Asset Prices, Exchange Rates and the Current Account

Lucio Sarno, Marcel Fratzscher and Luciana Juvenal

No 7614, CEPR Discussion Papers from C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers

Abstract: This paper analyses the role of asset prices in comparison to other factors, in particular exchange rates, as a driver of the US trade balance. It employs a Bayesian structural VAR model that requires imposing only a minimum of economically meaningful sign restrictions. We find that equity market shocks and housing price shocks have been major determinants of the US current account in the past, accounting for up to 30% of the movements of the US trade balance at a horizon of 20 quarters. By contrast, shocks to the real exchange rate have been less relevant, explaining about 9% and exerting a more temporary effect on the US trade balance. Our findings suggest that large exchange rate movements may not necessarily be the key element of an adjustment of today's large current account imbalances, and that in particular relative global asset price changes could be a potent source of adjustment.

Keywords: Bayesian var; Current account; Exchange rates; Global imbalances (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: F31 F32 F40 G10 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2009-12
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

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Related works:
Journal Article: Asset prices, exchange rates and the current account (2010)
Working Paper: Asset prices, exchange rates and the current account (2008)
Working Paper: Asset prices, exchange rates and the current account (2007)
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