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The adjustment of global external balances: does partial exchange rate pass-through to trade prices matter?

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Abstract

This paper assesses whether partial exchange rate pass-through to trade prices has important implications for the prospective adjustment of global external imbalances. To address this question, we develop and estimate an open-economy DGE model in which pass-through is incomplete due to the presence of local currency pricing, distribution services, and a variable demand elasticity that leads to fluctuations in optimal markups. We find that the overall magnitude of trade adjustment is similar in a low and high pass-through world with more adjustment in a low pass-world occurring through a larger response of the exchange rate and terms of trade rather than real trade flows.

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  • Christopher J. Gust & Sylvain Leduc & Nathan Sheets, 2008. "The adjustment of global external balances: does partial exchange rate pass-through to trade prices matter?," Working Paper Series 2008-16, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.
  • Handle: RePEc:fip:fedfwp:2008-16
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    Keywords

    Foreign exchange rates; Imports - Prices;

    JEL classification:

    • F3 - International Economics - - International Finance
    • F41 - International Economics - - Macroeconomic Aspects of International Trade and Finance - - - Open Economy Macroeconomics

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