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Untying The Gordian Knot: The Multiple Links Between Exchange Rates and Foreign Direct Investment

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  • NIGEL PAIN
  • DESIRÉE VAN WELSUM

Abstract

Theoretical and empirical studies show that the level and volatility of exchange rates can have significant effects on foreign direct investment (FDI). But the evidence is ambiguous, with the impact of exchange rates being heterogeneous across countries and types of investment, and varying over time. Fixed exchange rate regimes may stimulate investment, but largely because of their indirect benefits for the investment climate rather than because of lower currency volatility, especially in larger economies. Careful judgements still need to be made about the appropriate entry rate, since real exchange rate levels can have a long‐lasting impact on the spatial distribution of economic activities and living standards.

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  • Nigel Pain & Desirée Van Welsum, 2003. "Untying The Gordian Knot: The Multiple Links Between Exchange Rates and Foreign Direct Investment," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(5), pages 823-846, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jcmkts:v:41:y:2003:i:5:p:823-846
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-5965.2003.00465.x
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    Cited by:

    1. Schmidt, Christian W. & Broll, Udo, 2008. "The effect of exchange rate risk on U.S. foreign direct investment: An empirical analysis," MPRA Paper 10713, University Library of Munich, Germany.
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    3. Balaban, Suzana & Živkov, Dejan & Milenković, Ivan, 2019. "Impact of an unexplained component of real exchange rate volatility on FDI: Evidence from transition countries," Economic Systems, Elsevier, vol. 43(3).
    4. Sylvia Gottschalk & Stephen Hall, 2008. "Foreign direct investment and exchange rate uncertainty in South-East Asia," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 13(4), pages 349-359.
    5. Christian Schmidt & Udo Broll, 2009. "Real exchange-rate uncertainty and US foreign direct investment: an empirical analysis," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 145(3), pages 513-530, October.
    6. Ellalee, Haider & Alali, Walid Y., 2018. "The Brexit Impact on Inward FDI in the UK," MPRA Paper 117510, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 20 May 2018.
    7. Xun, Lei & Awokuse, Titus O., 2005. "The Determinants of US Outgoing FDI in the Food-Processing Sector," 2005 Annual meeting, July 24-27, Providence, RI 19131, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    8. Grivas Chiyaba, 2021. "The components and determinants of FDI within firms: A case study of Zambia," Economics Discussion Papers em-dp2021-09, Department of Economics, University of Reading.
    9. Yuko Hashimoto & Konstantin M. Wacker, 2012. "The Role of Risk and Information for International Capital Flows: New Evidence from the SDDS," Courant Research Centre: Poverty, Equity and Growth - Discussion Papers 124, Courant Research Centre PEG.
    10. Osinubi, T. S. & Amaghionyeodiwe, L. A, 2009. "Foreign Direct Investment and Exchange Rate Volatility in Nigeria," International Journal of Applied Econometrics and Quantitative Studies, Euro-American Association of Economic Development, vol. 9(2).
    11. Nicos Christodoulakis & Vassilis Sarantides, 2017. "External Asymmetries in the Euro Area and the Role of Foreign Direct Investment," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(2), pages 393-423, February.
    12. Garcia-Fuentes, Pablo A. & Kennedy, P. Lynn & Ferreira, Gustavo F.C., 2013. "U.S. Foreign Direct Investment in Latin America and the Caribbean: A case of Remittances and Market Size," 2013 Annual Meeting, February 2-5, 2013, Orlando, Florida 142985, Southern Agricultural Economics Association.
    13. Dreher, Axel & Nunnenkamp, Peter & Vadlamannati, Krishna Chaitanya, 2013. "The Role of Country-of-Origin Characteristics for Foreign Direct Investment and Technical Cooperation in Post-Reform India," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 88-109.
    14. Matthias Busse & Carsten Hefeker & Signe Nelgen, 2013. "Foreign Direct Investment and Exchange Rate Regimes," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 33(1), pages 843-858.
    15. Degong, Prof. Ma & Ullah, Farid & Ullah, Raza & Arif, Muhammad, 2023. "An empirical nexus between exchange rate and China's outward foreign direct investment: Implications for Pakistan under the China Pakistan economic corridor project," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 224-234.
    16. Alali, Walid Y. & Ellalee, Haider, 2018. "The Brexit Impact on Inward FDI in the UK," EconStor Preprints 274655, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.
    17. Yu Ma & Xinqian Du, 2022. "Exchange rate factors, income levels, and investment abroad: An empirical study based on a sample of emerging economies," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 27(2), pages 1711-1730, April.
    18. Shauna Phillips & Fredoun Z. Ahmadi-Esfahani, 2008. "Exchange rates and foreign direct investment: theoretical models and empirical evidence ," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 52(4), pages 505-525, December.
    19. Warren Moraghen & Boopen Seetanah & Noor Sookia, 2019. "Explaining Heterogeneity in the Effect of the Exchange Rate and Exchange Rate Volatility on Foreign Direct Investment: A Meta‐Analysis Approach," African Development Review, African Development Bank, vol. 31(3), pages 275-291, September.
    20. Cuyvers, Ludo & Soeng, Reth & Plasmans, Joseph & Van Den Bulcke, Daniel, 2011. "Determinants of foreign direct investment in Cambodia," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 22(3), pages 222-234, June.
    21. CUYVERS, Ludo & PLASMANS, Joseph & SOENG, Reth & VAN DEN BULCKE, Daniël, 2008. "Determinants of foreign direct investment in Cambodia: Country-specific factor differentials," Working Papers 2008003, University of Antwerp, Faculty of Business and Economics.
    22. Nicholas Apergis & Dimitrios Asteriou & Kalliroi Papathoma, 2013. "The Explanatory Variables of Outward Foreign Direct Investment: Panel Evidence," American Journal of Economics and Business Administration, Science Publications, vol. 4(4), pages 207-215, July.
    23. Vissa, Siva Kameswari & Thenmozhi, M., 2022. "What determines mergers and acquisitions in BRICS countries: Liquidity, exchange rate or innovation?," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    24. Phillips, Shauna & Ahmadi-Esfahani, Fredoun Z., 2008. "Exchange Rates and Foreign Direct Investment: Theoretical Models and Empirical Evidence," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 54(4), pages 1-21.
    25. Lord Mensah & Godfred Alufar Bokpin & Eric Dei Fosu-Hene, 2017. "Foreign exchange rate moments and FDI in Ghana," Journal of Economics and Finance, Springer;Academy of Economics and Finance, vol. 41(1), pages 136-152, January.

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