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“Twins” Or Just “Siblings”?Budget And Current Account Deficits In Europe, 1870-2013

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  • Georgios KARRAS

Abstract

Using data for twelve European countries over the period 1870-2013, the response of the current account balance to the budget deficit is found to be inverse-hump-shaped: an increase in the budget deficit results in a current account deterioration that is sizeable but less than one-to-one (so the two balances are “siblings” rather than “twins”), and persistent but temporary. Specifically, an increase in the fiscal deficit by 1% of GDP results in deterioration of the current account that peaks at about 0.25% of GDP but dies out after a maximum of ten years.

Suggested Citation

  • Georgios KARRAS, 2019. "“Twins” Or Just “Siblings”?Budget And Current Account Deficits In Europe, 1870-2013," Applied Econometrics and International Development, Euro-American Association of Economic Development, vol. 19(1), pages 33-42.
    • Handle: RePEc:eaa:aeinde:v:19:y:2019:i:1_3
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Twin Deficits; Budget Deficit; Current Account; Europe; 20th century history.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E62 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Fiscal Policy; Modern Monetary Theory
    • F41 - International Economics - - Macroeconomic Aspects of International Trade and Finance - - - Open Economy Macroeconomics

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