This paper investigated empirically the determinants of exchange rate regime choice in 15 MENA countries. The explanatory variables used included two sets of criteria emanating from the optimum currency area and macroeconomic theories. We considered three different measures of the dependent variable, choice of exchange regime, in order to avoid potentially misleading classification, namely the IMF’s (official) de jure, the LYS and the RR de facto choice of exchange rate regimes.
The empirical results obtained from the de jure classification indicate that exchange rate regime choices are largely consistent with the predictions of the optimum currency area theory during the period under consideration. Countries that are characterized with a high degree of openness as well as with a high concentration of trade would tend to opt for fixed exchange rate regimes. However, regarding the variable level of economic development, we find that more developed economies tend to opt for pegged exchange rate regimes. Among the macroeconomic variables, our results show that international reserves play important roles in the regime choice. The results using the de facto classifications are very different from those obtained from the de jure specification.
Regression results using the LYS classification indicate that developed (open) economies
characterized with high credit expansion (international reserves) are more likely to adopt flexible (fixed) exchange rate arrangements. Turning to regressions from the RR classification, again we do not find regularities in the results. Nevertheless, as in the previous regressions, we find that high international reserves play a major role in determining exchange rate regime choices in the MENA countries. Hence, analysis of the determinants of exchange rate regimes practices brings one clear conclusion; high international reserves strengthen the tendency toward fixed exchange rate regimes
among the MENA countries.
This paper investigated empirically the determinants of exchange rate regime choice in 15 MENA countries. The explanatory variables used included two sets of criteria emanating from the optimum currency area and macroeconomic theories. We considered three different measures of the dependent variable, choice of exchange regime, in order to avoid potentially misleading classification, namely the IMF’s (official) de jure, the LYS and the RR de facto choice of exchange rate regimes.
The empirical results obtained from the de jure classification indicate that exchange rate regime choices are largely consistent with the predictions of the optimum currency area theory during the period under consideration. Countries that are characterized with a high degree of openness as well as with a high concentration of trade would tend to opt for fixed exchange rate regimes. However, regarding the variable level of economic development, we find that more developed economies tend to opt for pegged exchange rate regimes. Among the macroeconomic variables, our results show that international reserves play important roles in the regime choice. The results using the de facto classifications are very different from those obtained from the de jure specification.
Regression results using the LYS classification indicate that developed (open) economies
characterized with high credit expansion (international reserves) are more likely to adopt flexible (fixed) exchange rate arrangements. Turning to regressions from the RR classification, again we do not find regularities in the results. Nevertheless, as in the previous regressions, we find that high international reserves play a major role in determining exchange rate regime choices in the MENA countries. Hence, analysis of the determinants of exchange rate regimes practices brings one clear conclusion; high international reserves strengthen the tendency toward fixed exchange rate regimes
among the MENA countries.
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