Open this publication in new window or tab >>2020 (English)In: Journal of International Economics, ISSN 0022-1996, E-ISSN 1873-0353, Vol. 124, article id 103303Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]
We study the role of heterogeneity in the transmission of foreign shocks. We build a Heterogeneous-Agent New-Keynesian Small Open Model Economy (HANKSOME) that experiences a current account reversal. Households' portfolio composition and the extent of foreign currency borrowing are key determinants of the magnitude of the contraction in consumption associated with a sudden stop in capital inflows. The contraction is more severe when households are leveraged and owe debt in foreign currency. In this setting, the revaluation of foreign debt causes a larger contraction in aggregate consumption when debt and leverage are concentrated among poorer households. Closing the output gap via an exchange-rate devaluation may therefore be detrimental to household welfare due to the heterogeneous impact of the foreign debt revaluation. Our HANKSOME framework can rationalize the observed fear of floating in emerging market economies, even in the absence of contractionary devaluations.
Keywords
Sudden stops, Foreign currency debt, Exchange rate policy, Incomplete markets
National Category
Economics and Business
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:su:diva-181955 (URN)10.1016/j.jinteco.2020.103303 (DOI)000530033700008 ()
2020-06-112020-06-112022-03-23Bibliographically approved