IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/chb/bcchwp/302.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Overcoming Fear of Floating: Exchange Rate Policies in Chile

Author

Listed:
  • Jose De Gregorio
  • Andrea Tokman R.

Abstract

The paper reviews the exchange rate management experience in Chile, with particular emphasis on the floating exchange rate regime and its two forex intervention episodes. It presents evidence on Chile’s favorable conditions to face exchange rate shocks: a well-developed financial sector, that offers hedging opportunities taken up by the corporate sector to decrease its vulnerability through balance sheet effects; and a low and decreasing level of passthrough from the exchange rate to prices. These elements contribute to diminish the costs of the floating exchange rate regime, reducing its implied financial and price instability threat, and therefore avoiding fear of floating. Moreover, it provides enough credibility to the current exchange rate system, reinforcing the commitment to making interventions a rare event.

Suggested Citation

  • Jose De Gregorio & Andrea Tokman R., 2004. "Overcoming Fear of Floating: Exchange Rate Policies in Chile," Working Papers Central Bank of Chile 302, Central Bank of Chile.
  • Handle: RePEc:chb:bcchwp:302
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.bcentral.cl/documents/33528/133326/DTBC_302.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Stephen Chiu, 2002. "Signaling versus Commitment Strengthening: Exchange Rate Insurance against Currency Attacks," Working Papers 202002, Hong Kong Institute for Monetary Research.
    2. Eichenbaum, Martin & Rebelo, Sérgio & Burstein, Ariel Tomas, 2002. "Why Are Rates of Inflation So Low After large Devaluations," CEPR Discussion Papers 3178, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    3. Guillermo A. Calvo & Carmen M. Reinhart, 2002. "Fear of Floating," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 117(2), pages 379-408.
    4. Choudhri, Ehsan U. & Hakura, Dalia S., 2006. "Exchange rate pass-through to domestic prices: Does the inflationary environment matter?," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 25(4), pages 614-639, June.
    5. Edwards, Sebastian & Edwards, Alejandra Cox, 1991. "Monetarism and Liberalization," University of Chicago Press Economics Books, University of Chicago Press, edition 1, number 9780226184890, September.
    6. Mark P. Taylor & Lucio Sarno, 2001. "Official Intervention in the Foreign Exchange Market: Is It Effective and, If So, How Does It Work?," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 39(3), pages 839-868, September.
    7. Edwards, Sebastian, 2002. "The great exchange rate debate after Argentina," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 13(3), pages 237-252, December.
    8. Hoyt Bleakley & Kevin Cowan, 2008. "Corporate Dollar Debt and Depreciations: Much Ado About Nothing?," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 90(4), pages 612-626, November.
    9. M. S. Mohanty & Marc Klau, 2005. "Monetary Policy Rules in Emerging Market Economies: Issues and Evidence," Springer Books, in: Rolf J. Langhammer & Lúcio Vinhas Souza (ed.), Monetary Policy and Macroeconomic Stabilization in Latin America, pages 205-245, Springer.
    10. Kevin Cowan & Erwin Hansen & Luis Oscar Herrera, 2005. "Currency Mismatches, Balance-Sheet Effects and Hedging in Chilean Non-Financial Corporations," Research Department Publications 4387, Inter-American Development Bank, Research Department.
    11. Clarida, Richard & Gali, Jordi & Gertler, Mark, 1998. "Monetary policy rules in practice Some international evidence," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 42(6), pages 1033-1067, June.
    12. Felipe G. Morandé & Matías Tapia, 2002. "Exchange Rate Policy in Chile: From the Band to Floating and Beyond," Working Papers Central Bank of Chile 152, Central Bank of Chile.
    13. Hausmann, Ricardo & Panizza, Ugo & Stein, Ernesto, 2001. "Why do countries float the way they float?," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 66(2), pages 387-414, December.
    14. Jordi Galí & Tommaso Monacelli, 2005. "Monetary Policy and Exchange Rate Volatility in a Small Open Economy," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 72(3), pages 707-734.
    15. Svensson, Lars E. O., 2000. "Open-economy inflation targeting," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(1), pages 155-183, February.
    16. Jose De Gregorio, 2002. "Macroeconomic Management in Emerging Economies and the International Financial Architecture," Working Papers Central Bank of Chile 163, Central Bank of Chile.
    17. Pablo E. Guidotti & Federico Sturzenegger & Agustín Villar, 2004. "On the Consequences of Sudden Stops," Economía Journal, The Latin American and Caribbean Economic Association - LACEA, vol. 0(Spring 20), pages 171-214, January.
    18. Matías Tapia & Andrea Tokman, 2004. "Effects of Foreign Exchange Intervention under Public Information: The Chilean Case," Economía Journal, The Latin American and Caribbean Economic Association - LACEA, vol. 0(Spring 20), pages 215-256, January.
    19. repec:idb:wpaper:418 is not listed on IDEAS
    20. Ilan Goldfajn & Sérgio Ribeiro da Costa Werlang, 2000. "The Pass-through from Depreciation to Inflation: A Panel Study," Working Papers Series 5, Central Bank of Brazil, Research Department.
    21. Schmidt-Hebbel, Klaus & Tapia, Matias, 2002. "Inflation targeting in Chile," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 13(2), pages 125-146, August.
    22. John B. Taylor, 2001. "The Role of the Exchange Rate in Monetary-Policy Rules," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 91(2), pages 263-267, May.
    23. Hausmann, Ricardo & Panizza, Ugo & Stein, Ernesto, 2001. "Why do countries float the way they float?," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 66(2), pages 387-414, December.
    24. Eric Parrado & Andrés Velasco, 2002. "Alternative Monetary Rules in the Open Economy: A Welfare-Based Approach," Central Banking, Analysis, and Economic Policies Book Series, in: Norman Loayza & Raimundo Soto & Norman Loayza (Series Editor) & Klaus Schmidt-Hebbel (Series Editor) (ed.),Inflation Targeting: Desing, Performance, Challenges, edition 1, volume 5, chapter 7, pages 295-348, Central Bank of Chile.
    25. Esteban Jadresic & Jorge Selaive, 2005. "Is The FX Derivatives Market Effective and Efficient in Reducing Currency Risk?," Working Papers Central Bank of Chile 325, Central Bank of Chile.
    26. Dominguez, Kathryn M & Frankel, Jeffrey A, 1993. "Does Foreign-Exchange Intervention Matter? The Portfolio Effect," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 83(5), pages 1356-1369, December.
    27. Amartya Lahiri & Carlos A. Végh, 2002. "Living with the Fear of Floating: An Optimal Policy Perspective," NBER Chapters, in: Preventing Currency Crises in Emerging Markets, pages 663-704, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    28. Enrique G. Mendoza & Guillermo A. Calvo, 2000. "Capital-Markets Crises and Economic Collapse in Emerging Markets: An Informational-Frictions Approach," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 90(2), pages 59-64, May.
    29. Mr. Ramana Ramaswamy & Hossein Samiei, 2000. "The Yen-Dollar Rate: Have Interventions Mattered?," IMF Working Papers 2000/095, International Monetary Fund.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Kevin Cowan & José De Gregorio, 2007. "International Borrowing, Capital Controls, and the Exchange Rate: Lessons from Chile," NBER Chapters, in: Capital Controls and Capital Flows in Emerging Economies: Policies, Practices, and Consequences, pages 241-296, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. José De Gregorio & Andrea Tokman & Rodrigo Valdés, 2005. "Tipo de cambio flexible y fijación de metas inflacionarias en Chile: experiencia y aspectos resaltantes," Research Department Publications 4428, Inter-American Development Bank, Research Department.
    3. Miguel Fuentes D. & Diego Saravia, 2014. "Tales of Two Recessions in Chile: Financial Frictions in 1999 and 2009," Central Banking, Analysis, and Economic Policies Book Series, in: Miguel Fuentes D. & Claudio E. Raddatz & Carmen M. Reinhart (ed.),Capital Mobility and Monetary Policy, edition 1, volume 18, chapter 5, pages 137-163, Central Bank of Chile.
    4. Dubravko Mihaljek & Marc Klau, 2008. "Exchange rate pass-through in emerging market economies: what has changed and why?," BIS Papers chapters, in: Bank for International Settlements (ed.), Transmission mechanisms for monetary policy in emerging market economies, volume 35, pages 103-130, Bank for International Settlements.
    5. Roberto Chang, 2008. "Inflation Targeting, Reserves Accumulation, and Exchange Rate Management in Latin America," Borradores de Economia 487, Banco de la Republica de Colombia.
    6. José De Gregorio & Andrea Tokman R, 2005. "Flexible exchange rate regime and forex intervention," BIS Papers chapters, in: Bank for International Settlements (ed.), Foreign exchange market intervention in emerging markets: motives, techniques and implications, volume 24, pages 127-38, Bank for International Settlements.
    7. Rómulo A. Chumacero & Klaus Schmidt-Hebbel, 2005. "General Equilibrium Models: An Overview," Central Banking, Analysis, and Economic Policies Book Series, in: Rómulo A. Chumacero & Klaus Schmidt-Hebbel & Norman Loayza (Series Editor) & Klaus Schmidt-Hebbel (S (ed.),General Equilibrium Models for the Chilean Economy, edition 1, volume 9, chapter 1, pages 001-027, Central Bank of Chile.
    8. repec:ilo:ilowps:397932 is not listed on IDEAS
    9. Darine Ghanem, 2010. "Fixed Exchange Rate Regimes and Price Stability: Evidence from MENA Countries," Working Papers 10-16, LAMETA, Universtiy of Montpellier, revised Nov 2010.
    10. Albagli, Elias & Calani, Mauricio & Hadzi-Vaskov, Metodij & Marcel, Mario & Ricci, Luca Antonio, 2020. "Comfort in Floating: Taking Stock of Twenty Years of Freely-Floating Exchange Rate in Chile," CEPR Discussion Papers 14967, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    11. José De Gregorio & Andrea Tokman R., 2004. "Flexible Exchange Rate Regime and Forex Interventions: The Chilean Case," Economic Policy Papers Central Bank of Chile 11, Central Bank of Chile.
    12. Javier García-Cicco & Enrique Kawamura, 2014. "Central Bank Liquidity Management and “Unconventional” Monetary Policies," Economía Journal, The Latin American and Caribbean Economic Association - LACEA, vol. 0(Fall 2014), pages 39-87, June.
    13. Tokman, Andrea & Valdés, Rodrigo & De Gregorio, José, 2005. "Flexible Exchange Rate with Inflation Targeting in Chile: Experience and Issues," IDB Publications (Working Papers) 1558, Inter-American Development Bank.
    14. Rodrigo Caputo & Gustavo Leyva & Michael Pedersen, 2014. "The Changing Nature of Real Exchange Rate Fluctuations. New Evidence for Inflation-Targeting Countries," Working Papers Central Bank of Chile 730, Central Bank of Chile.
    15. Jorge E. Restrepo & Andrea Tokman R., 2005. "Labor Markets and Institutions: An Overview," Central Banking, Analysis, and Economic Policies Book Series, in: Jorge Restrepo & Andrea Tokman R. & Norman Loayza (Series Editor) & Klaus Schmidt-Hebbel (Series Edi (ed.),Labor Markets and Institutions, edition 1, volume 8, chapter 1, pages 001-016, Central Bank of Chile.
    16. Solimano, Andrés., 2007. "Employment creation, real wages and job quality : how much aggregate economic growth delivers? The case of Chile," ILO Working Papers 993979323402676, International Labour Organization.
    17. José De Gregorio & Andrea Tokman & Rodrigo Valdés, 2005. "Tipo de Cambio Flexible con Metas de Inflación en Chile: Experiencia y Temas de Interés," Economic Policy Papers Central Bank of Chile 14, Central Bank of Chile.
    18. José De Gregorio, 2008. "Price Stability and Financial Stability: Some Thoughts on the Current Global Financial Crisis," Economic Policy Papers Central Bank of Chile 28, Central Bank of Chile.
    19. Ghanem Darine, 2012. "Fixed Exchange Rate Regimes and Inflation Performance: Evidence from MENA Countries," Review of Middle East Economics and Finance, De Gruyter, vol. 8(1), pages 1-30, August.
    20. Mr. Jose De Gregorio, 2013. "Resilience in Latin America: Lessons from Macroeconomic Management and Financial Policies," IMF Working Papers 2013/259, International Monetary Fund.
    21. Andrés Solimano, 2009. "Three Decades of Neoliberal Economics in Chile: Achievements, Failures and Dilemmas," WIDER Working Paper Series RP2009-37, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. José De Gregorio R. / & Andrea Tokman R., 2005. "Fear of Floating and Exchange Rate Policy in Chile," Journal Economía Chilena (The Chilean Economy), Central Bank of Chile, vol. 8(3), pages 29-54, December.
    2. Cavoli, Tony, 2008. "The exchange rate and optimal monetary policy rules in open and developing economies: Some simple analytics," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 25(5), pages 1011-1021, September.
    3. Marcelo Sanchez, 2008. "The link between interest rates and exchange rates: do contractionary depreciations make a difference?," International Economic Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(1), pages 43-61.
    4. José De Gregorio & Andrea Tokman R, 2005. "Flexible exchange rate regime and forex intervention," BIS Papers chapters, in: Bank for International Settlements (ed.), Foreign exchange market intervention in emerging markets: motives, techniques and implications, volume 24, pages 127-38, Bank for International Settlements.
    5. Sánchez, Marcelo, 2005. "The link between interest rates and exchange rates: do contractionary depreciations make a difference?," Working Paper Series 548, European Central Bank.
    6. Rodrigo Caputo, 2009. "External Shocks and Monetary Policy. Does it Pay to Respond to Exchange Rate Desviations?," Revista de Analisis Economico – Economic Analysis Review, Universidad Alberto Hurtado/School of Economics and Business, vol. 24(1), pages 55-99, Junio.
    7. Rodrigo Caputo, 2004. "Exchange Rates, Inflation and Monetary Policy Objectives in Open Economies: The Experience of Chile," Econometric Society 2004 Latin American Meetings 298, Econometric Society.
    8. Cavoli, Tony, 2009. "Is fear of floating justified?: The East Asia experience," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 31(1), pages 1-16.
    9. Caporale, Guglielmo Maria & Helmi, Mohamad Husam & Çatık, Abdurrahman Nazif & Menla Ali, Faek & Akdeniz, Coşkun, 2018. "Monetary policy rules in emerging countries: Is there an augmented nonlinear taylor rule?," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 306-319.
    10. corrinne ho & robert n mccauley, 2004. "Living with flexible exchange rates:," International Finance 0411003, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    11. Tony Cavoli & Ramkishen Rajan, 2003. "Designing Appropriate Exchange Rate Regimes for East Asia: Inflation Targeting and Monetary Policy Rules," Centre for International Economic Studies Working Papers 2003-09, University of Adelaide, Centre for International Economic Studies.
    12. Moron, Eduardo & Winkelried, Diego, 2005. "Monetary policy rules for financially vulnerable economies," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 76(1), pages 23-51, February.
    13. Corrinne Ho & Robert N. McCauley, 2003. "Living with flexible exchange rates: issues and recent experience in inflation targeting emerging market economies," BIS Working Papers 130, Bank for International Settlements.
    14. repec:udc:esteco:v:44:y:2017:i:2:p:97-124 is not listed on IDEAS
    15. Prasertnukul, Weera & Kim, Donghun & Kakinaka, Makoto, 2010. "Exchange rates, price levels, and inflation targeting: Evidence from Asian countries," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 22(3), pages 173-182, August.
    16. Morón, Eduardo & Winkelried, Diego, 2002. "Reglas de política monetaria para economías financieramente vulnerables," Revista Estudios Económicos, Banco Central de Reserva del Perú, issue 8, pages 49-76.
    17. Chayawadee Chai-anant & Runchana Pongsaparn & Kessarin Tansuwanarat, 2008. "Roles of Exchange Rate in Monetary Policy under Inflation Targeting: A Case Study for Thailand," Working Papers 2008-03, Monetary Policy Group, Bank of Thailand.
    18. Sebastian Edwards, 2006. "The Relationship Between Exchange Rates and Inflation Targeting Revisited," Working Papers Central Bank of Chile 409, Central Bank of Chile.
    19. M S Mohanty & Michela Scatigna, 2005. "Has globalisation reduced monetary policy independence?," BIS Papers chapters, in: Bank for International Settlements (ed.), Globalisation and monetary policy in emerging markets, volume 23, pages 17-58, Bank for International Settlements.
    20. Carlos García & Jorge Restrepo & Scott Roger, 2009. "Hybrid Inflation Targeting Regimes," Working Papers Central Bank of Chile 533, Central Bank of Chile.
    21. Lebogang Mateane & Christian R. Proaño, 2020. "Does monetary policy react asymmetrically to exchange rate misalignments? Evidence for South Africa," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 58(4), pages 1639-1658, April.

    More about this item

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:chb:bcchwp:302. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Alvaro Castillo (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/bccgvcl.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.