Current Account Position Research Articles

The Effect of Real Exchange Rate on Current Account

This research studies the impact of real Gross Domestic Production (GDP) and real exchange rate on the Current Account position in Jordan, during the quarterly periods from 2008 to 2022. The study reviews the literature on the theoretical framework around the impact of real GDP and fluctuations of the real exchange rate on the current account status. This study describes the performance of the current account during the study period and applies the appropriate econometric tests to an economic model. The main results show a significant, positive effect of real GDP growth in improving the status and sustainability of the current account; output growth indicates an increase in production leading to higher levels of exports and lower levels of imports. The results did not show a significant effect of the real exchange rate on the current account position, which is largely attributed to the stabilization policy of exchange rate pursued by the Central Bank of Jordan since October 1995.

Comparative Study on Lower-Middle-, Upper-Middle-, and Higher-Income Economies of ASEAN for Fiscal and Current Account Deficits: A Panel Econometric Analysis

For the last three decades, ASEAN has been facing a persistent fiscal deficit. However, the impact of fiscal deficit on the current account deficit in the sub-groups of ASEAN is still unknown. This study aims to investigate the impact of fiscal deficit on current account deficit and their relationship among the three sub-groups of ASEAN which are based on gross national income (GNI), i.e., lower-middle-, upper-middle-, and higher-income countries. The analysis covers the panel data collected over the span of the last three decades (1990–2020) for ten Southeast Asian nations (ASEAN). The analyses incorporate the panel methodology for data analysis such as panel unit root for checking data stationarity, cointegration testing, panel autoregressive distributed lag (PARDL) for short- and long-run analysis, cointegration regression (fully modified and dynamic ordinary least squares) for significance, the panel Dumitrescu and Hurlin Granger causality test for examining causal relationships in tested variables, and stability diagnostics and CUMSUM and CUSUMSQ techniques for structural breaks and coefficient stability in the model. In lower-middle-income economies (LMIE), results indicate the existence of a unidirectional causal relationship from the current account deficit (CAD) to the fiscal deficit (FD), suggesting a reverse causal relationship from CAD to FD. In the long run, FD does not significantly induce CAD, while real interest rate (RIR) and exchange rate (EXC) influence CAD. In upper-middle-income economies (UMIE), results specify that there is no causality between FD and CAD. The RIR, EXC, and FD are significant to CAD in the long run. In higher-income economies (HIE), RIR and FD have an influence on CAD in the long run period. Moreover, from CAD to FD, a unidirectional causal association exists, and likewise for LMIE. This is a reverse causal relationship from CAD to the FD, supporting the current account targeting hypothesis (CATH) in both the LMIE and HIE groups. This study recommends that the LMIE and HIE groups can use the fiscal deficit as a tool to eliminate the unfavorable current account position. Policymakers can target EXC and RIR to stabilize CAD in long run. In UMIE and HIE, policymakers must consider FD alarming, as it can induce CAD in the long run. The RIR can be the targeted factor in the sub-groups of ASEAN.

Macroeconomic Policy Making and Current Account Imbalances in the Euro Area

The paper analyses the role of fiscal and monetary policy for the development of the current account imbalances in the euro area, including the most recent developments during the coronavirus crisis. Several financial transmission channels such as international bank lending, changes in TARGET2 balances, international rescue credit and government bond purchases of euro area central banks are identified. It is found that differing fiscal policy stances which have interacted differently with the ECB’s monetary policy have been at roots of first diverging and then converging current account positions in the euro area. Since the European financial and debt crisis, public financing mechanisms and the unconventional monetary of the ECB have contributed to the persistence of intra-euro area current account imbalances.

Turkey: 2021 Article IV Consultation-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Turkey

In Turkey, as in other countries, the human and economic toll of the COVID-19 pandemic has been severe. Thousands of lives have been tragically lost and many livelihoods compromised. The initial policy response to the pandemic—and subsequent sharp growth rebound—set Turkey apart from its peers. Rapid monetary and credit expansion and large liquidity support meant that Turkey was among the few countries to experience positive economic growth in 2020. But these policies also aggravated pre-existing economic and financial vulnerabilities. Higher inflation, increased dollarization, and a large shift in the current account position increased pressure on the lira and gave rise to heavy foreign exchange sales, which led in turn to steep reserve declines from already-low levels. A policy shift in late 2020—mainly towards tighter and more transparent monetary policy and slower credit growth—was both welcome and necessary. But the durability and depth of the shift were called into question in March 2021, following the change in central bank leadership, as the lira weakened markedly and interest rate spreads widened.

Growth Behaviour of India’s Export of Services, 1975–2018

Trade in services has made phenomenal strides in the globalisation era with the advent of a technology revolution, fragmentation in production processes and rapid digitisation. The case of India has been exemplary, as she bypasses her sluggish growth in goods exports to emerge as a world leader in commercial services. By churning out positive net exports since 2003, this trade sector has considerably eased the country’s unfavourable current-account position. Further, the relatively robust performance of the country’s service exports in the face of the Great Recession of 2008–2009 has ignited speculations over its suitability as an instrument of sustainable economic growth. Though the stupendous growth of India’s export of services is well documented, not much has been said regarding consistency in this growth. Our study identifies that against the backdrop of key macroeconomic developments, the growth performance of the country’s real export of services has undergone vivid variations. The long-term trend of these exports, though increasing, is choppy. We identify three structural regimes in the course of these exports: 1975–1993, 1994–2004 and 2005–2018. We conscientiously deduce that the phenomenal growth of real service exports that accrued in the 1990s has been slowly wearing out post 2005. The slowdown has both cyclical and structural elements to it and corresponds to the changing cyclicality of service exports, subduing demand, slowing global value chains (GVCs) and post-crisis mood of protectionism. JEL Codes: F14, C32, E32

Global imbalances, external adjustment and propagated shocks: An African perspective from a global VAR model

This paper examines the impacts of external adjustment related to global imbalances on the external accounts (trade balance, current account and net foreign asset position) and real output in oil-exporting and frontier markets in Africa via the trade and financial (valuation) channels. To this end, we estimate two global vector autoregression (GVAR) models for 47 countries across different regions, over the period 1979Q2–2016Q4. We also consider the relative importance of global oil price shock and financial market volatility (proxied by the VIX index) as potential drivers of global imbalances. Our results show that the exchange rate policies in the US and China are equally important for economic activity and external accounts of African countries, with changes in China’s real effective exchange rate (REER) exerting greater influence on the external accounts of these developing countries. The effects of a positive oil shock and heightened financial market volatility are transmitted into African countries via both the trade and the financial channels, but the differentiated impacts of the oil price shock deepen the external imbalances between oil-exporters and frontier markets in Africa. The trade channel emerged as the main transmission mechanism for these external shocks, while the role of valuation effect working through changes in REER is limited, and negligible with respect to the oil price shock.

Macroeconomic Policy Making and Current Account Imbalances in the Euro Area

The paper analyses the role of fiscal and monetary policy for the development of the current account imbalances in the euro area, including the most recent developments during the coronavirus crisis. Several financial transmission channels such as international bank lending, changes in TARGET2 balances, international rescue credit and government bond purchases of euro area central banks are identified. It is found that differing fiscal policy stances which have interacted differently with the ECB’s monetary policy have been at roots of first diverging and then converging current account positions in the euro area. Since the European financial and debt crisis, public financing mechanisms and the unconventional monetary of the ECB have contributed to the persistence of intra-euro area current account imbalances.

Euro area current account imbalances: A tale of two financial liberalizations

This paper explores the extent to financial liberalization in the euro area had a differential impact on members’ current account positions. Theoretically, it builds on an inter-temporal consumption model augmented with household heterogeneity. Low/middle income groups are impatient and constrained, whilst high-income groups are patient and under no constraint. Increased access to international credit in previously financially repressed countries implies a relaxation of collateral constraints specifically for the (low-skilled) low/middle-income group, who differently from high-income agents borrows to finance current consumption. It follows that financial liberalization is associated with deteriorating external positions there where initial levels of financial openness are lowest and the share of the (low-skilled) low/middle-income group with potentially binding collateral constraints largest. The same approach is useful to understand asymmetric current account reversals, which relates to suddenly biting collateral constraints in indebted peripheral countries, where the Great Recession hit disproportionally the low-skilled.

Modelling short-run and long-run predictors of foreign portfolio investment volatility in low-income Southern African Development Community countries

Orientation: This study examined the main predictors of net foreign portfolio investment volatility in low-income Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries. Based on the World Bank data (July 2014), the selected countries are Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mozambique, DRC, Swaziland and Tanzania. Research purpose: The purpose of this study is to establish the main drivers of net foreign portfolio investment volatility in low-income SADC countries. Motivation for the study: This study is also motivated by mixed findings in foreign portfolio investment debate on why capital flows are more volatile and difficult to manage in developing than in advanced economies. Although it is acknowledge that developing markets are characterised by the poor quality of financial institutions in economies with weak macroeconomic fundamentals, which ultimately pose a greater risk of sudden stops or reversal of foreign portfolio flows, findings remain inconclusive on what actually drives net foreign portfolio investment volatility in low-income countries. Research approach/design and method: The Panel Autoregressive Distributed Lag (P-ARDL) model is employed to determine the short- and long-run drivers of such investment volatility in these countries. The study uses quarterly data for the period spanning 2000 to 2015. Main findings: The findings reveal that all the variables in the model, namely money supply, world output, general prices, real gross domestic product, domestic interest rates and international interest rates, are significant predictors of net foreign portfolio investment volatility. However, positive long-run effects are observed from world gross domestic product, real gross domestic product, prices and money supply, whilst domestic interest rates and international interest rates displayed a negative association in the long run. These findings are consistent with both the economic literature and the empirical literature, which suggest that an increase in interest rates or higher interest rates affects foreign portfolio investment. Similarly, in the short run, all the variables employed in the model are the main predictors of net foreign portfolio investment volatility in low-income SADC countries. Practical/managerial implications: Policy-makers should embark on policies and programs that promote economic performance in order to attract stable foreign portfolio flows that will lead to stable markets and reduce volatility in the economy. Policy consistency is thus, recommended to attract investors to the region and ensure that stock and bond markets are viable and stable. Contribution/value-add: Unlike other existing studies, the measure of volatility employed in this is considered superior as it is based on net portfolio flows which reflect changes in an economy’s overall current account position. The study informs and advances the current discourse on the causes of capital flow volatility in the field of investment theory and practice.

The tale of two international phenomena: Migration and global imbalances

Following the dynamics of globalization, international migration has increased dramatically since the 1990s. Since migration patterns affect a country’s demographic structure—which is known to have an impact on the current account—migration is likely to explain a significant part of world imbalances. This paper tackles this issue by investigating the role played by international migration in the dynamics of global imbalances. To this end, we rely on an overlapping generations model to derive the theoretical link between international migration and the current account position. Through a series of robust estimates, we empirically investigate this relationship by relying on a large panel of developed and developing countries. Our results point to substantial effects of international migration. Specifically, we show that an increase in migration augments national savings and tends to restore the current account balance in the destination country, while it has opposite impacts in the origin country. These effects are particularly pronounced in developing economies and are attenuated by migrants’ remittances.

What drives the duration of credit booms?

AbstractThis paper presents a new perspective on the study of credit booms by both examining what determines their duration and testing for relevant political features. The results from the estimation of a discrete‐time duration model show that both the economic and the political environment influence the duration of credit booms. These events are found to last longer when: (a) the economy is growing faster; (b) levels of liquidity in the banking system are lower; (c) current account position deteriorates; (d) centre parties are in office; and (e) with coalitions/minority governments. Evidence of a political cycle in the duration of credit booms is also detected. Additionally, this study shows that credit booms that end up in banking crises last longer but this effect can be offset by a higher degree of Central Bank independence. Hence, a monetary authority that is not influenced by political pressures is essential to prevent the unfolding of credit booms into banking crises.

Infrastructure investment in Portugal and the traded/non-traded industry mix

Using a newly-developed data set for Portugal, we analyze the industry-level effects of infrastructure investment. Focusing on the divide between traded and non-traded industries, we find that infrastructure investments have a non-traded bias, as these shift the industry mix towards private and public services. We also find that the industries that benefit the most in relative terms are all non-traded: construction, trade, and real estate, among the private services, and education and health, among the public services. Similarly, emerging trading sectors, such as hospitality and professional services, stand to gain. The positive impacts on traded industries are too small to make a difference. These results highlight that infrastructure-based strategies are not neutral in terms of the industry mix. Moreover, with most of the benefits accruing to non-traded industries, such a development model that is heavily based on domestic demand may be unsustainable in light of Portugal’s current foreign account position.

Twin Deficits Hypothesis as an Indication of Government Failure in Sierra Leone: An Empirical Investigation (1980-2018)

This paper examines the assertion of twin deficit hypothesis as an indication of government (policy) failure in Sierra Leone through the utilisation of relevant variables from 1980 – 2018. The paper is considered very important, with its application to the economy of Sierra Leone, which seems to have battled with structural problems, particularly policy failures, as manifested through over-burdened current account and fiscal deficit, which is presently overshadowing efforts of changedregime to make headway with planned developmental goals. Theoretical and empirical literature was reviewed in relation to the twin deficit hypothesis. Empirical outcome using the Fully Modified Ordinary Least Squares (FMOLS) failed to reject the twin deficit hypothesis; an indication that fiscal deficit is partly responsible for the negative current account position in Sierra Leone. Evidence from the outcome is consistent with expectation for a small open economy [Sierra Leone], burdened with failed institutional governance policies in areas connected with unproductive real sector and high lending rates, considered as disincentive to private sector investments. To address the problem, policy recommendations have been proposed, pointing to a boost in real sector activities – this will help facilitate growth and mobilisation drive to improve domestic revenue collection, also channelled through the Treasury Single Account (TSA) for effective monitoring. Conscious efforts should be made to stepup operations that deter corruption, while firming up efforts to to boost exports through competitive business operations.

European imbalances and shifts of global value chains to the Central European periphery: role of institutions

This article deals with the topic of European imbalances. They are defined as large and persistent differences in the current account position of European countries, which are closely connected to the emergence of the financial crisis and the subsequent sovereign debt crisis in 2008. A build-up in current account deficits had been observed from the mid-1990s, namely in two peripheral regions of the EU. However, little attention was paid to the potential differences between the Southern and Central European peripheries of the EU. The emergence of large and persistent current account deficits in Southern Europe was accompanied by a significant shift in gains from global value chains. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the factors that co-determined the changes in the geographic structure of GVCs in Europe. These changes decreased GVC income in Southern Europe, increased it in Central Europe and contributed to the build-up of account imbalances in Southern Europe. Despite the fact that Central Europe was among the deficit regions in European imbalances, the four Central European countries substantially increased their gains from global value chains as well as GVC participation. The shift in GVC activity towards Central Europe between 1995 and 2011 was driven not only by total labour costs but also by better regulatory quality. At the same time, TNCs switching from Southern to Central Europe had to accept worse quality contract enforcement.

From a Deficit to a Surplus Country – The Case of Malta

Malta’s current account position has shifted dramatically in recent years, from one of the largest relative deficits in the euro area to one of the highest surpluses. Malta’s external accounts have improved since 2009 by about four times the change seen in the euro area. This article argues that cyclical demand factors did not cause this, while lower oil prices and a better real exchange rate played a minor part. Structural developments, such as improving energy intensity and falling import content, were more important drivers. The improvement in the current account reflects a recovery in the national saving rate, driven by better fiscal performance, and rising corporate and household savings due to higher activity among export-oriented services firms. Conversely investment has declined, as these firms rely more on human capital.

Exposition, Climax, Denouement: Life-Cycle Evaluation of the Recent Financial Crisis in the EU by Linking the ESRB Financial Crisis Database to the European Commission's Macroeconomic Imbalance Procedure Scoreboard

The paper investigates the life-cycle of the 2008-2009 financial crisis by linking the Macroeconomic Imbalance Procedure (MIP) Scoreboard of the European Commission to the crisis database of the European Systemic Risk Board (ESRB). The novelty of the analysis is that early warning capacity of MIP indicators is empirically tested in case of various crisis events case by case (i) Currency/Balance-of-Payment/Capital flow events, (ii) Sovereign crisis events, (iii) Banking crisis events and (iv) Significant asset price corrections in EU Member States. Furthermore, we contribute to the literature by studying the predicting power of the MIP Scoreboard in the identification of the overheating in the economy in advance of crises (preventive arm of the MIP). We found that the predictive power of the MIP Scoreboard may be twice as high to capture sovereign and Currency/Balance-of-Payment/Capital flow type of crisis events than its power to capture a banking crisis or serious asset price corrections. We confirm the results of earlier empirical studies that some MIP indicators perform relatively well (current account and net international position) in all specifications. A simple composite indicator based on the threshold breaches of MIP Scoreboard Indicators, performed in most cases as good as the best individual indicator, and hence could be considered as an input to a simple, rule based and accountable decision making. JEL Classification: C40, G01, E44, E61, G28

Determinants of the current account balance in Lesotho: a structural vector autoregression analysis

This paper investigates the macroeconomic factors that affect the current account balance in Lesotho and the interrelations among these factors using the structural vector autoregression (SVAR) framework and annual time series data from 1980 to 2015. The main results of the study show that variations in the current account are mostly influenced by own shocks and shocks in the trade balance. Policy recommendations are for the Government of Lesotho (GoL) to encourage and support a deliberate export oriented approach to trade anchored on product diversification and value addition. This will foster competitiveness of Lesotho's exports in the international markets and yield a favourable current account position.

Determinants of the current account balance in Lesotho: a structural vector autoregression analysis

This paper investigates the macroeconomic factors that affect the current account balance in Lesotho and the interrelations among these factors using the structural vector autoregression (SVAR) framework and annual time series data from 1980 to 2015. The main results of the study show that variations in the current account are mostly influenced by own shocks and shocks in the trade balance. Policy recommendations are for the Government of Lesotho (GoL) to encourage and support a deliberate export oriented approach to trade anchored on product diversification and value addition. This will foster competitiveness of Lesotho's exports in the international markets and yield a favourable current account position.

Monetary Integration, Fiscal Divergence and Current Account Imbalances in Europe

Abstract The paper scrutinizes the role of diverging fiscal policy stances for diverging current account positions in Europe with a focus on the European Monetary Union (EMU). In a heterogeneous monetary union fiscal policy has the task to absorb asymmetric shocks to ensure the efficacy of the one-size monetary policy. It is argued that since the early years of the European Monetary Union divergent fiscal policies combined with monetary expansion constituted a major determinant of current account divergence within the euro area, which finally led into the European debt and financial crisis. Panel regressions reveal a significant impact of fiscal policies on current account positions, which to a large extent are independent from the exchange rate regime and turn out to be contingent on monetary and fiscal policy mix. Based on the findings economic policy recommendations are presented.

THE SIGNAL SYSTEM OF UKRAINE’S ECONOMY EXTERNAL SUSTAINABILITY: INDICATORS APPROACH

In the paper, the signal system of Ukraine’s economy external sustainability is considered. For this purpose it is presented the Ukraine’s economy external sustainability indicators system that consists of 40 indicators that are divided into five groups: macroeconomic indicators; indicators, characterizing the current account position; indicators, characterizing the capital account position; debt indicators and indicators, characterizing the influence of the external sector. Based on the signal approach, the threshold percentiles, the probabilities of instability occurrence due to external disturbances and the noise-signal ratio for each indicator of external sustainability for the Ukrainian economy are calculated. The results of the noise-signal ratio calculations showed that their values for 21 indicators are quite high but less than one. Based on analysis of indicators’ signals, there is a clear tendency of more accurate identification of the volatility since 2008. For the overwhelming majority of indicators the probabilities of an unstable situation arising due to the signal from the indicator are high and exceed 50%. The probability of an unstable situation occurring without indicators’ signals for all external sustainability indicators except one also exceeds 50%. In addition to it for each of the five groups of indicators and the indicators’ system in a whole the average probabilities of unstable situation occurrence is calculated under the condition of a signal from indicators and without it.