Discusses economic issues associated with exchange rates, commodity prices, the economic size of countries and alternatives to PPP exchange rates.

This book examines the influence of fiscal policy on exchange rates, recent development in the econometric modelling of exchange rates, and exchange rate modelling for developing countries.

Modern macroeconomic theory teaches us new lessons about exchange rates: Currency depreciations or appreciations that change the relative competitiveness of producers in different countries are undesirable from a global perspective if they lead to relative prices that do not reflect the true relative costs of production. ¿External balance¿ does not mean that trade balances should be zero, but rather that global resources are allocated efficiently. The implications of this insight for the role of the exchange rate in monetary policy are explored here. Some of the traditional arguments for purely floating exchange rates are challenged by this approach. Also briefly considers sterilized intervention and comments on the role of international reserves.

Gathering together the papers presented at the Madrid Conference on Optimum Currency Areas in 1970 this volume represents one of the first complete surveys of the theory and policy implication of monetary integration. The book discusses: the economics of fixed exchange rates relevant to monetary relations within an integrated monetary area the evolution of economic doctrine and a survey of optimum currency area theory problems of policy co-ordination within a currency area relevance of the monetary-fiscal policy mix problems of monetary union in developing countries the book predicted the establishment of an European currency but presented the case for greater flexibility of exchange rates as an alternative to currency unification.

The studies in this book deal with the determination of foreign exchange rates and the characteristics of the foreign exchange market. Analysis is made of flexible exchange rates through an approach developed by the authors, called the ‘asset-market approach’. Theory is combined with practical application in a clear concise way that will be understood by readers with a basic understanding of economics.

Guillermo Calvo, who foresaw the financial crisis that followed the devaluationn of Mexico's peso, has spent much of his career thinking beyond the conventional wisdom. In a quiet and understated way, Calvo has made seminal contributions to several major research areas in macroeconomics, particularly monetary policy, exchange rates, public debt, and stabilization in Latin America and post-communist countries. Money, Exchange Rates, and Output brings together these contributions in a broad selection of the author's work over the past two decades. There are introductions to each section, and an introduction to the entire collection that outlines the connections throughout and survey the current state of macroeconomic theory. Specific issues covered are predetermined exchange rates, currency substitution, domestic public debt and seigniorage, and stabilizing transition economics.