Working Paper

Real Exchange Rates and the Global Financial Cycle

Abstract: This paper looks at the effect of fluctuations in the global financial cycle on real exchange rates (RER). We show that, on average, a downturn in the global financial cycle leads to RER depreciation relative to the U.S. dollar. However, quantitatively there is considerable heterogeneity in the RER responses among advanced, emerging and developing economies; between net creditor and net debtor countries; and also over time. Prior to 2007, the global financial cycle had less effect on advanced than on emerging market economies' RER, whereas post-2007 the effect was about the same in the two groups of countries. Finally, we decompose the RER changes into changes in the nominal exchange rate and changes in aggregate price levels. We find that in advanced economies, nearly all RER adjustment occurred through nominal exchange rates throughout the sample period. In the emerging and developing economies, the RER adjustment was mixed prior to 2007, when changes in the RER were driven by both nominal exchange rate changes and inflation differentials, whereas nominal exchange rate adjustments dominated post-2007.

Keywords: global financial cycle; real exchange rates;

JEL Classification: F3; F4;

https://doi.org/10.24149/wp2416

Bibliographic Information

Provider: Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas

Part of Series: Working Papers

Publication Date: 2024-11-26

Number: 2416