Growth and Competitiveness as Factors of Eurozone External Imbalances : Evidence and Policy Implications

The paper assesses the contribution of key factors associated with external imbalances in the Eurozone through the estimation of a panel-data vector autoregressive model over 1975-2011. Growth fluctuations, initially associated with demand booms tr...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Diaz Sanchez, Jose Luis, Varoudakis, Aristomene
Format: Policy Research Working Paper
Language:English
en_US
Published: World Bank, Washington, DC 2014
Subjects:
GDP
TAX
Online Access:http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2013/12/18717042/growth-competitiveness-factors-eurozone-external-imbalances-evidence-policy-implications
http://hdl.handle.net/10986/16900
id okr-10986-16900
recordtype oai_dc
repository_type Digital Repository
institution_category Foreign Institution
institution Digital Repositories
building World Bank Open Knowledge Repository
collection World Bank
language English
en_US
topic ACCOUNTING
ASSETS
AVAILABILITY OF CREDIT
BANKING SECTOR
BANKING SYSTEM
BILATERAL TRADE
BOND
BORROWING COSTS
BUDGET CONSTRAINT
BUDGET DEFICITS
CAPITAL ACCUMULATION
CAPITAL FLIGHT
CAPITAL FLOWS
CAPITAL INFLOWS
CENTRAL BANK
COMMERCIAL BANKS
COMMON CURRENCY
COMPETITIVENESS
CONSUMER PRICE INDEX
CONSUMER PRICE INFLATION
CONSUMERS
CONSUMPTION SMOOTHING
CREDIT BOOM
CREDIT BOOMS
CREDIT GROWTH
CREDIT MARKET
CREDIT MARKETS
CURRENT ACCOUNT
CURRENT ACCOUNT BALANCE
CURRENT ACCOUNT BALANCES
CURRENT ACCOUNT DEFICIT
CURRENT ACCOUNT DEFICITS
CURRENT ACCOUNT IMBALANCES
CURRENT ACCOUNT SURPLUS
CURRENT ACCOUNT SURPLUSES
CURRENT ACCOUNTS
DEBT CRISIS
DEBT REPAYMENT
DEBTOR
DEBTOR COUNTRIES
DEPENDENCY RATIO
DEPENDENCY RATIOS
DEPRECIATION
DEREGULATION
DEVALUATION
DEVELOPMENT ECONOMICS
DEVELOPMENT POLICY
DIMINISHING RETURNS
DISCOUNT RATE
DISTORTIONS
DOMESTIC DEMAND
DOMESTIC DEMAND GROWTH
DOMESTIC SAVINGS
ECONOMETRICS
ECONOMIC CONTRACTION
ECONOMIC CRISIS
ECONOMIC GROWTH
ECONOMIC INTEGRATION
ECONOMIC MODEL
ECONOMIC OUTLOOK
ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE
ECONOMIC RELATIONS
ECONOMIC SIZE
ELASTICITY
EMERGING MARKET
EMERGING MARKET ECONOMIES
ENDOGENOUS VARIABLE
ENDOGENOUS VARIABLES
ENFORCEMENT MECHANISM
EQUILIBRIUM
ERROR CORRECTION MODEL
EXCESS DEMAND
EXCHANGE RATE
EXCHANGE RATE DETERMINATION
EXCHANGE RATE RISK
EXOGENOUS VARIABLE
EXPORTS
EXTERNAL BALANCE
EXTERNAL BALANCES
EXTERNAL BORROWING
EXTERNAL COMPETITIVENESS
EXTERNAL DEBT
EXTERNAL DEBTS
EXTERNAL DEFICIT
EXTERNAL DEFICITS
EXTERNAL DEMAND
FEDERAL RESERVE
FEDERAL RESERVE BANK
FINANCIAL CRISIS
FINANCIAL INTEGRATION
FINANCIAL SECTOR
FISCAL BALANCE
FISCAL BALANCES
FISCAL DEFICIT
FISCAL DEFICITS
FISCAL DISCIPLINE
FISCAL IMBALANCES
FISCAL POLICIES
FISCAL POLICY
FISCAL POSITIONS
FIXED EFFECTS
FIXED INCOME
FOREIGN DEBT
FUNDAMENTAL DETERMINANTS
GDP
GDP PER CAPITA
GOVERNMENT BONDS
GOVERNMENT SPENDING
HUMAN CAPITAL
IMBALANCE
IMBALANCES
IMPORTS
INCOME GROWTH
INDEPENDENT MONETARY POLICY
INFLATION
INFLATION RATE
INSTRUMENTAL VARIABLE
INTEREST PAYMENTS
INTEREST RATE DIFFERENTIALS
INTEREST RATES
INTEREST-RATE
INTERNATIONAL BANK
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMICS
INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL INTEGRATION
INTERNATIONAL MONEY
INVESTMENT BOOM
INVESTMENT RATE
INVESTMENT RATES
INVESTMENT RATIO
LABOR FORCE
LABOR MARKET
LABOR MARKETS
LACK OF COMPETITION
LESS DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
LEVERAGE
LOAN
LONG-TERM INTEREST
LOSS OF COMPETITIVENESS
LOSS OF REVENUE
LOW INTEREST RATES
MACROECONOMICS
MARKET DEVELOPMENTS
MARKET EQUILIBRIUM
MARKET REFORMS
MISALIGNMENT
MONETARY POLICY
MONETARY UNION
MORTGAGE
NOMINAL INTEREST RATE
NOMINAL WAGE
OIL PRODUCING COUNTRIES
OPEN ECONOMY
PER CAPITA INCOME
PER CAPITA INCOMES
POLICY ON EXCHANGE RATES
POLITICAL STRIFE
PRICE COMPETITIVENESS
PRICE INDEX
PRICE STABILITY
PRODUCTIVITY
PRODUCTIVITY GROWTH
PUBLIC DEBT
PUBLIC EXPENDITURE
PUBLIC INVESTMENTS
PUBLIC SPENDING
REAL EFFECTIVE EXCHANGE RATE
REAL EFFECTIVE EXCHANGE RATES
REAL EXCHANGE RATE
REAL EXCHANGE RATE APPRECIATION
REAL EXCHANGE RATE MOVEMENTS
REAL EXCHANGE RATES
REAL GDP
REAL INCOME
REAL INTEREST
REAL INTEREST RATE
REAL INTEREST RATES
REAL LONG-TERM INTEREST RATE
REAL LONG-TERM INTEREST RATES
REAL WAGE GROWTH
RECESSION
RELATIVE PRICE
REPAYMENT
SAVINGS RATE
SAVINGS RATES
SLOWDOWNS
SMOOTHING CONSUMPTION
SOVEREIGN DEBT
SOVEREIGN RISK
STANDARD DEVIATION
STRONG DEMAND
STRUCTURAL REFORM
STRUCTURAL REFORMS
STRUCTURAL SHOCKS
SUPPLY-SIDE
SURPLUS COUNTRIES
SURPLUSES
TAX
TAX REVENUES
TIME HORIZON
TRADABLE GOODS
TRADE BALANCE
TRADE BALANCES
TRADE SHOCKS
TRADING
TRADING PARTNERS
UNCOVERED INTEREST RATE PARITY
UTILITY FUNCTION
VARIANCE-COVARIANCE MATRIX
WAGES
WARRANTS
WORLD MARKETS
spellingShingle ACCOUNTING
ASSETS
AVAILABILITY OF CREDIT
BANKING SECTOR
BANKING SYSTEM
BILATERAL TRADE
BOND
BORROWING COSTS
BUDGET CONSTRAINT
BUDGET DEFICITS
CAPITAL ACCUMULATION
CAPITAL FLIGHT
CAPITAL FLOWS
CAPITAL INFLOWS
CENTRAL BANK
COMMERCIAL BANKS
COMMON CURRENCY
COMPETITIVENESS
CONSUMER PRICE INDEX
CONSUMER PRICE INFLATION
CONSUMERS
CONSUMPTION SMOOTHING
CREDIT BOOM
CREDIT BOOMS
CREDIT GROWTH
CREDIT MARKET
CREDIT MARKETS
CURRENT ACCOUNT
CURRENT ACCOUNT BALANCE
CURRENT ACCOUNT BALANCES
CURRENT ACCOUNT DEFICIT
CURRENT ACCOUNT DEFICITS
CURRENT ACCOUNT IMBALANCES
CURRENT ACCOUNT SURPLUS
CURRENT ACCOUNT SURPLUSES
CURRENT ACCOUNTS
DEBT CRISIS
DEBT REPAYMENT
DEBTOR
DEBTOR COUNTRIES
DEPENDENCY RATIO
DEPENDENCY RATIOS
DEPRECIATION
DEREGULATION
DEVALUATION
DEVELOPMENT ECONOMICS
DEVELOPMENT POLICY
DIMINISHING RETURNS
DISCOUNT RATE
DISTORTIONS
DOMESTIC DEMAND
DOMESTIC DEMAND GROWTH
DOMESTIC SAVINGS
ECONOMETRICS
ECONOMIC CONTRACTION
ECONOMIC CRISIS
ECONOMIC GROWTH
ECONOMIC INTEGRATION
ECONOMIC MODEL
ECONOMIC OUTLOOK
ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE
ECONOMIC RELATIONS
ECONOMIC SIZE
ELASTICITY
EMERGING MARKET
EMERGING MARKET ECONOMIES
ENDOGENOUS VARIABLE
ENDOGENOUS VARIABLES
ENFORCEMENT MECHANISM
EQUILIBRIUM
ERROR CORRECTION MODEL
EXCESS DEMAND
EXCHANGE RATE
EXCHANGE RATE DETERMINATION
EXCHANGE RATE RISK
EXOGENOUS VARIABLE
EXPORTS
EXTERNAL BALANCE
EXTERNAL BALANCES
EXTERNAL BORROWING
EXTERNAL COMPETITIVENESS
EXTERNAL DEBT
EXTERNAL DEBTS
EXTERNAL DEFICIT
EXTERNAL DEFICITS
EXTERNAL DEMAND
FEDERAL RESERVE
FEDERAL RESERVE BANK
FINANCIAL CRISIS
FINANCIAL INTEGRATION
FINANCIAL SECTOR
FISCAL BALANCE
FISCAL BALANCES
FISCAL DEFICIT
FISCAL DEFICITS
FISCAL DISCIPLINE
FISCAL IMBALANCES
FISCAL POLICIES
FISCAL POLICY
FISCAL POSITIONS
FIXED EFFECTS
FIXED INCOME
FOREIGN DEBT
FUNDAMENTAL DETERMINANTS
GDP
GDP PER CAPITA
GOVERNMENT BONDS
GOVERNMENT SPENDING
HUMAN CAPITAL
IMBALANCE
IMBALANCES
IMPORTS
INCOME GROWTH
INDEPENDENT MONETARY POLICY
INFLATION
INFLATION RATE
INSTRUMENTAL VARIABLE
INTEREST PAYMENTS
INTEREST RATE DIFFERENTIALS
INTEREST RATES
INTEREST-RATE
INTERNATIONAL BANK
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMICS
INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL INTEGRATION
INTERNATIONAL MONEY
INVESTMENT BOOM
INVESTMENT RATE
INVESTMENT RATES
INVESTMENT RATIO
LABOR FORCE
LABOR MARKET
LABOR MARKETS
LACK OF COMPETITION
LESS DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
LEVERAGE
LOAN
LONG-TERM INTEREST
LOSS OF COMPETITIVENESS
LOSS OF REVENUE
LOW INTEREST RATES
MACROECONOMICS
MARKET DEVELOPMENTS
MARKET EQUILIBRIUM
MARKET REFORMS
MISALIGNMENT
MONETARY POLICY
MONETARY UNION
MORTGAGE
NOMINAL INTEREST RATE
NOMINAL WAGE
OIL PRODUCING COUNTRIES
OPEN ECONOMY
PER CAPITA INCOME
PER CAPITA INCOMES
POLICY ON EXCHANGE RATES
POLITICAL STRIFE
PRICE COMPETITIVENESS
PRICE INDEX
PRICE STABILITY
PRODUCTIVITY
PRODUCTIVITY GROWTH
PUBLIC DEBT
PUBLIC EXPENDITURE
PUBLIC INVESTMENTS
PUBLIC SPENDING
REAL EFFECTIVE EXCHANGE RATE
REAL EFFECTIVE EXCHANGE RATES
REAL EXCHANGE RATE
REAL EXCHANGE RATE APPRECIATION
REAL EXCHANGE RATE MOVEMENTS
REAL EXCHANGE RATES
REAL GDP
REAL INCOME
REAL INTEREST
REAL INTEREST RATE
REAL INTEREST RATES
REAL LONG-TERM INTEREST RATE
REAL LONG-TERM INTEREST RATES
REAL WAGE GROWTH
RECESSION
RELATIVE PRICE
REPAYMENT
SAVINGS RATE
SAVINGS RATES
SLOWDOWNS
SMOOTHING CONSUMPTION
SOVEREIGN DEBT
SOVEREIGN RISK
STANDARD DEVIATION
STRONG DEMAND
STRUCTURAL REFORM
STRUCTURAL REFORMS
STRUCTURAL SHOCKS
SUPPLY-SIDE
SURPLUS COUNTRIES
SURPLUSES
TAX
TAX REVENUES
TIME HORIZON
TRADABLE GOODS
TRADE BALANCE
TRADE BALANCES
TRADE SHOCKS
TRADING
TRADING PARTNERS
UNCOVERED INTEREST RATE PARITY
UTILITY FUNCTION
VARIANCE-COVARIANCE MATRIX
WAGES
WARRANTS
WORLD MARKETS
Diaz Sanchez, Jose Luis
Varoudakis, Aristomene
Growth and Competitiveness as Factors of Eurozone External Imbalances : Evidence and Policy Implications
geographic_facet Europe and Central Asia
relation Policy Research Working Paper;No. 6732
description The paper assesses the contribution of key factors associated with external imbalances in the Eurozone through the estimation of a panel-data vector autoregressive model over 1975-2011. Growth fluctuations, initially associated with demand booms triggered by unusually low interest rates and later with demand contractions resulting from the crisis and policy adjustments, have been key drivers of current account fluctuations. Changes in competitiveness, measured by real exchange rates or unit labor costs, have played a less important role. Demand shocks have contributed more to current account balance dynamics in the Eurozone periphery than in the core, whereas competitiveness has been a less prominent factor in the periphery but relatively more important in the core. Changes in competitiveness are positively associated with changes in growth. Preventing imbalances from building up in a context of growing financial integration and easy finance warrants enhanced mutual surveillance of fiscal imbalances, but also better regulation of credit markets to prevent excess leverage and concentration of lending in investments prone to speculative bubbles. Coordination of fiscal policy across the Eurozone would facilitate the management of external imbalances without placing an often unwarranted burden on fiscal tightening in countries with sound fiscal positions affected by credit booms. The policies of internal devaluation implemented in the periphery, aimed at promoting external competitiveness, may have had only limited effectiveness in restoring the external balance to equilibrium.
format Publications & Research :: Policy Research Working Paper
author Diaz Sanchez, Jose Luis
Varoudakis, Aristomene
author_facet Diaz Sanchez, Jose Luis
Varoudakis, Aristomene
author_sort Diaz Sanchez, Jose Luis
title Growth and Competitiveness as Factors of Eurozone External Imbalances : Evidence and Policy Implications
title_short Growth and Competitiveness as Factors of Eurozone External Imbalances : Evidence and Policy Implications
title_full Growth and Competitiveness as Factors of Eurozone External Imbalances : Evidence and Policy Implications
title_fullStr Growth and Competitiveness as Factors of Eurozone External Imbalances : Evidence and Policy Implications
title_full_unstemmed Growth and Competitiveness as Factors of Eurozone External Imbalances : Evidence and Policy Implications
title_sort growth and competitiveness as factors of eurozone external imbalances : evidence and policy implications
publisher World Bank, Washington, DC
publishDate 2014
url http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2013/12/18717042/growth-competitiveness-factors-eurozone-external-imbalances-evidence-policy-implications
http://hdl.handle.net/10986/16900
_version_ 1764434939216920576
spelling okr-10986-169002021-04-23T14:03:33Z Growth and Competitiveness as Factors of Eurozone External Imbalances : Evidence and Policy Implications Diaz Sanchez, Jose Luis Varoudakis, Aristomene ACCOUNTING ASSETS AVAILABILITY OF CREDIT BANKING SECTOR BANKING SYSTEM BILATERAL TRADE BOND BORROWING COSTS BUDGET CONSTRAINT BUDGET DEFICITS CAPITAL ACCUMULATION CAPITAL FLIGHT CAPITAL FLOWS CAPITAL INFLOWS CENTRAL BANK COMMERCIAL BANKS COMMON CURRENCY COMPETITIVENESS CONSUMER PRICE INDEX CONSUMER PRICE INFLATION CONSUMERS CONSUMPTION SMOOTHING CREDIT BOOM CREDIT BOOMS CREDIT GROWTH CREDIT MARKET CREDIT MARKETS CURRENT ACCOUNT CURRENT ACCOUNT BALANCE CURRENT ACCOUNT BALANCES CURRENT ACCOUNT DEFICIT CURRENT ACCOUNT DEFICITS CURRENT ACCOUNT IMBALANCES CURRENT ACCOUNT SURPLUS CURRENT ACCOUNT SURPLUSES CURRENT ACCOUNTS DEBT CRISIS DEBT REPAYMENT DEBTOR DEBTOR COUNTRIES DEPENDENCY RATIO DEPENDENCY RATIOS DEPRECIATION DEREGULATION DEVALUATION DEVELOPMENT ECONOMICS DEVELOPMENT POLICY DIMINISHING RETURNS DISCOUNT RATE DISTORTIONS DOMESTIC DEMAND DOMESTIC DEMAND GROWTH DOMESTIC SAVINGS ECONOMETRICS ECONOMIC CONTRACTION ECONOMIC CRISIS ECONOMIC GROWTH ECONOMIC INTEGRATION ECONOMIC MODEL ECONOMIC OUTLOOK ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE ECONOMIC RELATIONS ECONOMIC SIZE ELASTICITY EMERGING MARKET EMERGING MARKET ECONOMIES ENDOGENOUS VARIABLE ENDOGENOUS VARIABLES ENFORCEMENT MECHANISM EQUILIBRIUM ERROR CORRECTION MODEL EXCESS DEMAND EXCHANGE RATE EXCHANGE RATE DETERMINATION EXCHANGE RATE RISK EXOGENOUS VARIABLE EXPORTS EXTERNAL BALANCE EXTERNAL BALANCES EXTERNAL BORROWING EXTERNAL COMPETITIVENESS EXTERNAL DEBT EXTERNAL DEBTS EXTERNAL DEFICIT EXTERNAL DEFICITS EXTERNAL DEMAND FEDERAL RESERVE FEDERAL RESERVE BANK FINANCIAL CRISIS FINANCIAL INTEGRATION FINANCIAL SECTOR FISCAL BALANCE FISCAL BALANCES FISCAL DEFICIT FISCAL DEFICITS FISCAL DISCIPLINE FISCAL IMBALANCES FISCAL POLICIES FISCAL POLICY FISCAL POSITIONS FIXED EFFECTS FIXED INCOME FOREIGN DEBT FUNDAMENTAL DETERMINANTS GDP GDP PER CAPITA GOVERNMENT BONDS GOVERNMENT SPENDING HUMAN CAPITAL IMBALANCE IMBALANCES IMPORTS INCOME GROWTH INDEPENDENT MONETARY POLICY INFLATION INFLATION RATE INSTRUMENTAL VARIABLE INTEREST PAYMENTS INTEREST RATE DIFFERENTIALS INTEREST RATES INTEREST-RATE INTERNATIONAL BANK INTERNATIONAL ECONOMICS INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL INTEGRATION INTERNATIONAL MONEY INVESTMENT BOOM INVESTMENT RATE INVESTMENT RATES INVESTMENT RATIO LABOR FORCE LABOR MARKET LABOR MARKETS LACK OF COMPETITION LESS DEVELOPED COUNTRIES LEVERAGE LOAN LONG-TERM INTEREST LOSS OF COMPETITIVENESS LOSS OF REVENUE LOW INTEREST RATES MACROECONOMICS MARKET DEVELOPMENTS MARKET EQUILIBRIUM MARKET REFORMS MISALIGNMENT MONETARY POLICY MONETARY UNION MORTGAGE NOMINAL INTEREST RATE NOMINAL WAGE OIL PRODUCING COUNTRIES OPEN ECONOMY PER CAPITA INCOME PER CAPITA INCOMES POLICY ON EXCHANGE RATES POLITICAL STRIFE PRICE COMPETITIVENESS PRICE INDEX PRICE STABILITY PRODUCTIVITY PRODUCTIVITY GROWTH PUBLIC DEBT PUBLIC EXPENDITURE PUBLIC INVESTMENTS PUBLIC SPENDING REAL EFFECTIVE EXCHANGE RATE REAL EFFECTIVE EXCHANGE RATES REAL EXCHANGE RATE REAL EXCHANGE RATE APPRECIATION REAL EXCHANGE RATE MOVEMENTS REAL EXCHANGE RATES REAL GDP REAL INCOME REAL INTEREST REAL INTEREST RATE REAL INTEREST RATES REAL LONG-TERM INTEREST RATE REAL LONG-TERM INTEREST RATES REAL WAGE GROWTH RECESSION RELATIVE PRICE REPAYMENT SAVINGS RATE SAVINGS RATES SLOWDOWNS SMOOTHING CONSUMPTION SOVEREIGN DEBT SOVEREIGN RISK STANDARD DEVIATION STRONG DEMAND STRUCTURAL REFORM STRUCTURAL REFORMS STRUCTURAL SHOCKS SUPPLY-SIDE SURPLUS COUNTRIES SURPLUSES TAX TAX REVENUES TIME HORIZON TRADABLE GOODS TRADE BALANCE TRADE BALANCES TRADE SHOCKS TRADING TRADING PARTNERS UNCOVERED INTEREST RATE PARITY UTILITY FUNCTION VARIANCE-COVARIANCE MATRIX WAGES WARRANTS WORLD MARKETS The paper assesses the contribution of key factors associated with external imbalances in the Eurozone through the estimation of a panel-data vector autoregressive model over 1975-2011. Growth fluctuations, initially associated with demand booms triggered by unusually low interest rates and later with demand contractions resulting from the crisis and policy adjustments, have been key drivers of current account fluctuations. Changes in competitiveness, measured by real exchange rates or unit labor costs, have played a less important role. Demand shocks have contributed more to current account balance dynamics in the Eurozone periphery than in the core, whereas competitiveness has been a less prominent factor in the periphery but relatively more important in the core. Changes in competitiveness are positively associated with changes in growth. Preventing imbalances from building up in a context of growing financial integration and easy finance warrants enhanced mutual surveillance of fiscal imbalances, but also better regulation of credit markets to prevent excess leverage and concentration of lending in investments prone to speculative bubbles. Coordination of fiscal policy across the Eurozone would facilitate the management of external imbalances without placing an often unwarranted burden on fiscal tightening in countries with sound fiscal positions affected by credit booms. The policies of internal devaluation implemented in the periphery, aimed at promoting external competitiveness, may have had only limited effectiveness in restoring the external balance to equilibrium. 2014-02-04T21:04:20Z 2014-02-04T21:04:20Z 2013-12 http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2013/12/18717042/growth-competitiveness-factors-eurozone-external-imbalances-evidence-policy-implications http://hdl.handle.net/10986/16900 English en_US Policy Research Working Paper;No. 6732 CC BY 3.0 IGO http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/igo/ World Bank World Bank, Washington, DC Publications & Research :: Policy Research Working Paper Publications & Research Europe and Central Asia