The Cost of Foreign Exchange Intervention
The Cost of Foreign Exchange Intervention

Author: Gustavo Adler

Publisher: International Monetary Fund

Published: 2016-04-12

Total Pages: 37

ISBN-13: 148433230X

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The accumulation of large foreign asset positions by many central banks through sustained foreign exchange (FX) intervention has raised questions about its associated fiscal costs. This paper clarifies conceptual issues regarding how to measure these costs both from an ex-post and an ex-ante (relevant for decision making) perspective, and estimates both marginal and total costs for 73 countries over the period 2002-13. We find ex-ante marginal costs for the median emerging market economy (EME) in the inter-quartile range of 2-5.5 percent per year; while ex-ante total costs (of sustaining FX positions) in the range of 0.2-0.7 percent of GDP per year for light interveners and 0.3-1.2 percent of GDP per year for heavy interveners. These estimates indicate that fiscal costs of sustained FX intervention (via expanding central bank balance sheets) are not negligible.

Foreign Exchange Intervention Rules for Central Banks: A Risk-based Framework
Foreign Exchange Intervention Rules for Central Banks: A Risk-based Framework

Author: Romain Lafarguette

Publisher: International Monetary Fund

Published: 2021-02-12

Total Pages: 33

ISBN-13: 1513569406

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This paper presents a rule for foreign exchange interventions (FXI), designed to preserve financial stability in floating exchange rate arrangements. The FXI rule addresses a market failure: the absence of hedging solution for tail exchange rate risk in the market (i.e. high volatility). Market impairment or overshoot of exchange rate between two equilibria could generate high volatility and threaten financial stability due to unhedged exposure to exchange rate risk in the economy. The rule uses the concept of Value at Risk (VaR) to define FXI triggers. While it provides to the market a hedge against tail risk, the rule allows the exchange rate to smoothly adjust to new equilibria. In addition, the rule is budget neutral over the medium term, encourages a prudent risk management in the market, and is more resilient to speculative attacks than other rules, such as fixed-volatility rules. The empirical methodology is backtested on Banco Mexico’s FXIs data between 2008 and 2016.

Unveiling the Effects of Foreign Exchange Intervention
Unveiling the Effects of Foreign Exchange Intervention

Author: Gustavo Adler

Publisher: International Monetary Fund

Published: 2015-06-23

Total Pages: 42

ISBN-13: 1513534602

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We study the effect of foreign exchange intervention on the exchange rate relying on an instrumental-variables panel approach. We find robust evidence that intervention affects the level of the exchange rate in an economically meaningful way. A purchase of foreign currency of 1 percentage point of GDP causes a depreciation of the nominal and real exchange rates in the ranges of [1.7-2.0] percent and [1.4-1.7] percent respectively. The effects are found to be quite persistent. The paper also explores possible asymmetric effects, and whether effectiveness depends on the depth of domestic financial markets.

Patterns of Foreign Exchange Intervention under Inflation Targeting
Patterns of Foreign Exchange Intervention under Inflation Targeting

Author: Gustavo Adler

Publisher: International Monetary Fund

Published: 2020-05-29

Total Pages: 29

ISBN-13: 1513536451

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The paper documents the use of foreign exchange intervention (FXI) across countries and monetary regimes, with special attention to its use under inflation targeting (IT). We find significant differences between advanced and emerging market economies, with the former group conducting FXI limitedly and broadly symmetrically, while the use of this policy instrument in emerging market countries is pervasive and mostly asymmetric (biased towards purchasing foreign currency, even after taking into account precautionary motives). Within emerging markets, the use of FXI is common both under IT and non-IT regimes. We find no evidence of FXI being used in response to inflation developments, while there is strong evidence that FXI responds to exchange rates, indicating that IT central banks in EMDEs have dual inflation/exchange rate objectives. We also find a higher propensity to overshoot inflation targets in emerging market economies where FXI is more pervasive.

Strained Relations
Strained Relations

Author: Michael D. Bordo

Publisher: University of Chicago Press

Published: 2015-03-02

Total Pages: 453

ISBN-13: 022605151X

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During the twentieth century, foreign-exchange intervention was sometimes used in an attempt to solve the fundamental trilemma of international finance, which holds that countries cannot simultaneously pursue independent monetary policies, stabilize their exchange rates, and benefit from free cross-border financial flows. Drawing on a trove of previously confidential data, Strained Relations reveals the evolution of US policy regarding currency market intervention, and its interaction with monetary policy. The authors consider how foreign-exchange intervention was affected by changing economic and institutional circumstances—most notably the abandonment of the international gold standard—and how political and bureaucratic factors affected this aspect of public policy.

Is Exchange Rate Stabilization an Appropriate Cure for the Dutch Disease?
Is Exchange Rate Stabilization an Appropriate Cure for the Dutch Disease?

Author: Mr.Ruy Lama

Publisher: International Monetary Fund

Published: 2010-08-01

Total Pages: 45

ISBN-13: 1455202169

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This paper evaluates how successful is a policy of exchange rate stabilization to counteract the negative effects of a Dutch Disease episode. We consider a small open economy model that incorporates nominal rigidities and a learning-by-doing externality in the tradable sector. The paper shows that leaning against an appreciated exchange rate can prevent an inefficient loss of tradable output but at the cost of generating a misallocation of resources in other sectors of the economy. The paper also finds that welfare is a decreasing function of exchange rate intervention. These results suggest that stabilizing the nominal exchange rate in response to a Dutch Disease episode is highly distortionary.

The Cost of Foreign Exchange Intervention
The Cost of Foreign Exchange Intervention

Author: Gustavo Adler

Publisher: International Monetary Fund

Published: 2016-04-08

Total Pages: 37

ISBN-13: 1484323076

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The accumulation of large foreign asset positions by many central banks through sustained foreign exchange (FX) intervention has raised questions about its associated fiscal costs. This paper clarifies conceptual issues regarding how to measure these costs both from an ex-post and an ex-ante (relevant for decision making) perspective, and estimates both marginal and total costs for 73 countries over the period 2002-13. We find ex-ante marginal costs for the median emerging market economy (EME) in the inter-quartile range of 2-5.5 percent per year; while ex-ante total costs (of sustaining FX positions) in the range of 0.2-0.7 percent of GDP per year for light interveners and 0.3-1.2 percent of GDP per year for heavy interveners. These estimates indicate that fiscal costs of sustained FX intervention (via expanding central bank balance sheets) are not negligible.

Guidelines for Foreign Exchange Reserve Management
Guidelines for Foreign Exchange Reserve Management

Author: International Monetary Fund

Publisher: International Monetary Fund

Published: 2004-08-16

Total Pages: 34

ISBN-13: 9781589062603

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These guidelines are intended to assist countries in strengthening their policy frameworks for reserve management so that they can become more resilient to shocks that may originate from global financial markets or within the domestic financial system. The guidelines have been developed as part of a broader IMF work program to help strengthen international financial architecture, to promote policies and practices that contribute to stability and transparency in the financial sector, and to reduce external vulnerabilities of member countries.

International Reserves and Foreign Currency Liquidity
International Reserves and Foreign Currency Liquidity

Author: International Monetary Fund. Statistics Dept.

Publisher: International Monetary Fund

Published: 2015-01-07

Total Pages: 258

ISBN-13: 1484350162

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This update of the guidelines published in 2001 sets forth the underlying framework for the Reserves Data Template and provides operational advice for its use. The updated version also includes three new appendices aimed at assisting member countries in reporting the required data.