange reserves accumulation, which is only followed by appreciation pressure on the dinar (approximated by the REER index) and money supply growth (estimated through the monetary aggregate M2/GDP). In addition to conventional factors, the analysis also points out specific factors and their impact on foreign exchange reserve accumulation in Serbia. The results of the research study show that foreign exchange reserves in Serbia are greater than the levels suggested by standard optimality criteria. The findings also suggest that it is necessary to take into account the dividends realized by foreign investors, as well as some segments of portfolio investment in assessing the specific indicator of the adequate level of foreign exchange reserves.

India's accumulation of foreign exchange reserves has been unprecedented scale in recent years. Given the cost of holding huge foreign exchange reserves, the cost of holding these reserves is also on the increase. The source of accretion to the foreign exchange reserves is mainly the capital flows and is portfolio flows more recently. Hence, given the cost and the volatility of the capital flows which is the main source of accretion, India needs to decide on the composition of its foreign exchange reserves. Central banks of many of the countries are considering the re-engineering of their foreign reserves. The share of gold in the total foreign exchange reserves is very high in the US and in the Europe. But, the Asian economies hold a very low proportion of their foreign exchange reserves in gold. This paper analyses the trends in the accumulation and sources of accretion of Indian foreign exchange reserves from the view point of if India should increase its gold holdings.

In late February 2006, China surpassed Japan to become the world's largest holder of foreign exchange reserves. Beijing is now faced with the growing challenge of how to handle these vast reserves effectively. Although China's soaring foreign exchange reserves indicate that its overall strength has grown, they have created internal and external pressures on the balance of the economy, and introduced risks to the financial system. It is estimated in the present study that foreign exchange reserves of approximately US$ 400bn in 2005 would have been appropriate under circumstances of a managed floating exchange rate regime and capital control. China's actual reserves have far exceeded its normal demand. The objective of China is to maintain an optimal level that maximizes net benefits as a whole. Four main policy options are available for China to achieve its target: spending and investing foreign exchange reserves, gradual liberalization of the capital account, diversification of foreign exchange reserves and a switch in holders of foreign exchange reserves. Spending and investing in foreign exchange reserves can be undertaken in combination with liberalization in the capital account, given careful consideration of the risks involved. Liberalization should be extensive but gradual so that companies and individuals can adjust to changes in financial markets and manage portfolios while avoiding unnecessary risks.(Edited by Xiaoming Feng)

This paper empirically investigates the reasons for the large amounts of foreign exchange reserves accumulation in Hong Kong in both long run and short run. The Johansen cointegration test results show a positive long-run relationship between broad money supply and foreign exchange reserves holding, and no significant long-run relationship between exchange rate and foreign exchanges reserve holding, indicating that the increase in money supply is a reason for the rise of foreign exchange reserves holding in long run. The long-run relationships are confirmed by Granger causality test results, and are explained by Hong Kong’s small open economy under fixed exchange rate regime. This paper establishes a vector error correction model to measure the short-run dynamics and the tendency to restore to its long-run equilibrium. The coefficient of error correction term implies a low speed of adjustment of foreign exchange reserves, indicating that the monetary authority of Hong Kong has to hold large amounts of foreign exchange reserves to be effective in foreign exchange reserves intervention and management. The low speed of adjustment in the short run is the second reason why Hong Kong’s foreign exchange reserves holding increases rapidly.

Comment

PurposeThe main purpose of this study is to investigate the determinants of foreign exchange reserve accumulation in a foreign exchange constrained economy, namely Ethiopia, over the period of 1981 up to 2017.Design/methodology/approachIn this study, autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) model is used. Besides, standard unit-root tests such as augmented Dickey Fuller (ADF) and Phillips–Perron (PP) tests are employed to check for the stationarity of the series.FindingsAccording to the results of unit-root tests, our variables are found to be a mixture of I(0) and I(1), and none of our series is I(2). The results of our ARDL model indicates, in the short run, foreign exchange reserve accumulation of Ethiopia is negatively and significantly affected by inflation rate and exchange rate. But, in the long run, inflation rate affects foreign exchange reserve positively and significantly. Additionally, in the long run, external debt affects foreign exchange reserve positively. Similar to its effect in the short run, exchange rate also affects foreign exchange reserve negatively in the long run.Originality/valueThis paper has its originality as it contributes in reasoning out the factors determining, both in the short-run and long-run, foreign exchange deficiency in any developing country with foreign exchange deficiency, taking Ethiopian economy as a case study, and fills the scarce literature on the determinants of foreign exchange reserve accumulation in a developing country.

Crises in Economic Thought, Secular Stagnation, and Future Economic Research

Last week, we witnessed one of the most exciting developments in monetary policymaking since the 1930s. The Japanese central bank staged an honest-to-goodness regime shift. The Bank of Japan went beyond vague promises and cheap talk. As I will describe in more detail later, it took dramatic actions and pledged convincingly to do whatever it takes to end deflation in Japan. The theoretical reasons why this regime shift may be important are well understood by economists. Persistent deflation and anemic growth suggest that Japan continues to suffer from a shortfall of demand. But their policy interest rate is already at the zero lower bound. Furthermore, riskier, long-term rates are also very low— suggesting that unconventional policies such as large-scale asset purchases are unlikely to do much to further reduce nominal rates. As discussed by Paul Krugman, Gauti Eggertsson and Michael Woodford, and others, if unconventional monetary policy can raise expected inflation, this can push down real interest rates even though nominal rates cannot fall. 1 This, in turn, can raise aggregate demand by stimulating interest

Sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) have emerged in developing Asia as a policy response to an unprecedented accumulation of foreign exchange (FX) reserves since 2000. At the same time, developing countries have become an increasingly important source of outward foreign direct investment (FDI). The central objective of this paper is to evaluate the prospects for SWFs to serve as a major conduit for the region’s outward FDI. In principle, FDI represents an attractive means of earning higher returns on FX reserves than traditional reserve assets. In practice, the limited institutional capacity and the political sensitivity of state-led FDI severely constrains the ability of developing Asia’s SWFs to undertake FDI on a significant scale. Therefore, the potential for developing Asia’s SWFs to become major sources of outward FDI is more apparent than real. This paper also explores the implications of the Santiago Principles and the global financial crisis on outward FDI by SWFs.

Sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) have emerged in developing Asia as a policy response to an unprecedented accumulation of foreign exchange (FX) reserves since 2000. At the same time, developing countries have become an increasingly important source of outward foreign direct investment (FDI). The central objective of this paper is to evaluate the prospects for SWFs to serve as a major conduit for the region’s outward FDI. In principle, FDI represents an attractive means of earning higher returns on FX reserves than traditional reserve assets. In practice, the limited institutional capacity and the political sensitivity of state-led FDI severely constrains the ability of developing Asia’s SWFs to undertake FDI on a significant scale. Therefore, the potential for developing Asia’s SWFs to become major sources of outward FDI is more apparent than real. This paper also explores the implications of the Santiago Principles and the global financial crisis on outward FDI by SWFs.