How Do Exchange Rate Regimes Affect Firms' Incentives to Hedge Currency Risk? Micro Evidence for Latin America
How Do Exchange Rate Regimes Affect Firms' Incentives to Hedge Currency Risk? Micro Evidence for Latin America

Author: Herman Kamil

Publisher: International Monetary Fund

Published: 2012-03-01

Total Pages: 54

ISBN-13: 1463950233

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Using a unique dataset with information on the currency composition of firms' assets and liabilities in six Latin-American countries, I investigate how the choice of exchange rate regime affects firms' foreign currency borrowing decisions and the associated currency mismatches in their balance sheets. I find that after countries switch from pegged to floating exchange rate regimes, firms reduce their levels of foreign currency exposures, in two ways. First, they reduce the share of debt contracted in foreign currency. Second, firms match more systematically their foreign currency liabilities with assets denominated in foreign currency and export revenues--effectively reducing their vulnerability to exchange rate shocks. More broadly, the study provides novel evidence on the impact of exchange rate regimes on the level of un-hedged foreign currency debt in the corporate sector and thus on aggregate financial stability.

Nonfinancial Firms in Latin America
Nonfinancial Firms in Latin America

Author: Ms.Maria Gonzalez

Publisher: International Monetary Fund

Published: 2012-11-29

Total Pages: 43

ISBN-13: 147556841X

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We examine corporate sector vulnerabilities in Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru. First, we identify stylized facts based on corporate financial indicators. Second, we assess vulnerability of individual firms to a sudden stop in financing through a probit model, using a panel of 18 countries in 2000-11. Results suggest that higher leverage and maturity exposures raise a firm’s probability to become exposed to a funding shock, while a larger firm size and buffers reduce it. Further, greater exchange rate flexibility can help mitigate corporate vulnerability. Identification of firms at risk through the model suggests that some vulnerabilities may be building in Latin America led by leverage, currency exposures and moderating buffers. These effects are partially offset, however, by a significant reduction in maturity exposures.

Currency Mismatches and Vulnerability to Exchange Rate Shocks: Nonfinancial Firms in Colombia
Currency Mismatches and Vulnerability to Exchange Rate Shocks: Nonfinancial Firms in Colombia

Author: Mr.Adolfo Barajas

Publisher: International Monetary Fund

Published: 2017-11-22

Total Pages: 41

ISBN-13: 1484330129

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After building up foreign currency denominated (FC) liabilities over several years, Colombian firms might be vulnerable to a shift in external conditions. We undertake three empirical exercises to better understand these vulnerabilities. First, we identify the determinants of FC borrowing. Second, we investigate the implications for real activity, finding a balance sheet effect that transmits exchange rate fluctuations to investment and is asymmetric, much stronger for depreciations than for appreciations. Finally, we find that foreign exchange derivatives are not used solely for hedging, due in part to monetary authority intervention to smooth exchange rate volatility. However, a full explanation remains open for future research.

Corporate Financing Trends and Balance Sheet Risks in Latin America
Corporate Financing Trends and Balance Sheet Risks in Latin America

Author: Mr.Fabiano Rodrigues Rodrigues Bastos

Publisher: International Monetary Fund

Published: 2015-01-22

Total Pages: 31

ISBN-13: 1498307809

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Easy global liquidity conditions, stronger risk appetite and a retrenchment in cross-border bank lending led to a surge in emerging market firms’ bond issuance in international markets (what we term “The Bon(d)anza”). Using firm-level data for five large Latin American economies, we provide evidence of a significant change in companies’ external funding strategies and liability structures after 2010, as well as in the balance sheet risks that firms face. We find that stepped up bond issuance was mostly aimed at re-financing rather than funding investment projects, as firms extended the average duration of their debt while securing lower fixed-rates, reducing roll-over and interest rate risks. The shift towards safer maturity structures has come at the expense of a leveraging-up in foreign-currency-denominated financial debt in several countries— reversing a de-dollarization trend seen during the last decade. We also provide evidence that a substantial part of these bonds were issued through offshore vehicles, suggesting regulatory and tax arbitrage strategies. For some corporations, rising dollar debt and high leverage will be particularly taxing in an environment of US dollar strengthening, less buoyant commodity prices and slowing domestic activity.

How Latin America Weathered the Global
How Latin America Weathered the Global

Author: José De Gregorio

Publisher: Peterson Institute for International Economics

Published: 2014-01-14

Total Pages: 197

ISBN-13: 088132678X

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The global financial and economic turmoil of 2008–09 plunged Europe and the United States into their worst economic downturns in 75 years. Many experts feared that developing regions like Latin America, which had experienced many of their own crises in recent decades, would be even worse affected. Instead, Latin America suffered only limited damage. Indeed the region’s GDP is 20 percent higher than its pre-crisis level. José De Gregorio, governor of the Central Bank of Chile from 2007 to 2011, explains Latin America’s success with a perspective that only an insider can have. This book focuses mainly on the seven largest economies of Latin America—Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, and Venezuela—which together account for more than 90 percent of regional output. The author argues that strong performance during the crisis resulted from the sound macroeconomic and financial policies that these countries followed beforehand. Their accomplishments allowed them to undertake significant monetary and fiscal expansion in the context of robust financial systems. De Gregorio acknowledges that there was also an element of luck—in terms of improved terms of trade. This is a candid, searching, and dramatic case study of crisis preparation—and crisis management.

Comfort in Floating: Taking Stock of Twenty Years of Freely-Floating Exchange Rate in Chile
Comfort in Floating: Taking Stock of Twenty Years of Freely-Floating Exchange Rate in Chile

Author: Elías Albagli

Publisher: International Monetary Fund

Published: 2020-06-19

Total Pages: 48

ISBN-13: 1513547712

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Chile offers an example of a country that has overcome the fear of floating by reducing balance sheet mismatches, enhancing financial market development, as well as improving monetary, fiscal, and political institutions, and strengthening policy credibility. Under the floating regime, Chile’s economic adjustment to external shocks appears significantly improved, and its exchange rate pass-through has substantially declined. Our results reinforce the case that moving to a clear and credible floating regime can be associated with a reduction in the fear of floating via economic transformation (like smaller balance sheet mismatches, a larger hedging market, and a lower exchange rate pass-through).

Regional Economic Outlook, April 2012, Western Hemisphere
Regional Economic Outlook, April 2012, Western Hemisphere

Author: International Monetary Fund. Western Hemisphere Dept.

Publisher: International Monetary Fund

Published: 2012-04-25

Total Pages: 71

ISBN-13: 1616352531

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Growth in much of Latin America remains solid, although it slowed during the second half of 2011 as result of the combined effects of policy tightening and global uncertainties. Under our baseline, we expect growth in Latin America and the Caribbean to moderate to about 33⁄4 percent in 2012, from about 41⁄2 last year. For many countries, high commodity prices and easy external financing conditions will provide tailwinds. For others, weak growth in the United States and other advanced-country partners, or homegrown fiscal problems, will hold back activity. This edition of the Regional Economic Outlook: Western Hemisphere elaborates on three key themes. First, the global economic environment is somewhat better than in late 2011, but remains risky as renewed tensions from Europe and the likelihood of an oil price shock cannot be discarded. Second, external conditions will remain stimulative for much of Latin America: The double tailwinds of easy external finance and high commodity prices are likely to persist for a while, though not forever. And third, this environment creates opportunities for Latin America-opportunities to build on the resilience and flexibility that has served it so well during the global crisis of 2008-09. This edition also expands on these themes through analytical features on regional spillovers, the growth effects of global financial shocks, and housing and mortgage markets in the region.

Cambodian Dollarization
Cambodian Dollarization

Author: Hidenobu Okuda

Publisher: Taylor & Francis

Published: 2023-09-07

Total Pages: 228

ISBN-13: 1000955575

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This book is the first study to provide a comprehensive picture of the reality and structure of dollarization in Cambodia, which has been achieving rapid economic and financial development since the end of 1998, when full piece reigned over the kingdom. It uses the micro-level data collected through nationwide surveys conducted jointly by the National Bank of Cambodia and JICA Ogata Sadako Research Institute in 2014 and 2017. By applying econometric analysis to collected data, the book analyses in detail the structures and mechanisms of dollarization in households, companies, and financial institutions. It also provides detailed information on the historical development of Cambodian dollarization, international comparisons with various cases of dollarization in countries around the world, and the impact of NBC's digital payment platforms (particularly Bakong) on the use of local and foeign currencies. The Cambodian case shows that financial development of low- and middle-income countries is promoted mutually by dollarization and that policies to separate the two are necessary to curb dollarization. This book will be of interest to students, researchers and policy-makers concerned with dollarization and economics in Southeast Asia.

Floating with a Load of FX Debt?
Floating with a Load of FX Debt?

Author: Tatsiana Kliatskova

Publisher: International Monetary Fund

Published: 2015-12-30

Total Pages: 35

ISBN-13: 151354330X

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Countries with de jure floating exchange rate regimes are often reluctant to allow their currencies to float freely in practice. One reason why countries may wish to limit exchange rate volatility is potential negative balance sheet effects due to currency mismatches on the balance sheets of firms and households. In this paper, we show in a sample of 15 emerging market economies that countries with large foreign exchange (FX) debt in the non-financial private sector tend to react more strongly to exchange rate changes using both FX interventions and monetary policy. Thus, our results support the idea that an important source of “fear of floating” is balance sheet currency mismatches. This effect is asymmetric; that is, countries stem depreciation but not appreciation pressure. Moreover, FX debt financed through the domestic banking system is more important for fear of floating than FX debt obtained directly from external sources.