Balance of Payments

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Balance of Payments Balance of Payments A country’s balance of payments accounts are a summary of all of the country’s transactions with other countries. There are two important accounts within the balance of payments: the current account and the financial account (formerly known as the capital account). The current account records a nation’s exports and imports of goods and services, and also includes net investment income and net transfers. The financial account records the difference between a country’s sale of assets to foreigners and its purchase of assets from foreigners. The balance of payments is essential for making sense of a nation’s position in the global economy. The current account records a nation’s exports and imports of goods and services. It also includes net investment income (U.S. earnings on investment abroad minus foreign earnings from capital invested in the United States) and net transfers (e.g., foreign aid sent to other countries and funds that immigrants send to family abroad). The financial account records the flows of money from the purchase and sale of assets domestically and abroad, including financial assets (like stocks and bonds) as well as direct foreign investment (like business and real estate). For example, U.S. investors might buy a hotel building in Tokyo or shares of stock in a Swedish company while foreign investors might buy a factory in the United States or stock in a U.S. company. Foreign assets are bought and sold using currencies purchased on foreign exchange markets. The financial flows recorded in the financial account are part of the loanable funds market. Foreign investors provide funds that are used to purchase assets, which means they supply loanable funds. Changes in the supply of loanable funds affect the equilibrium real interest rate in the loanable funds market, which then affects a country’s investment, aggregate demand, output, employment, and price level. When classifying a transaction, consider whether a country uses (loses) or earns (gains) foreign currency. Money coming in to a country is a credit, because you sell domestic goods or assets. Money going out of a country is a debit, because you are buying foreign goods or assets. All transactions cause both a credit and a debit – a credit for one country and a debit for the other. Because of this, the current account balance and financial account balance must equal zero. When they do not the central bank must buy or sell currency to resolve the imbalance. Thus the full balance of payments is CA + FA + ∆off reserves = 0. Changes in official reserves are critical in fixed exchange rate systems for maintaining exchange rate values that are not market clearing values. Balance of Payments Simulation Balance of Payments Tracking Sheet Country Name: _____________________________________ Merchandise Trade Transactions: +/- $ Amount _______________________________________ ________________ _______________________________________ ________________ _______________________________________ ________________ _______________________________________ ________________ Services Transactions: _______________________________________ ________________ _______________________________________ ________________ _______________________________________ ________________ _______________________________________ ________________ Transfer Payment Transactions: _______________________________________ ________________ Investment Income Transactions: _______________________________________ ________________ Financial/Capital Transactions: _______________________________________ ________________ _______________________________________ ________________ _______________________________________ ________________ _______________________________________ ________________ Balance of Payments Simulation Balance of Payments Accounting Sheet Country Name: _____________________________________ Current Account Exports of Goods: ___________________ Imports of Goods: ___________________ Exports of Services: ___________________ Imports of Services: ___________________ Balance of Trade: ___________________ Net Investment Income: ___________________ Net Transfers: ___________________ Balance of Current Account: ___________________ Financial/Capital Account Capital Going Abroad: ___________________ Capital Coming In: ___________________ Balance of Financial/Capital Account: ___________________ Official Reserves Account Official Reserves Imbalance Transaction: ___________________ TOTAL BALANCE OF PAYMENTS: $0 Farmer Wallace from Dorne T-Shirt Supply sells Winterfell sells 1 ton of t-shirts to Winterfell grain to the Dorne Warehouse for $500. Grocery Store for $250. Dorne Movie Theater sells Winterfell Wolf Company movie posters to sells five assembly line Winterfell Film Corp for robots to Dorne for $300. $500. Winslow from Winterfell Dorothy from Dorne Programming Company sends $50 to her cousin sells software design to Winnie from Winterfell. Dorne Graphics for $20. Duddly from Dorne Winslow from Winterfell designs new uniforms for receives $30 for his time the Winterfell hockey as an interior designer in team for $40. Dorne. Duke from Dorne West Corporation in receives $50 for his Winterfell sends Dolly business consultation with from Dorne the $40 she Last Chance Inc in earned in stock dividends. Winterfell. Duodenum from Dorne Washi from Winterfell purchases stock in sells bonds from Western Winterfell Publishing Calendar Corporation for Company for $2200. $1600 to Delilah from Dorne. Weeble from Winterfell Darren sells Warren from Waterworks purchases a Winterfell a Putt-Putt $1500 water slide from Golf course for $1800. Dorne resident Dror. Balance of Payments Simulation Directions You and your partner are part of one country, while the other two people in the group are part of another country. You will draw cards which explain an international transaction, which must be documented appropriately on the balance of payment accounts of both countries. Each country will take turns choosing a card and read it aloud to the group. Then the group will make a determination about what kind of transaction is taking place, and will write it in the corresponding section of their Balance of Payments Tracking Sheet. Keep in mind both countries must write down the transaction – if it is a credit for one country, it must be a debit for the other country. After pulling all 14 cards, both countries should tabulate their final balance of payments using the Balance of Payments Accounting Sheet. Remember that in addition the final balance of payments equaling zero, both the Current Account for each team and the Financial/Capital Account for each team should balance to zero as well. .
Recommended publications
  • Has US Comparative Advantage Changed? Does This Affect Sustainability?
    3 Has US Comparative Advantage Changed? Does This Affect Sustainability? The evidence is overwhelmingly persuasive that the massive increase in world competition— a consequence of broadening trade flows—has fostered markedly higher standards of liv- ing . this surge in competitive trade has clearly owed, in large part, to significant advances in technological innovation. —Alan Greenspan, chairman of the Federal Reserve Board, “Technology and Trade,” remarks before the Dallas Ambassadors Forum, Dallas, Texas (16 April 1999) [T]he globalization system . is not static, but a dynamic ongoing process: globalization involves the inexorable integration of markets, nation-states and technologies to a degree never witnessed before—in a way that is enabling individuals, corporations and nation- states to reach around the world farther, faster, deeper and cheaper than ever before. —Thomas L. Friedman, The Lexus and the Olive Tree (1999) Why Trade? People trade because they want different things, have different skills, and earn different amounts of money. With individuals represented by their national aggregates, countries trade for the same reasons. Countries differ from one another in terms of resources and the techniques firms use to produce goods and services. People value goods and services differently, depending on their income and tastes. Investors in financial assets have different preferences for risk, return, and diversification. These differ- 29 Institute for International Economics | http://www.iie.com ences are reflected across countries as differences in costs of production, prices for products and services, and rates of return on and “exposures”1 to financial assets. Because costs, prices, and returns differ across countries, it makes sense for a country to trade some of what it produces most cheaply and holds less dear to people who want it more and for whom production is costly or even impossible.
    [Show full text]
  • Summary of U.S. Balance of Payments, 1969 by MICHAEL W
    Summary of U.S. Balance of Payments, 1969 by MICHAEL W. ICERAN dollar transactions. Changes in bank liabilities are listed with changes in short-term Treasury liabilities under The Balance of Payments Accounts are a double-entry IV.4, to facilitate analysis of the distinction between record of commodity and financial transactions between the Liquidity Balance and Official Settlements Balance. United States and foreign residents. Because it is based on double-entry bookkeeping principles, the balance of (III) Government — The net outflow of Government payments always balances in the sense that receipts loans, grants, and transfers was $4.0 billion in 1969, up equal payments. The double-entry nature of the balance $1.5 billion from 1968. Foreign official institutions, which of payments is illustrated on the lefthand side of the had purchased $1.8 billion of U.S. Government bonds table on the next page. This accounting balance must in 1968, sold $.2 billion in 1969. This $2.0 billion turn- not be confused, however, with a meaningful economic around more than explains the deterioration in the balance, because the economic behavior underlying some Government capital account. of these transactions may not be sustainable. For exam- ple, the receipt of $.8 billion in 1969 from the sale of (IV) Other — Private transfers (IV.1.) represent gifts convertible currencies (IV.3.b) can only continue as and similar payments by American residents to foreign long as the United States’ stock of convertible currencies residents. Errors and Omissions (IV.2.) is the statistical lasts. There are two officially recognized measures of discrepancy between all specifically identifiable receipts the economic balance of payments: the Liquidity Bal- and payments.
    [Show full text]
  • Topic 12: the Balance of Payments Introduction We Now Begin Working Toward Understanding How Economies Are Linked Together at the Macroeconomic Level
    Topic 12: the balance of payments Introduction We now begin working toward understanding how economies are linked together at the macroeconomic level. The first task is to understand the international accounting concepts that will be essential to understanding macroeconomic aggregate data. The kinds of questions to pose: ◦ How are national expenditure and income related to international trade and financial flows? ◦ What is the current account? Why is it different from the trade deficit or surplus? Which one should we care more about? Does a trade deficit really mean something negative for welfare? ◦ What are the primary factors determining the current-account balance? ◦ How are an economy’s choices regarding savings, investment, and government expenditure related to international deficits or surpluses? ◦ What is the “balance of payments”? ◦ And how does all of this relate to changes in an economy’s net international wealth? Motivation When was the last time the United States had a surplus on the balance of trade in goods? The following chart suggests that something (or somethings) happened in the late 1990s and early 2000s to make imports grow faster than exports (except in recessions). Candidates? Trade-based stories: ◦ Big increase in offshoring of production. ◦ China entered WTO. ◦ Increases in foreign unfair trade practices? Macro/savings-based stories: ◦ US consumption rose fast (and savings fell) relative to GDP. ◦ US began running larger government budget deficits. ◦ Massive net foreign purchases of US assets (net capital inflows). ◦ Maybe it’s cyclical (note how US deficit falls during recessions – why?). US trade balance in goods, 1960-2016 ($ bllions). Note: 2017 = -$796 b and 2018 projected = -$877 b Closed-economy macro basics Before thinking about how a country fits into the world, recall the basic concepts in a country that does not trade goods or assets (so again it is in “autarky” but we call it a closed economy).
    [Show full text]
  • Balance-Of-Payments Crises in the Developing World: Balancing Trade, Finance and Development in the New Economic Order Chantal Thomas
    American University International Law Review Volume 15 | Issue 6 Article 3 2000 Balance-of-Payments Crises in the Developing World: Balancing Trade, Finance and Development in the New Economic Order Chantal Thomas Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.wcl.american.edu/auilr Part of the International Law Commons Recommended Citation Thomas, Chantal. "Balance-of-Payments Crises in the Developing World: Balancing Trade, Finance and Development in the New Economic Order." American University International Law Review 15, no. 6 (2000): 1249-1277. This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Washington College of Law Journals & Law Reviews at Digital Commons @ American University Washington College of Law. It has been accepted for inclusion in American University International Law Review by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ American University Washington College of Law. For more information, please contact [email protected]. BALANCE-OF-PAYMENTS CRISES IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD: BALANCING TRADE, FINANCE AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE NEW ECONOMIC ORDER CHANTAL THOMAS' INTRODUCTION ............................................ 1250 I. CAUSES OF BALANCE-OF-PAYMENTS CRISES ...... 1251 II. INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC LAW ON BALANCE- OF-PAYVIENTS CRISES ................................ 1255 A. THE TRADE SIDE: THE GATT/WTO ...................... 1255 1. The Basic Legal Rules .................................. 1255 2. The Operation of the Rules ........................... 1258 a. Substantive Dynamics ................................ 1259 b. Institutional Dynam ics ................................ 1260 B. THE MONETARY SIDE: THE IMF ......................... 1261 C. THE ERA OF DEEP INTEGRATION .......................... 1263 III. INDIA AND ITS BALANCE-OF-PAYMENTS TRADE RESTRICTION S .............................................. 1265 A. THE TRANSFORMATION OF INDIA .......................... 1265 B. THE WTO BALANCE-OF-PAYMENTS CASE ................ 1269 1. The Substantive Arguments ............................ 1270 a.
    [Show full text]
  • Balance-Of-Payments Theory, and the International Monetary Problem
    ESSAYS IN INTERNATIONAL FINANCE No. 124, November 1977 MONEY, BALANCE-OF-PAYMENTS THEORY, AND THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY PROBLEM HARRY G. JOHNSON INTERNATIONAL FINANCE SECTION DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS PRINCETON UNIVERSITY Princeton, New Jersey This is the one hundred and twenty-fourth number in the series ESSAYS IN INTERNATIONAL FINANCE, published from time to time by the International Finance Section of the Department of Economics of Princeton University. This Essay is based upon the David Horowitz Lectures that Harry G. Johnson gave in Israel in 1975. Some weeks before his death on May 8, 1977, Professor Johnson wrote to ask whether the Section would like to publish a revised version of the Lectures. We do so now with a Foreword that was the obituary notice published by the Times of Lon- don; it was written by Professor W. M. Corden of the Australian National University. We are grateful to the Association of Banks in Israel for permission to publish the Horowitz Lectures, to Professor Corden, to the Times of London for permission to publish the obituary notice, to Elizabeth Johnson for reviewing the edited manuscript, and to Professor Jacob A. Frenkel for reading the proofs. The Section sponsors the essays in this series but takes no further responsibility for the opinions expressed in them. The writers are free to develop their topics as they wish. PETER B. KENEN, Director International Finance Section ESSAYS IN INTERNATIONAL FINANCE No. 124, November 1977 MONEY, BALANCE-OF-PAYMENTS THEORY, AND THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY PROBLEM HARRY G. JOHNSON INTERNATIONAL FINANCE SECTION DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS PRINCETON UNIVERSITY Princeton, New Jersey Copyright © 1977, by International Finance Section Department of Economics, Princeton University Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Johnson, Harry Gordon, 1923-1977.
    [Show full text]
  • Globalisation and Balance of Payments1
    IFC Workshop on the use of financial accounts, co-organised with the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey 18-20 March 2019, Istanbul, Turkey Globalisation and balance of payments1 Celestino Giron, European Central Bank 1 This presentation was prepared for the meeting. The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the BIS, the IFC or the central banks and other institutions represented at the meeting. 1/1 Celestino Girón *) European Central Bank **) Globalisation and Balance of Payments Session I Workshop on the Use of Financial Accounts Istanbul, 18-20 March 2019 *) input from the ECB financial accounts training seminar and WG FA discussions acknowledged **) Views should not be attributed to the ECB RubricOverview 1 Challenges for statisticians and analysts 2 Sector/ instruments breakdowns and globalisation 3 The analytical value of integrating financial accounts and b.o.p./i.i.p. 4 Global Flow of Funds 5 Globalisation in the ESCB medium-strategy for financial accounts 2 www.ecb.europa.eu © Rubric 1 Challenges for statisticians and analysts 2 Sector/ instruments breakdowns and globalisation 3 The analytical value of integrating financial accounts and b.o.p./i.i.p. 4 Global Flow of Funds 5 Globalisation in the ESCB medium-strategy for financial accounts 3 www.ecb.europa.eu © Rubric1. Challenges for statisticians and analysts Globalisation poses challenges on.. Sources Concept Data How to get relevant Methodology information on global events; how How to solve the to ensure problems of consistency in the interpretability for Analysis statistical standard macro treatment across indicators countries Tools How to understand globalization itself and implications for flow of funds, spillovers, interconnectedness, contagion … www.ecb.europa.eu © Rubric1.
    [Show full text]
  • International Economics Questions Part I Question D
    International Economics questions Part I A nation's ability to produce a product more efficiently than another country is referred to as a. globalization. b. foreign trade. c. interdependence. d. absolute advantage. Question A nation's ability to produce a product more efficiently than another country is referred to as a. globalization. b. foreign trade. c. interdependence. d. absolute advantage. Answer Nebraska specializes in the production of corn and Maine specializes in the production of lobsters, therefore the two states could engage in trade that benefits both parties. This law of economics is known as a. supply and demand. b. parallel consumption. c. comparative advantage. d. relative distribution. Question Nebraska specializes in the production of corn and Maine specializes in the production of lobsters, therefore the two states could engage in trade that benefits both parties. This law of economics is known as a. supply and demand. b. parallel consumption. c. comparative advantage. d. relative distribution. Answer Country X and Country Y are the same size in terms of population, area, and capital stock. If both countries devote all of their efforts to producing widgets, Country X can produce 10 million widgets, while Country Y can produce 5 million. Based on the information given, Country X has a. a monopoly on the production of widgets. b. an absolute advantage in producing widgets. c. a comparative advantage in producing widgets. d. a lower opportunity cost in the production of widgets. Question Country X and Country Y are the same size in terms of population, area, and capital stock. If both countries devote all of their efforts to producing widgets, Country X can produce 10 million widgets, while Country Y can produce 5 million.
    [Show full text]
  • Comercio Internacional
    56 6(5,( comercio internacional Export promotion policies in CARICOM: Main issues, effects and implications Esteban Pérez Caldentey Division of International Trade and Integration Santiago, Chile, November 2005 This document was prepared by Esteban Pérez Caldentey, Economist of the Subregional Headquarters for the Caribbean at Port of Spain, in collaboration with the Division of International Trade and Integration at the Regional Headquarters of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC). Both offices consider it pertinent to make this publication available in the public domain. The views expressed in this document, which has been reproduced without formal editing, are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Organization. United Nations Publication ISSN printed version 1680-869X ISSN online version 1680-872X ISBN: 92-1-121570-6 LC/L.2424-P Sales No.: E.05.II.G.171 Copyright © United Nations, November 2005. All rights reserved Printed in United Nations, Santiago, Chile Applications for the right to reproduce this work are welcomed and should be sent to the Secretary of the Publications Board, United Nations Headquarters, New York, N.Y. 10017, U.S.A. Member States and their governmental institutions may reproduce this work without prior authorization, but are requested to mention the source and inform the United Nations of such reproduction. CEPAL - SERIE Comercio internacional N° 56 Table of contents Abstract...............................................................................................7 I. Introduction................................................................................9 II. Size and geography: the context for export promotion policies and its implications................................................13 III. Export promotion main objectives.....................................17 A. Securing market access for non-traditional products: niche- market orientation ................................................................17 B.
    [Show full text]
  • World Trade Organization Economic Research and Statistics Division
    Staff Working Paper ERSD-2012-23 Date: 13 November 2012 World Trade Organization Economic Research and Statistics Division Trade Imbalances and Multilateral Trade Cooperation Juan Marchetti Michele Ruta Robert Teh World Trade Organization Manuscript date: 13 November 2012 ___________________________ Disclaimer: This is a working paper, and hence it represents research in progress. This paper represents the opinions of the author(s), and is the product of professional research. It is not meant to represent the position or opinions of the WTO or its Members, nor the official position of any staff members. Any errors are the fault of the author(s). Copies of working papers can be requested from the divisional secretariat by writing to: Economic Research and Statistics Division, World Trade Organization, Rue de Lausanne 154, CH 1211 Geneva 21, Switzerland. Please request papers by number and title. Trade Imbalances and Multilateral Trade Cooperation by Juan Marchetti World Trade Organization 154 rue de Lausanne Geneva, Switzerland Email: [email protected] Michele Ruta World Trade Organization 154 rue de Lausanne Geneva, Switzerland Email: [email protected] Robert Teh World Trade Organization 154 rue de Lausanne Geneva, Switzerland Email: [email protected] ¶ The opinions expressed herein are the sole responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the members of the WTO or of the WTO Secretariat. Abstract Rising current account and merchandise trade imbalances marked the years before the global financial and economic crisis. These imbalances either contributed to or precipitated the crisis and to the extent that they create systemic risks, it is desirable that they be reduced.
    [Show full text]
  • INFLATION and the COSTS of STABILIZATION Public Disclosure Authorized Historical and Recent Experiences and Policy Lessons
    INFLATION AND THE COSTS OF STABILIZATION Public Disclosure Authorized Historical and Recent Experiences and Policy Lessons Andres Solimano Public Disclosure Authorized This article reviews various experiences with stabilization. It first examines sta- bilization programs in the context of hyperinflation-looking at the experi- ences of Austria and Germany in the early 1920s and Bolivia in 1985-and then reviews and interprets the results of orthodox stabilization plans (applied in Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay during the mid-1970s and early 1980s) and those of heterodox programs (the austral plan in Argentina and the cruzado plan in Brazil, with a glance at the Mexican and Israeli experiences). The paper concludes with a discussion of conceptual issues and implications for the de- sign of stabilization policies. Public Disclosure Authorized Theaim of stabilization policies is to bring inflation down on a perma- nent basis and, if possible, at a low economic cost. This article exam- ines several anti-inflationary programs, both historical and recent, giving attention to the response of inflation to different stabilization measures and the real costs-in output losses and cuts in real wages-of bringing infla- tion down in the course of economic stabilization. The purpose is to shed light on the difficulties several economies are experiencing with stabilization and to draw lessons for policy from experience in the field. In the three cases examined-stabilization undertaken in conditions of hy- perinflation, orthodox programs, and heterodox plans (defined in the relevant sections that follow)-we examine the role played in the success or failure of each program by fiscal adjustment, incomes policies, stabilization of the exchange rate, the availability of foreign resources, and conflicts over income Public Disclosure Authorized The World Bank Research Observer, vol.
    [Show full text]
  • Monetary Policy, Balance of Payments, and Business Cycles: the Foreign
    Monetary Policy, Balance of Payments, And Business Cycles The Foreign Experience BOTH the academic and policy level, the study in income, imports, the balance of payments, and of business cycles has been eclipsed in recent years. money. If monetary policy were directed at contain- This development probably stems from the fact that ing domestic inflationary pressures (rather than wait- in the industrial countries of the world, deep or pro- ing for balance-of-payments problems to appear), this longed recessions have not been a serious problem sequence of events would be broken, and cyclical fluc- since World War II. In the less developed countries, tuations in income might be moderated in amplitude the issue of economic growth holds the dominant posi- and frequency. tion in theoretical and policy discussion. It is the proposition of this article that monetary Although the urgency to understand and correct the policy followed by most of the countries of Europe and business cycle, which characterized professional and Japan has been sensitive to balance-of-payments prob- government thinking some years ago, is no longer lems and that this is the major cause of most of the present, it is still a subject worthy of inquiry. In the business cycle fluctuations in the postwar period. The first half of 1967 there were slowdowns of varying remainder of this article is designed to substantiate degree in the economies of the United States, United this proposition. First a model is presented which ex- Kingdom, France, and Germany. Only Italy and Japan, plains the observed economic behavior. (The model among the major industrial countries, grew at a satis- is presented in a more technical form in the Appen- factory rate.1 dix.) The bulk of the article consists of an examination This article is another step in the long history of at- of recent business cycles in Japan, Italy, Germany, tempts to explain the business cycle.
    [Show full text]
  • Balance of Payments Except Where Indicated, This Content © Department of Education Western Australia 2020 and Released Under Creative Commons CC by NC
    Year 12 Economics Unit 3 – Australia and the global economy Balance of payments Except where indicated, this content © Department of Education Western Australia 2020 and released under Creative Commons CC BY NC. Before re-purposing any third party content in this resource refer to the owner of that content for permission. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ Year 12 Economics | Unit 3 | Australia and the global economy | Balance of Payments © Department of Education WA 2020 Unit 3–Australia and the global economy: Balance of Payments Year 12 Economics Unit 3 – Australia and the Global Economy BALANCE OF PAYMENTS Estimated time to complete this booklet: 10 hours Except where indicated, this content © Department of Education Western Australia 2020 and released under Creative Commons CC BY NC Before re-purposing any third party content in this resource refer to the owner of that content for permission. 1 Unit 3–Australia and the global economy: Balance of Payments Topic - Balance of Payments The balance of payments is a systematic record of all economic transactions between the residents of Australia and the residents of the rest of the world. You will need to: • describe the structure of these accounts and be able to distinguish between the various transactions • explain how the two major accounts are linked and why they must balance. Also you will learn why Australia usually runs a current account deficit and the significance of this for the Australian economy. Syllabus Points • structure of Australia's balance of payments and
    [Show full text]