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The Case for an International Reserve Diversification Standard

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Author Info
Edwin M. Truman () (Institute for International Economics)
Anna Wong (Institute for International Economics)
Abstract

Rumors about the actual or potential currency diversification of countries’ foreign exchange holdings out of dollars are not a new phenomenon. This working paper argues that such concerns about reserve diversification are exaggerated. We present evidence that the extent of actual diversification has been modest to date. Nevertheless, the potential for reserve diversification adds volatility to foreign exchange markets and can catalyze abrupt exchange rate movements. We argue that policymakers acting in their own national interests can do something constructive to reduce the volatility introduced into foreign exchange and financial markets by rumors of large-scale international foreign exchange reserve diversification. We propose the voluntary adoption by major foreign exchange reserve holders in particular of an International Reserve Diversification Standard consisting of two elements: (1) routine disclosure of the currency composition of official foreign exchange holdings and (2) a commitment by each adherent to adjust gradually the actual currency composition of its reserves to any new benchmark for those holdings.

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Paper provided by Peterson Institute for International Economics in its series Peterson Institute Working Paper Series with number WP06-2.

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Date of creation: May 2006
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Handle: RePEc:iie:wpaper:wp06-2

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Related research
Keywords: Foreign Exchange Reserves; Central Banks; International Investment and Long-Term Capital Movements; International Monetary Arrangements and Institutions;

Find related papers by JEL classification:
F31 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - Foreign Exchange
E58 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Central Banks and Their Policies
F21 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Investment; Long-Term Capital Movements
F33 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - International Monetary Arrangements and Institutions

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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. Lucio Sarno & Mark P. Taylor, 2001. "Official Intervention in the Foreign Exchange Market: Is It Effective and, If So, How Does It Work?," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 39(3), pages 839-868, September. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  2. Nouriel Roubini & Brad Setser, 2005. "Will the Bretton Woods 2 regime unravel soon? the risk of a hard landing in 2005-2006," Proceedings, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, issue Feb. [Downloadable!]
  3. Lane, Philip & Milesi-Ferretti, Gian Maria, . "External Wealth of Nations," Instructional Stata datasets for econometrics extwealth, Boston College Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
  4. repec:pal:imfstp:v:52:y:2005:i:3:p:6 is not listed on IDEAS
  5. Ila Patnaik, 2003. "India's policy stance on reserves and the currency," Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations, New Delhi Working Papers 108, Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations, New Delhi, India. [Downloadable!]
  6. Frenkel, Jacob A, 1974. "The Demand for International Reserves by Developed and Less-Developed Countries," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 41(161), pages 14-24, February. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  7. Jaewoo Lee & Joshua Aizenman, 2005. "International Reserves: Precautionary vs. Mercantilist Views, Theory, and Evidence," IMF Working Papers 05/198, International Monetary Fund. [Downloadable!]
  8. Takatoshi Ito, 2005. "The Exchange Rate In The Japanese Economy: The Past, Puzzles, And Prospects," The Japanese Economic Review, Japanese Economic Association, vol. 56(1), pages 1-38. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  9. Menzie Chinn & Jeffrey Frankel, 2005. "Will the Euro Eventually Surpass the Dollar as Leading International Reserve Currency?," NBER Working Papers 11510, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  10. Donald J. Mathieson & Barry J. Eichengreen, 2000. "The Currency Composition of Foreign Exchange Reserves - Retrospect and Prospect," IMF Working Papers 00/131, International Monetary Fund.
  11. Matthew Higgins & Thomas Klitgaard, 2004. "Reserve accumulation: implications for global capital flows and financial markets," Current Issues in Economics and Finance, Federal Reserve Bank of New York, issue Sep. [Downloadable!]
  12. Robert McCauley, 2005. "Distinguishing global dollar reserves from official holdings in the United States," BIS Quarterly Review, Bank for International Settlements, September. [Downloadable!]
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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. Gian Maria Milesi-Ferretti & Philip R. Lane, 2007. "Europe and Global Imbalances," IMF Working Papers 07/144, International Monetary Fund. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  2. Philip R Lane & Jay C Shambaugh, 2007. "Financial exchange rates and international currency exposures," CGFS Papers chapters, in: Bank for International Settlements (ed.), Research on global financial stability: the use of BIS international financial statistics, volume 29, pages 90-127 Bank for International Settlements. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  3. Elias Papaioannou & Richard Portes & Gregorios Siourounis, 2006. "Optimal currency shares in international reserves - the impact of the euro and the prospects for the dollar," Working Paper Series 694, European Central Bank. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
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