What explains the US dollar's role in the global economy and the tensions affecting its likely persistence? Most analyses start from Triffin's dilemma, which accurately captured specific but partial tensions of a global monetary system based on essentially fixed exchange rates, gold backing for...

Die Europäische Währungsunion steckt in einer tiefen Zahlungsbilanzkrise. Insbesondere Griechenland, Irland, Portugal und Spanien wiesen in der Vergangenheit Leistungsbilanzdefizite auf, die sich bis März 2011 auf 314 Milliarden Euro akkumulierten. Dies entspricht dem Stand der aggregierten...

Using a sample of 32 developed and developing countries we analyze the empirical characteristics of Sudden Stops in capital flows and the relevance of balance-sheet effects in the likelihood of their occurrence. We find that large real exchange rate (RER) fluctuations accompanied by Sudden Stops...

This paper analyses the impact of the reduction of tariff and non-tariff barriers on the trade balance and the current account of the balance of payments of 22 selected developing countries from Africa, Latin America, East Asia, and South Asia. The study presents estimates of dynamic panel data...

Foreign direct investment (FDI) is one of the most ambiguous and the least understood concepts in international economics. Common debate on FDI is confounded by several myths regarding its nature and impact on capital accumulation, technological progress, industrialization and growth. It is...

Die vom amerikanischen Finanzminister Baker vorgeschlagene Strategie zur Lösung der Verschuldungsprobleme vieler Entwicklungsländer wird durchweg als richtungweisend gelobt. In einer konzertierten Aktion sollen: — die wichtigsten Problemschuldnerländer sich verpflichten,...

Formerly a favourite location for private capital inflows, Brazil was virtually cut off from further bank lending in the 1980s. The country's rating in secondary loan markets plummeted, and foreign direct investment dwindled. New external financing was replaced by an accumulation of interest...

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is under serious attack. Some critics blame IMF lending for having contributed to the spreading of financial crises in emerging markets. Consequently, they call for putting an end to IMF lending. This radical proposal rests on the contention that official...

The paper investigates the relationship between external debt and economic growth, focusing on the role played by the policy and institutional framework. Results for a panel of 114 developing countries show that the debt-growth nexus depends on institutions and policies. The Debt-Laffer curve...