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Current Account Adjustment: Some New Theory and Evidence

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  • Shang-Jin Wei

    (Columbia Business School, and NBER)

  • Jiandong Ju

    (International Monetary Fund and University of Oklahoma)

Abstract

This paper aims to provide a theory of current account adjustment that generalizes the textbook version of the intertemporal approach to current account and places domestic labor market institutions at the center stage. In general, in response to a shock, an economy adjusts through a combination of a change in the composition of goods trade (i.e., intra-temporal trade channel) and a change in the current account (i.e., intertemporal trade channel). The more rigid the labor market, the slower the speed of adjustment of the current account towards its long-run equilibrium. Three pieces of evidence are provided that are consistent with the theory.

Suggested Citation

  • Shang-Jin Wei & Jiandong Ju, 2008. "Current Account Adjustment: Some New Theory and Evidence," 2008 Meeting Papers 851, Society for Economic Dynamics.
    • Handle: RePEc:red:sed008:851
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    5. SY Mouhamadou, 2015. "Working Paper 228 - Overborrowing and Balance of Payments Imbalances in a Monetary Union," Working Paper Series 2320, African Development Bank.
    6. Lone Christiansen & Alessandro Prati & Luca Antonio Ricci & Thierry Tressel, 2010. "External Balance in Low-Income Countries," NBER Chapters, in: NBER International Seminar on Macroeconomics 2009, pages 265-322, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
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    9. Wei, Shang-Jin & Shi, Kang & Ju, Jiandong, 2013. "Trade Reforms and Current Account Imbalances: When Does the General Equilibrium Effect Overturn a Partial Equilibrium Intuition," CEPR Discussion Papers 9293, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    10. Ju, Jiandong & Lin, Justin Yifu & Liu, Qing & Shi, Kang, 2020. "Structural changes and the real exchange rate dynamics," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 107(C).
    11. Giancarlo Corsetti & Philippe Martin & Paolo Pesenti, 2008. "Varieties and the Transfer Problem: The Extensive Margin of Current Account Adjustment," RSCAS Working Papers 2008/01, European University Institute.
    12. Ju, Jiangdong & Shi, Kang & Wei, Shang-Jin, 2013. "Trade reforms and current account imbalances," BOFIT Discussion Papers 25/2013, Bank of Finland Institute for Emerging Economies (BOFIT).
    13. Anna Ivanova, 2012. "Current Account Imbalances: Can Structural Policies Make a Difference?," IMF Working Papers 2012/061, International Monetary Fund.
    14. Ju, Jiandong & Shi, Kang & Wei, Shang-Jin, 2021. "Trade reforms and current account imbalances," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).
    15. Jiandong Ju & Kang Shi & Shang-Jin Wei, 2013. "On the Connections between Intra-temporal and Intertemporal Trades," NBER Chapters, in: NBER International Seminar on Macroeconomics 2013, pages 36-51, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    16. Philippe Martin & Paolo Pesenti & Giancarlo Corsetti, 2008. "Varieties and imbalances: the extensive margins of the current account adjustment," 2008 Meeting Papers 605, Society for Economic Dynamics.
    17. Jiandong Ju & Shang-Jin Wei, 2010. "Domestic Institutions and the Bypass Effect of Financial Globalization," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 2(4), pages 173-204, November.
    18. Jiandong Ju & Kang Shi & Shang-Jin Wei, 2011. "On the Connections between Intertemporal and Intra-temporal Trades," NBER Working Papers 17549, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    19. Jin, Keyu, 2009. "Industrial structure and financial capital flows," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 25827, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    20. Berger, Helge & Nitsch, Volker, 2014. "Wearing corset, losing shape: The euro's effect on trade imbalances," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 36(1), pages 136-155.
    21. Wei, Shang-Jin & Chinn, Menzie David, 2008. "A Faith-based Initiative: Does a Flexible Exchange Rate Regime Really Facilitate Current Account Adjustment?," CEPR Discussion Papers 7076, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    22. van Treeck, Till. & Sturn, Simon., 2012. "Income inequality as a cause of the Great Recession? : A survey of current debates," ILO Working Papers 994709343402676, International Labour Organization.
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    24. Mouhamadou Sy, 2016. "Overborrowing and Balance of Payments Imbalances in a Monetary Union," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(1), pages 67-98, February.
    25. Mr. Helge Berger & Volker Nitsch, 2010. "The Euro’s Effecton Trade Imbalances," IMF Working Papers 2010/226, International Monetary Fund.

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    JEL classification:

    • E00 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - General - - - General
    • F3 - International Economics - - International Finance
    • F4 - International Economics - - Macroeconomic Aspects of International Trade and Finance

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