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Determinants of Current Account Deficits in Developing Countries

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Author Info
Cesar Calderon (Banco Central de Chile)
Alberto Chong (Inter-American Development Bank)
Norman Loayza (World Bank)

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Abstract

The objective of this paper is to provide some stylized facts on the links between current account deficits and a broad set of economic variables proposed by the literature. In order to accomplish this task, we complement and extend previous empirical research by (1) using a large and consistent macroeconomic data set on current account deficits and other national income variables, (2) focusing on developing economies by drawing on a panel data set consisting of 44 developing countries and annual information for the period 1966-94, (3) adopting a reduced-form approach, instead of holding to a particular structural model, (4) distinguishing between within-country and cross-country effects, and (5) employing a class of estimators that controls for simultaneity and reverse causation. Some of our findings are the following. (i) Current account deficits are moderately persistent. (ii) A rise in domestic output growth generates larger current account deficits. (iii) Shocks that increase the terms of trade or appreciate the real exchange rate are linked with higher current account deficits. And (iv) either higher growth rates in industrialized economies or larger international interest rates reduce the current account deficit in developing economies.

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Publisher Info
Article provided by Berkeley Electronic Press in its journal Contributions to Macroeconomics.

Volume (Year): 2 (2002)
Issue (Month): 1 ()
Pages: 1021-1021
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Handle: RePEc:bep:maccon:v:2:y:2002:i:1:p:1021-1021

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Related research
Keywords: Current Account Developing Economies Cross-Country Panel Data

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
F30 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - General

References listed on IDEAS
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Cited by:
(explanations, Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.)

  1. Roberto A. De Santis & Melanie Lührmann, 2006. "On the determinants of external imbalances and net international portfolio flows - a global perspective," Working Paper Series 651, European Central Bank. [Downloadable!]
  2. Roberto Duncan, 2003. "The Harberger-Laursen-Metzler Effect Revisited: An Indirect-Utility-Function Approach," Working Papers Central Bank of Chile 250, Central Bank of Chile. [Downloadable!]
  3. Kevin Cowan & Sebastián Edwards & Rodrigo Valdés, 2007. "Current Account and External Financing: An Introduction," Working Papers Central Bank of Chile 439, Central Bank of Chile. [Downloadable!]
  4. Alberto Chong & Luisa Zanforlin, 2002. "Technology and Epidemics," IMF Staff Papers, Palgrave Macmillan Journals, vol. 49(3), pages 6. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  5. Beck, Thorsten & Levine, Ross, 2001. "Stock markets, banks, and growth : correlation or causality?," Policy Research Working Paper Series 2670, The World Bank. [Downloadable!]
  6. Chowdhury, Abdur R., 2003. "Do asymmetric terms of trade shocks affect private savings in a transition economy?," BOFIT Discussion Papers 3/2003, Bank of Finland, Institute for Economies in Transition. [Downloadable!]
  7. Ari Aisen & David Hauner, 2008. "Budget Deficits and Interest Rates: A Fresh Perspective," IMF Working Papers 08/42, International Monetary Fund. [Downloadable!]
  8. Menzie D. Chinn & Eswar S. Prasad, 2000. "Medium-Term Determinants of Current Accounts in Industrial and Developing Countries: An Empirical Exploration," NBER Working Papers 7581, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  9. Ross Levine & María Carkovic, 2002. "Finance and Growth: New Evidence and Policy Analyses for Chile," Working Papers Central Bank of Chile 157, Central Bank of Chile. [Downloadable!]
  10. Thorsten Beck & Ross Levine, 2002. "Stock Markets, Banks, and Growth: Panel Evidence," NBER Working Papers 9082, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  11. Foued Chihi & Michel Normandin, 2008. "External and Budget Deficits in Developing Countries," Cahiers de recherche 0819, CIRPEE. [Downloadable!]
  12. César Calderón & L. Zanforlin & Alberto Chong, 2001. "Are African Current Account Deficits Different? Stylized Facts, Transitory Shocks, and Decomposition Analysis," IMF Working Papers 01/4, International Monetary Fund. [Downloadable!]
  13. Ramon Moreno, 2007. "Experiences With Current Account Deficits in Southeast Asia," Working Papers Central Bank of Chile 452, Central Bank of Chile. [Downloadable!]
  14. Michael Hutchison & Ilan Noy, 2003. "Macroeconomic effects of IMF-sponsored programs in Latin America: output costs, program recidivism and the vicious cycle of failed stabilizations," Pacific Basin Working Paper Series 03-02, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. [Downloadable!]
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  15. Abdur R. Chowdhury, 2003. "Private Savings In Transition Economies: Are There Terms Of Trade Shocks?," William Davidson Institute Working Papers Series 2003-572, William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan Stephen M. Ross Business School. [Downloadable!]
  16. Neil Esho & Ralf Zurbruegg & Anatoly Kirievsky & Damian Ward, 2001. "Law and the Determinants of Property-Casualty Insurance," Working Papers wp2001-02, Australian Prudential Regulation Authority. [Downloadable!]
  17. Hali J. Edison & Ross Levine & Luca Antonio Ricci & Torsten Sløk, 2002. "International Financial Integration and Economic Growth," IMF Working Papers 02/145, International Monetary Fund. [Downloadable!]
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  18. Abdur R. Chowdhury, 2003. "Do asymmetric terms of trade shocks affect private savings in a transition economy?," Macroeconomics 0303006, EconWPA. [Downloadable!]
  19. Guerson, Alejandro & Parks, James & Torrado, Monica Parra, 2007. "Export structure and growth : a detailed analysis for Argentina," Policy Research Working Paper Series 4237, The World Bank. [Downloadable!]
  20. Sebastian Edwards, 2007. "On Current Account Surpluses and the Correction of Global Imbalances," NBER Working Papers 12904, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  21. Erdal Özmen, 2004. "Current Account Deficits, Macroeconomic Policy Stance and Governance: An Empirical Investigation," ERC Working Papers 0414, ERC - Economic Research Center, Middle East Technical University, revised Oct 2004. [Downloadable!]
  22. Herrmann, Sabine & Winkler, Adalbert, 2008. "Financial markets and the current account – emerging Europe versus emerging Asia," Discussion Paper Series 1: Economic Studies 2008,05, Deutsche Bundesbank, Research Centre. [Downloadable!]
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