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The Accumulation of Foreign Exchange by Central Banks: Fear of Capital Mobility?

Abstract

Foreign exchange holdings by central banks have increased significantly in the recent past. This article explains this development as a result of the liberalization of international capital markets. First, central banks accumulate reserves in order to protect the economy from potentially detrimental effects of sudden stops of capital flows and flow reversals. Second, central banks use the accumulation of reserves as a substitute for capital controls. Changes in the level of reserves are a form to manage net capital inflows. They permit the central bank to preserve some leeway for an independent monetary and financial policy despite the classic policy trilemma. The empirical analysis of a large panel data set supports the hypothesis that the accumulation of reserves is the consequence of a “fear of capital mobility” suffered by central banks.

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Paper provided by Institute of Empirical Economic Research, Osnabrueck University in its series Working Papers with number 85.

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Length: 35
Date of creation: 25 Oct 2010
Handle: RePEc:iee:wpaper:wp0085
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Keywords: International Reserves; Capital Mobility; Macroeconomic Trilemma;

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
  • E58 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Central Banks and Their Policies
  • F31 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - Foreign Exchange

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Cited by:

  1. Kumhof, Michael & Yan, Isabel, 2016. "Balance-of-payments anti-crises," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 186-202.
  2. Mandilaras, Alex S., 2015. "The international policy trilemma in the post-Bretton Woods era," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 18-32.
  3. Andrew J. Filardo & Pierre L. Siklos, 2016. "Prolonged Reserves Accumulation, Credit Booms, Asset Prices and Monetary Policy in Asia," Emerging Markets Finance and Trade, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 52(2), pages 364-381, February.
  4. Hur, Sewon & Kondo, Illenin O., 2016. "A theory of rollover risk, sudden stops, and foreign reserves," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 44-63.

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