Current Account Imbalances in the Southern Euro Area
Current Account Imbalances in the Southern Euro Area

Author: Piyaporn Sodsriwiboon

Publisher: International Monetary Fund

Published: 2010-06-01

Total Pages: 51

ISBN-13: 1455201227

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The paper examines the causes, consequences, and potential cures of the large current account deficits in the Southern Euro Area (SEA). These were mostly driven by a decline in private saving rates. But it was the European Monetary Union and the Euro, which enabled these countries to maintain investment rates, and thus run larger current account deficits, by improving their access to the international pool of saving. The paper finds that the deficits in SEA in 2008 were larger than can be explained by fundamentals, though the situation varies substantially across countries. It also finds that although the global financial crisis has started to force some unwinding, the current account deficits are expected to remain high in the medium run, though again with substantial variation across countries. The paper argues these large external deficits pose risks to the economy and therefore matter, even in a currency union, and discusses some policy options to reduce them.

External Imbalances in the Euro Area
External Imbalances in the Euro Area

Author: Ms.Ruo Chen

Publisher: International Monetary Fund

Published: 2012-10-09

Total Pages: 76

ISBN-13: 1475512120

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The paper examines the extent to which current account imbalances of euro area countries are related to intra-euro area factors and to external trade shocks. We argue that the traditional explanations for the rising imbalances are correct, but are incomplete. We uncover a large impact of declines in export competitiveness and asymmetric trade developments vis-à-vis the rest of the world –in particular vis-à-vis China, Central and Eastern Europe, and oil exporters- on the external balance of euro area debtor countries. While current account imbalances of euro area deficit countries vis-à-vis the rest of the world increased, they were financed mostly by intra-euro area capital inflows (in particular by the purchase of government and financial institutions’ securities, and cross-border interbank lending) which permitted external imbalances to grow over time.

Economic Convergence in the Euro Area: Coming Together or Drifting Apart?
Economic Convergence in the Euro Area: Coming Together or Drifting Apart?

Author: Mr.Jeffrey R. Franks

Publisher: International Monetary Fund

Published: 2018-01-23

Total Pages: 47

ISBN-13: 1484338499

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We examine economic convergence among euro area countries on multiple dimensions. While there was nominal convergence of inflation and interest rates, real convergence of per capita income levels has not occurred among the original euro area members since the advent of the common currency. Income convergence stagnated in the early years of the common currency and has reversed in the wake of the global economic crisis. New euro area members, in contrast, have seen real income convergence. Business cycles became more synchronized, but the amplitude of those cycles diverged. Financial cycles showed a similar pattern: sychronizing more over time, but with divergent amplitudes. Income convergence requires reforms boosting productivity growth in lagging countries, while cyclical and financial convergence can be enhanced by measures to improve national and euro area fiscal policies, together with steps to deepen the single market.

Euroland and the World Economy
Euroland and the World Economy

Author: Jörg Bibow

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2007-10-23

Total Pages: 318

ISBN-13: 0230377556

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This book takes a broad perspective to challenge orthodox views about the role of Euroland in the world economy, providing a comprehensive framework to address important questions for the future of the Euro, including the key question: will the single currency contribute to world economic dynamism or be driven by the vigour and vitality of others?

Monetary Policy in Times of Crisis
Monetary Policy in Times of Crisis

Author: Massimo Rostagno

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2021

Total Pages: 449

ISBN-13: 0192895915

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The first twenty years of the European Central Bank offer a unique insight into how a central bank can navigate macroeconomic insecurity and crisis. This volume examines the structures and decision-making processes behind the complex measures taken by the ECB to tackle some of the toughest economic challenges in the history of modern Europe.

Rebalancing in the Euro Area and Cyclicality of Current Account Adjustments
Rebalancing in the Euro Area and Cyclicality of Current Account Adjustments

Author: Mr.Thierry Tressel

Publisher: International Monetary Fund

Published: 2014-07-22

Total Pages: 31

ISBN-13: 1498396542

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The paper examines progress with the external rebalancing of euro area deficit countries. Relative prices are adjusting at different pace across countries and with different compositions of wage cuts and labor shedding. There is so far limited evidence of resource re-allocation from non-tradable to tradable sectors, while improved export performance is still dependent on external demand from the rest of world. Current account adjustments have taken place, reflecting structural changes but also cyclical forces, suggesting that part of the improvements may unwind when cyclical conditions improve. Looking ahead, relying only on relative price adjustments (which adversely affects demand) to rebalance the euro area could prove very challenging. Structural reforms will play an important role in the reallocation of resources to the tradable sector and the associated relative price adjustment, while boosting non-price and price competitiveness.

Macroeconomics for Professionals
Macroeconomics for Professionals

Author: Leslie Lipschitz

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2019-01-23

Total Pages: 312

ISBN-13: 1108568467

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Understanding macroeconomic developments and policies in the twenty-first century is daunting: policy-makers face the combined challenges of supporting economic activity and employment, keeping inflation low and risks of financial crises at bay, and navigating the ever-tighter linkages of globalization. Many professionals face demands to evaluate the implications of developments and policies for their business, financial, or public policy decisions. Macroeconomics for Professionals provides a concise, rigorous, yet intuitive framework for assessing a country's macroeconomic outlook and policies. Drawing on years of experience at the International Monetary Fund, Leslie Lipschitz and Susan Schadler have created an operating manual for professional applied economists and all those required to evaluate economic analysis.

Development in Turbulent Times
Development in Turbulent Times

Author: Paul Dobrescu

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2019-03-20

Total Pages: 199

ISBN-13: 3030113612

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This open access book explores the most recent trends in the EU in terms of development, progress, and performance. Ten years after the 2008 economic crisis, and amidst a digital revolution that is intensifying the development race, the European Union, and especially Central and Eastern Europe, are ardently searching for their development priorities. Against this background, by relying on a cross-national perspective, the authors reflect upon the developmental challenges of the moment, such as sustainable development, reducing inequality, ensuring social cohesion, and driving the digital revolution. They particularly focus on the relation between the less-developed Eastern part of the EU and its more developed Western counterpart, and discuss the consequences of this development gap in detail. Lastly, the book presents a range of case studies from different areas of governance, such as economy and commerce, health services, education, migration and public opinion in order to investigate the trends most likely to impact the European Union's medium and long-term development.

The Euro Area and the Financial Crisis
The Euro Area and the Financial Crisis

Author: Miroslav Beblavý

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2011-10-06

Total Pages: 373

ISBN-13: 1139503634

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The financial crisis of 2007–10 has presented a number of key policy challenges for those concerned with the long-term stability of the euro area. It has shown that price stability as provided by the European Central Bank is not enough to guarantee financial stability, and exposed fault lines in governance and deficiencies in the architecture of the financial supervisory and regulatory framework. This book addresses these and other issues, including why the crisis affected some countries more than others, whether the euro is still attractive for new EU states, and what policy changes and structural reforms, both macro and micro, should be undertaken to ensure its future viability. Written by a team of leading academic and central bank economists, the book also includes chapters on the cross-country incidence of the crisis, the Irish crisis and ECB monetary policy during the crisis, and studies on Spain, the Baltics, Slovakia and Slovenia.

Progress Towards External Adjustment in the Euro Area Periphery and the Baltics
Progress Towards External Adjustment in the Euro Area Periphery and the Baltics

Author: Mr.Joong S Kang

Publisher: International Monetary Fund

Published: 2014-07-22

Total Pages: 31

ISBN-13: 1498339026

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The euro area periphery countries and the Baltic countries, which had large current account deficits in the run-up to the crisis, needed adjustment of relative prices to achieve both internal and external balances. Thus far, tangible progress has been made through lower wages and/or higher productivity relative to trading partners (“internal devaluation”), which contributed to narrowing current account deficits and shifting output towards the tradables sector. While some early adjusters cut wages more rapidly followed by productivity improvement, others have only slowly improved productivity largely through labor shedding. This adjustment for most countries has come along with a substantial recession as the unit labor cost improvement has largely come from falling employment and much of the current account improvement from import compression. Going forward, these countries still need to generate growing tradables sector employment and to continue adjustment to prevent imbalances from returning as output gaps close.