Read more about the article Resilience and Realignment of Global Trade

Resilience and Realignment of Global Trade

Multiple shocks faced by the global economy over the past three years have apparently shaken the conventional wisdom on gains from economic integration, and have sparked widespread calls for protectionist and nationalist policies. Is there already evidence of some ‘deglobalization’, or do the factors that underlie globalization remain strong enough despite the shocks? So far, there are no signs of an overall reversal in the long-term trend of greater global trade integration. However, a partial realignment seems to be underway, reflecting the more durable side of those recent shocks. This is probably leading to higher costs and prices on the margin, in the case of realignments done to overcome shocks of a geopolitical nature. The answer seems to be that global trade has been resilient, although it is undergoing some realignment.

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Read more about the article Growth Implications of a Fractured Trading System

Growth Implications of a Fractured Trading System

An assessment of the implications for growth—particularly the costs—of moving towards a fractured trading system can use as a benchmark what happened during the period of what is usually called hyper-globalization or globalization 2.0 Substantial growth in GDP per capita in emerging markets and developing economies, as well as reductions in poverty rates and lower per capita GDP inequality among countries were major achievements. The transmission channels of the trade fragmentation will be a reversal of the path by which those gains were attained.

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Read more about the article Rising Use of Local Currencies in Cross-Border Payments

Rising Use of Local Currencies in Cross-Border Payments

Pairs of countries have agreed to settle commercial and financial transactions with each other in their local currencies, usually facilitated through bilateral agreements between their central banks. China has been able to use its currency to settle half of its foreign trade and investment transactions. The growing use of local currencies in external payments will be part of what we have already called a “slow and bounded de-dollarization”. A partial fragmentation of the global payments system is underway.

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Read more about the article GVCs, Resilience, and Efficiency Considerations: Improving Trade and Industrial Policy Design and Coordination

GVCs, Resilience, and Efficiency Considerations: Improving Trade and Industrial Policy Design and Coordination

The COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine have reignited the debate on efficiency versus resilience in international trade and global value chains (GVCs). This policy brief[ (i) explains the contrasting perspectives of the private sector (primarily seeking efficiency) and the public sector (aiming for resilience); (ii) demonstrates that GVCs are still flourishing, despite some mounting signals of a geo-fragmentation leading to a greater reallocation of the GVCs; and (iii) provides recommendations to help the G20 navigate the balancing act between efficiency and resilience considerations. Domestic policy design in the G20 countries and international coordination among these countries is essential.

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Read more about the article The U.S. Dollar’s “Exorbitant Privilege” Remains

The U.S. Dollar’s “Exorbitant Privilege” Remains

• Notwithstanding the ongoing drive by countries for a higher plurality of main currencies, raising the use of the renminbi, “de-dollarization” looks bound to be partial and limited. • Higher speed and depth of such a transformation would require a metamorphosis of China’s regulatory and policy regime for which the country will not have the desire to implement. • While the euro has remained mostly a regional reserve currency, the U.S. may retain its “exorbitant privilege” through the provision of U.S. dollar safe assets for longer.

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Read more about the article The global economy faces a lost decade

The global economy faces a lost decade

The economic factors that have propelled global prosperity over the past three decades are losing their grip. The aging and slow growth of the global workforce are highlighted as downward factors, explaining half of the expected slowdown in potential GDP growth through 2030. What should countries do in the face of this prospect of a “lost decade”?

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Read more about the article The parrot says that commodity prices will rise

The parrot says that commodity prices will rise

In 2023, both the demand and supply sides point to upward pressure across much of commodity prices. Not all commodity prices will necessarily move up. As far as energy, metals and minerals are concerned, the parrot is likely looking up at this point; definitely in this case the best thing to do is to mimic the parrot.

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Read more about the article Macroeconomic Policy Regime Change in Advanced Economies

Macroeconomic Policy Regime Change in Advanced Economies

Three significant changes to the macroeconomic policy regime in advanced economies, compared to the post-global financial crisis period, have unfolded in the last two years. First, fears of a chronic insufficiency of aggregate demand as a growth deterrent prevailing after the 2008 global financial crisis, have been superseded by supply-side shocks and inflation. Second, as a result of the first change, the era of abundant and cheap liquidity provided by central banks has given way to higher interest rates and liquidity squeezes. Finally, because of the previous changes, there was a strong devaluation of financial assets in 2022. There are now fears about multiple possibilities of financial shocks ahead.

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Read more about the article A strong dollar is contractionary for the global economy

A strong dollar is contractionary for the global economy

The US dollar has risen dramatically in value against other currencies in the recent past. Three different channels through which factors affecting bilateral exchange rates operate have been pulling up the U.S. dollar: yield differentials, liquidity differentials, and growth differentials. The strong appreciation of the US dollar against other currencies in the recent past reinforced the contractionary pressures present in the global economy. Ultimately, the “turn” or “pivot” of the dollar will most likely occur when a “turn” or “pivot” occurs in US monetary policy, given the latter’s key weight on the determination of growth and yield differentials.

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Read more about the article Whither the Phillips Curve?

Whither the Phillips Curve?

There is an international movement to tighten monetary and fiscal policies as a response to the global inflation phenomenon. Accordingly, global economic growth projections for 2022 and 2023 have been revised downward. As inflation will decline only gradually, given the price stickiness of its core components, there is likely to be momentarily a situation of stagflation, i.e. a combination of significant inflation and low or negative GDP growth. We discuss how the current global stagflation experience might develop into one of a soft landing, a sharp downturn, or a deep recession. The evolution will depend on how fast inflation responds downward to economic deceleration. We therefore suggest framing the response in terms of assessing to where major economies’ Phillips curves have shifted. Phillips-curve shifts will also reflect cross-border repercussions of country-specific policy choices. Furthermore, sudden abrupt deteriorations of financial conditions may cause additional moves in Phillips curves.

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Read more about the article Tightening Financial Conditions Have Affected Asset Values

Tightening Financial Conditions Have Affected Asset Values

Even knowing that there is a time lag between interest rate decisions and their effects, the Fed will not be able to ignore what happens to monthly inflation rates during the crossing until next year. Even if that poses a risk to a soft landing of the economy. What seems more likely, however, appears to be the combination of a global economic slowdown and continued tightening of global financial conditions. With equity markets in advanced economies still exhibiting downward slides until the monetary-financial grip stops.

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Read more about the article Quantitative Tightening and Capital Flows to Emerging Markets

Quantitative Tightening and Capital Flows to Emerging Markets

In addition to hikes in basic interest rates, liquidity conditions in the US economy will also be affected by the shrinking of the Fed's balance sheet starting this month. The "quantitative easing" (QE) that resumed strongly in March 2020, in response to the financial shock at the beginning of the pandemic, will now give way to a "quantitative tightening". How complementary - or substitute - will be those movements in interest rates and balance sheet downsizing? What are their likely consequences on capital flows to emerging markets?

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