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What is Driving Reserve Accumulation? A Dynamic Panel Data Approach

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  • Diego Bastourre
  • Jorge Carrera
  • Javier Ibarlucia

Abstract

Foreign reserve accumulation is a widespread phenomenon of recent years, particularly among emerging economies. Using a panel of 136 countries for the period 1973–2003, we demonstrate the need of using both a dynamic specification of the reserve demand equation and the system GMM estimator. These improvements change the results found by previous studies. Openness, regional imitation, persistence, an inverted U‐shaped relationship between reserves and income level, and financial deregulation are the factors driving reserve hoardings. In contrast, reserves yield, and both trade and financial volatility are not statistically significant. Surprisingly, we find that countries with flexible exchange rate regimes have higher ratios of reserves to GDP. This result is robust to alternative exchange rate regime classifications.

Suggested Citation

  • Diego Bastourre & Jorge Carrera & Javier Ibarlucia, 2009. "What is Driving Reserve Accumulation? A Dynamic Panel Data Approach," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 17(4), pages 861-877, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:bla:reviec:v:17:y:2009:i:4:p:861-877
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-9396.2009.00841.x
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    1. Alberola, Enrique & Erce, Aitor & Serena, José Maria, 2016. "International reserves and gross capital flows dynamics," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 151-171.
    2. Agénor, Pierre-Richard & Alper, Koray & Pereira da Silva, Luiz, 2018. "External shocks, financial volatility and reserve requirements in an open economy," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 23-43.
    3. Bussière, Matthieu & Cheng, Gong & Chinn, Menzie D. & Lisack, Noëmie, 2015. "For a few dollars more: Reserves and growth in times of crises," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 127-145.
    4. Martín Guzmán & Martín Fiszbein, 2011. "Un Marco para el Análisis de los Procesos Macroeconómicos en la obra de Prebisch," IIE, Working Papers 084, IIE, Universidad Nacional de La Plata.
    5. Agénor, Pierre-Richard & Alper, Koray & Pereira da Silva, Luiz A., 2014. "Sudden floods, macroprudential regulation and stability in an open economy," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 48(PA), pages 68-100.
    6. Carmen M. Reinhart & Vincent R. Reinhart, 2009. "Capital Flow Bonanzas: An Encompassing View of the Past and Present," NBER International Seminar on Macroeconomics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 5(1), pages 9-62.
    7. Ibrahim D. Raheem & Kazeem Isah, 2019. "The Jolly Ride of International Reserves and Commodity Prices: Evidence from Predictive Models," Working Papers 063, Centre for Econometric and Allied Research, University of Ibadan.
    8. Ghosh, Atish R. & Ostry, Jonathan D. & Tsangarides, Charalambos G., 2014. "Accounting for emerging market countries' international reserves: Are Pacific Rim countries different?," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 49(PA), pages 52-82.
    9. Po-Chin Wu & Chung-Chih Lee, 2018. "The non-linear impact of monetary policy on international reserves: macroeconomic variables nexus," Empirica, Springer;Austrian Institute for Economic Research;Austrian Economic Association, vol. 45(1), pages 165-185, February.
    10. Anne-Laure Delatte & Julien Fouquau, 2012. "Le retour des motifs mercantilistes dans la demande de réserves internationales des pays émergents," Revue économique, Presses de Sciences-Po, vol. 63(5), pages 1013-1023.
    11. Jäger, Kai, 2016. "The Role of Regime Type in the Political Economy of Foreign Reserve Accumulation," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 79-96.
    12. Enrique Alberola & Aitor Erce & José María Serena, 2012. "International reserves and gross capital flows. Dynamics during financial stress," Working Papers 1211, Banco de España.
    13. Florian Brugger, 2015. "Asia’s Reserve Accumulation: Part of a New Paradigm," Working Paper Series, Social and Economic Sciences 2015-03, Faculty of Social and Economic Sciences, Karl-Franzens-University Graz.
    14. Pablo G. Bortz & Annina Kaltenbrunner, 2018. "The International Dimension of Financialization in Developing and Emerging Economies," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 49(2), pages 375-393, March.
    15. International Monetary Fund, 2012. "Algeria: Selected Issues Paper," IMF Staff Country Reports 2012/022, International Monetary Fund.
    16. Dongwon Lee, 2023. "International cooperation in foreign reserve policies in the presence of competitive hoarding," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(2), pages 389-412, May.
    17. Ä°mre ERSOY, 2011. "On Reserve Hoarding In Emes: The Case Of Turkey," Journal of Applied Economic Sciences, Spiru Haret University, Faculty of Financial Management and Accounting Craiova, vol. 6(3(17)/ Fa), pages 230-243.
    18. Florian Brugger, 2016. "Asias Reserve Accumulation: Part of a New Paradigm," Asian Economic and Financial Review, Asian Economic and Social Society, vol. 6(8), pages 457-476, August.
    19. Martín Guzmán & Martín Fiszbein, 2011. "Un Marco para el Análisis de los Procesos Macroeconómicos en la obra de Prebisch," Department of Economics, Working Papers 084, Departamento de Economía, Facultad de Ciencias Económicas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata.
    20. Jorge Eduardo Carrera & Gaspar Ezequiel Maciel & Esteban Emilio, 2021. "El rol de las Letras del Banco Central en los últimos 20 años de Política Monetaria Argentina," Asociación Argentina de Economía Política: Working Papers 4448, Asociación Argentina de Economía Política.
    21. Jorge Carrera & Gaspar Maciel & Esteban Rodríguez, 2023. "El rol de los títulos emitidos por el Banco Central en los últimos 20 años de política monetaria argentina," BCRA Working Paper Series 2023107, Central Bank of Argentina, Economic Research Department.
    22. Philip R. Lane, 2015. "International Financial Flows in Low-Income Countries," Pacific Economic Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 20(1), pages 49-72, February.
    23. Daniel Heymann & Adrián Ramos & Horacio Aguirre, 2011. "Inflation and Macroeconomic Policies in Post-convertibility Argentina," Chapters, in: Werner Baer & David Fleischer (ed.), The Economies of Argentina and Brazil, chapter 19, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    24. Min B. Shrestha & Theresia A. Wansi, 2014. "Drivers of Reserves Accumulation in the South East Asian Countries," Working Papers wp02, South East Asian Central Banks (SEACEN) Research and Training Centre.
    25. Ms. Rina Bhattacharya & Katja Mann & Ms. Mwanza Nkusu, 2018. "Estimating the Demand for Reserve Assets Across Diverse Groups," IMF Working Papers 2018/047, International Monetary Fund.

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