Government spending and the exchange rate

Contrary to widespread empirical evidence, standard NOEM models imply that the real exchange rate appreciates following an increase in public spending. This paper uses a two-country \perpetual youth" DSGE model with productive government purchases to show to what extent the real exchange rate can instead depreciate after a positive spending shock, thus reconciling the theoretical model with the empirical evidence. In particular, the model is able to imply a depreciation both on impact and in the transition, displaying the hump-shaped response documented by most empirical studies. The transmission mechanism of fiscal shocks works through an increase in domestic private sector productivity and, in turn, lower real marginal costs at Home.