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Optimal devaluations

Author

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  • Hevia, Constantino
  • Nicolini, Juan Pablo
Abstract
According to the conventional wisdom, when an economy enters a recession and nominal prices adjust slowly, the monetary authority should devalue the domestic currency to make the recession less severe. The reason is that a devaluation of the currency lowers the relative price of non-tradable goods, and this reduces the necessary adjustment in output relative to the case in which the exchange rate remains constant. This paper uses a simple small open economy model with sticky prices to characterize optimal fiscal and monetary policy in response to productivity and terms of trade shocks. Contrary to the conventional wisdom, in this framework optimal exchange rate policy cannot be characterized just by the cyclical properties of output. The source of the shock matters: while recessions induced by a drop in the price of exportable goods call for a devaluation of the currency, those induced by a drop in productivity in the non-tradable sector require a revaluation.

Suggested Citation

  • Hevia, Constantino & Nicolini, Juan Pablo, 2009. "Optimal devaluations," Policy Research Working Paper Series 4926, The World Bank.
    • Handle: RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:4926
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    Cited by:

    1. Chen, Sihao & Devereux, Michael B. & Shi, Kang & Xu, Juanyi, 2021. "Exchange rates, local currency pricing and international tax policies," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 460-472.
    2. Emmanuel Farhi & Gita Gopinath & Oleg Itskhoki, 2014. "Fiscal Devaluations," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 81(2), pages 725-760.
    3. Ayres, Joao & Hevia, Constantino & Nicolini, Juan Pablo, 2020. "Real exchange rates and primary commodity prices," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 122(C).
    4. Hansen, James & Gross, Isaac, 2018. "Commodity price volatility with endogenous natural resources," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 157-180.
    5. Tommaso Monacelli, 2013. "Is Monetary Policy in an Open Economy Fundamentally Different?," IMF Economic Review, Palgrave Macmillan;International Monetary Fund, vol. 61(1), pages 6-21, April.
    6. Constantino Hevia & Juan Pablo Nicolini, 2015. "Monetary Policy and Dutch Disease: The Case of Price and Wage Rigidity," Central Banking, Analysis, and Economic Policies Book Series, in: Rodrigo Caputo & Roberto Chang (ed.),Commodity Prices and Macroeconomic Policy, edition 1, volume 22, chapter 3, pages 051-089, Central Bank of Chile.
    7. Bergholt, Drago & Larsen, Vegard H. & Seneca, Martin, 2019. "Business cycles in an oil economy," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 283-303.
    8. Bergholt, Drago & Røisland, Øistein & Sveen, Tommy & Torvik, Ragnar, 2023. "Monetary policy when export revenues drop," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    9. Andrea Ferrero & Martin Seneca, 2015. "Monetary Policy in Resource-Rich Economies," OxCarre Working Papers 158, Oxford Centre for the Analysis of Resource Rich Economies, University of Oxford.
    10. Jacek Rothert, 2012. "Productivity or Demand? Identifying Sources of Fluctuations in Small Open Economies," 2012 Meeting Papers 187, Society for Economic Dynamics.
    11. Andrea Ferrero & Martin Seneca, 2019. "Notes on the Underground: Monetary Policy in Resource‐Rich Economies," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 51(4), pages 953-976, June.
    12. Devereux, Michael B. & Engel, Charles, 2007. "Expenditure switching versus real exchange rate stabilization: Competing objectives for exchange rate policy," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 54(8), pages 2346-2374, November.
    13. Tommaso Monacelli, 2012. "Is Monetary Policy in an Open Economy Fundamentally Different?," Working Papers 449, IGIER (Innocenzo Gasparini Institute for Economic Research), Bocconi University.
    14. Constantino Hevia & Juan Pablo Nicolini, 2013. "Optimal Devaluations," IMF Economic Review, Palgrave Macmillan;International Monetary Fund, vol. 61(1), pages 22-51, April.
    15. Dmitriev, Mikhail & Hoddenbagh, Jonathan, 2012. "Price Stability In Small Open Economies," MPRA Paper 46118, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised Feb 2013.
    16. Adao, Bernardino & Correia, Isabel & Teles, Pedro, 2009. "On the relevance of exchange rate regimes for stabilization policy," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 144(4), pages 1468-1488, July.
    17. Javier Garcia-Cicco & Markus Kirchner & Julio Carrillo & Diego Rodríguez & Fernando Perez & Rocío Gondo & Carlos Montoro & Roberto Chang, 2017. "Financial and real shocks and the effectiveness of monetary and macroprudential policies in Latin American countries," BIS Working Papers 668, Bank for International Settlements.
    18. Drago Bergholt, 2014. "Monetary Policy in Oil Exporting Economies," Working Papers No 5/2014, Centre for Applied Macro- and Petroleum economics (CAMP), BI Norwegian Business School.
    19. De Paoli, Bianca, 2009. "Monetary policy and welfare in a small open economy," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 77(1), pages 11-22, February.
    20. Luis Catão & Roberto Chang, 2013. "Monetary Rules for Commodity Traders," IMF Economic Review, Palgrave Macmillan;International Monetary Fund, vol. 61(1), pages 52-91, April.

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    Keywords

    Economic Theory&Research; Debt Markets; Emerging Markets; Currencies and Exchange Rates; Economic Stabilization;
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    • F30 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - General

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