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External Imbalances, Gross Capital Flows, and Sovereign Debt Crises

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  • Sergio de Ferra

Abstract

The experience of the European monetary union has been characterized by current account imbalances, widening gross external positions, and a severe sovereign debt crisis. I argue that institutional features of the European Economic and Monetary Union have contributed to all three. I show in a model that subsidies on holdings of assets issued within the union contribute to current account imbalances, to gross capital flows, and to the severity of the crisis. In a quantitative model with heterogeneous countries, I show that the subsidies account for a substantial fraction of the widening of gross external positions in the euro area by inducing countries with high income and external assets to engage in intermediation of gross capital flows.

Suggested Citation

  • Sergio de Ferra, 2021. "External Imbalances, Gross Capital Flows, and Sovereign Debt Crises," Journal of the European Economic Association, European Economic Association, vol. 19(1), pages 347-402.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:jeurec:v:19:y:2021:i:1:p:347-402.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/jeea/jvz079
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    Cited by:

    1. de Ferra, Sergio & Mallucci, Enrico, 2025. "Avoiding sovereign default contagion: A normative analysis," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    2. Georgios Maris & Marios Psychalis, 2024. "Energy and Environmental Challenges in the European Union and Green Bonds," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, January.
    3. Romei, Federica & de Ferra, Sergio, 2018. "Sovereign Default in a Monetary Union," CEPR Discussion Papers 12976, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    4. Si Guo & Yun Pei, 2023. "The impact of sovereign defaults on lending countries," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 60(1), pages 345-374, January.
    5. Daniele Siena, 2021. "The Euro Area Periphery and Imbalances: Is it an Anticipation Story?," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 40, pages 278-308, April.
    6. Kobielarz, Michal, 2018. "The economics of monetary unions," Other publications TiSEM b0293536-68ec-4905-bffd-6, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    7. Ivan Jaccard & Frank Smets, 2020. "Structural Asymmetries and Financial Imbalances in the Eurozone," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 36, pages 73-102, April.
    8. Smitkova, L., 2022. "Competitiveness, 'Superstar' Firms and Capital Flows," Cambridge Working Papers in Economics 2241, Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge.
    9. repec:cam:camjip:2217 is not listed on IDEAS

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