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Pitfalls in Measuring Exchange Rate Misalignment: The Yuan and Other Currencies

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  • Yin-Wong Cheung
  • Menzie D. Chinn
  • Eiji Fujii

Abstract

We evaluate whether the Renminbi (RMB) is misaligned, relying upon conventional statistical methods of inference. A framework built around the relationship between relative price and relative output levels is used. We find that, once sampling uncertainty and serial correlation are accounted for, there is little statistical evidence that the RMB is undervalued, even though the point estimates usually indicate economically significant misalignment. The result is robust to various choices of country samples and sample periods, as well as to the inclusion of control variables. We then update the results using the latest vintage of the data to demonstrate how fragile the results are. We find that whatever misalignment we detected in our previous work disappears in this data set.

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  • Yin-Wong Cheung & Menzie D. Chinn & Eiji Fujii, 2008. "Pitfalls in Measuring Exchange Rate Misalignment: The Yuan and Other Currencies," NBER Working Papers 14168, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:14168
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    Cited by:

    1. Yin‐Wong Cheung & Eiji Fujii, 2014. "Exchange Rate Misalignment Estimates—Sources Of Differences," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 19(2), pages 91-121, March.
    2. Yin-Wong Cheung & Menzie D. Chinn & Eiji Fujii, 2010. "China's Current Account and Exchange Rate," NBER Chapters, in: China's Growing Role in World Trade, pages 231-271, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. Yin-Wong Cheung & Eiji Fujii, 2014. "The Penn effect within a country: evidence from Japan," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 66(4), pages 1070-1089.
    4. Ralph W. Huenemann, 2018. "United States–China Trade: President Trump's Misunderstandings," Asia and the Pacific Policy Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 5(1), pages 150-154, January.
    5. Yin-Wong Cheung & Guonan Ma & Robert N. McCauley, 2009. "Renminbisation des actifs internationaux de la Chine," Revue d'Économie Financière, Programme National Persée, vol. 95(2), pages 135-155.
    6. Das, Dilip K., 2009. "The evolution of renminbi yuan and the protracted debate on its undervaluation: An integrated review," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 20(5), pages 570-579, September.
    7. Fischer, Christoph, 2011. "Currency blocs in the 21st century," Discussion Paper Series 1: Economic Studies 2011,12, Deutsche Bundesbank.
    8. Gu, Li & McNelis, Paul D., 2013. "Yen/Dollar volatility and Chinese fear of floating: Pressures from the NDF market," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 22(C), pages 37-49.
    9. Yin-Wong Cheung & Menzie D. Chinn & Eiji Fujii, 2010. "Measuring Renminbi Misalignment: Where Do We Stand?," Working Papers 242010, Hong Kong Institute for Monetary Research.
    10. Steven Dunaway & Lamin Leigh & Xiangming Li, 2009. "How Robust Are Estimates Of Equilibrium Real Exchange Rates: The Case Of China," Pacific Economic Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 14(3), pages 361-375, August.
    11. Tatom, John, 2008. "Imbalances in China and U.S. Capital Flows," MPRA Paper 11706, University Library of Munich, Germany.

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    JEL classification:

    • F31 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - Foreign Exchange
    • F41 - International Economics - - Macroeconomic Aspects of International Trade and Finance - - - Open Economy Macroeconomics

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