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Fundamentals at Odds? The US Current Account Deficit and Dollar

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  • Gian Maria Milesi‐Ferretti

Abstract

In mid‐2008, the real effective exchange rate (REER) of the dollar was close to its minimum level for the past four decades. At the same time, however, the US trade and current account deficits remain large and, absent a significant correction in coming years, would contribute to a further accumulation of US external liabilities. The paper discusses the tension between these two aspects of the dollar assessment, and what factors can help to reconcile them. It focuses in particular on the terms of trade, adjustment lags and measurement issues related to both the REER and the current account balance.

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  • Gian Maria Milesi‐Ferretti, 2008. "Fundamentals at Odds? The US Current Account Deficit and Dollar," Economic Notes, Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena SpA, vol. 37(3), pages 259-281, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:ecnote:v:37:y:2008:i:3:p:259-281
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-0300.2008.00204.x
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    3. Schnabl, Gunther & Freitag, Stephan, 2009. "An asymmetry matrix in global current accounts," Working Papers 76, University of Leipzig, Faculty of Economics and Management Science.
    4. Ricardo J. Caballero & Emmanuel Farhi & Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas, 2008. "Financial Crash, Commody Prices, and Global Inbalances," Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Economic Studies Program, The Brookings Institution, vol. 39(2 (Fall)), pages 1-68.
    5. Joscha Beckmann & Robert Czudaj, 2017. "Effective Exchange Rates, Current Accounts and Global Imbalances," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(3), pages 500-533, August.
    6. Andrea Fracasso & Stefano Schiavo, 2009. "Trade-imbalances networks and exchange rate adjustments: the paradox of a new Plaza. The XIVth Spring Meeting of Young Economists (SMYE-2009), Istanbul, April 2009," Post-Print hal-01053278, HAL.
    7. repec:hal:wpspec:info:hdl:2441/10028 is not listed on IDEAS
    8. repec:spo:wpecon:info:hdl:2441/10028 is not listed on IDEAS
    9. Antoniades, Andreas, 2013. "Recasting the Power Politics of Debt: Structural Power, Hegemonic Stabilisers and Change," MPRA Paper 47015, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    10. Shirai, Sayuri, 2009. "世界経済危機とグローバル・マネーの変動 ―国際経済秩序へのインプリケーションー [Global Economic Crisis and Movements of Cross-Border Capital Flows ―Implication to the Global Economic Order―]," MPRA Paper 18619, University Library of Munich, Germany.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • F31 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - Foreign Exchange
    • F32 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - Current Account Adjustment; Short-term Capital Movements
    • F41 - International Economics - - Macroeconomic Aspects of International Trade and Finance - - - Open Economy Macroeconomics

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