Why is it important to understand fixed exchange rates in the modern global economy? What will be an ideal response? ANSWER Fixed rates continue to be important for four reasons: 1. Managed floating: Central banks intervene in foreign exchange markets. 2. Regional currency arrangements: Some countries peg their currency to another currency. 3. Developing […]
Central banks often intervene in currency markets. This activity is called A) managed floating. B) fixing exchange rates. C) currency warfare. D) super-pegging. E) flexible floating. ANSWER A
A firm that buys foreign exchange in order to take advantage of higher foreign interest rates is A) speculating. B) demonstrating purchasing power parity. C) engaging in interest rate arbitrage. D) responding to fluctuations in the business cycle. E) ignoring the nominal rate of exchange. ANSWER C
Export-led growth tends to A) discourage competition in the global economy. B) exploit domestic comparative advantages. C) lead to unemployment among domestic workers. D) help firms benefit from diseconomies of large-scale production. E) lower the overall volume of imports. ANSWER B
Raul Prebisch was an Argentine economist who argued that A) the terms of trade would decline for primary commodity exports. B) the terms of trade would decline for manufactured goods exports. C) imports substitution policies were a solution to export pessimism. D) Both A and C. E) Both B and C. ANSWER D
Explain why Relative PPP is useful when comparing countries that base their price levels on different product baskets. What will be an ideal response? ANSWER For Example: If the U.S. price level rises by 10% over a year while Europe’s rises by only 5%, relative PPP predicts a 5% depreciation of the dollar against […]
An internal economies of scale is defined as A) one whose size or scale effects are not located in the firm, but in the industry. B) one with falling costs over a specific level of output. C) one with falling costs over a relatively large range of output. D) one with falling costs over a […]
In the year 2012, Shinzo Abe became prime minister of Japan, promising bold policies to improve Japan’s economy. What was the focus of his policies and how did they affect Japan’s trade position? What will be an ideal response? ANSWER What has been called “Abenomics” involved monetary policies designed to reduce the value of […]
Describe the technology transfer benefit of capital flows and the political power cost of large capital flows into low-income countries. What will be an ideal response? ANSWER Benefits include new technologies, new management techniques, and new ideas. Developing countries often lack access to these without outside help. If it comes as direct investment, it […]
MacDougall showed in his tests that A) relatively higher U.S. labor productivity was associated with relatively higher U.K. export ratios. B) relatively higher U.K. labor productivity was associated with relatively higher U.K. export ratios. C) labor productivity ratios and export ratios were not associated with each other. D) None of the above. ANSWER B
