Increased efficiency
in the allocation of
resources
Source of foreign
exchange (import)
World Trade Organization (WTO)
Deals with global "rules" for
trading, while aiming for
reduction in protectionism and
promotion of free trade
Functionality
Execute and administer agreements
Provide a forum for trade negotiation
Rule on trade disputes
Monitor trade policies
Provide assistance to ELDCs on trade issues
Free Trade/ Protectionism
Free trade
the international
exchange of goods and
services without any
artificial barriers to trade
Comparative advantage
Specialisation -> Efficiency use of resources
Benefits to producers and consumers
Lower costs and prices
Decrease prices in importing
Competitiveness and efficiency
Market > Government
No retaliation from barriers
Allocation of resources
Protectionism
Infant industry arguments
Underdeveloped economies
can't compete with Developed
economies
Anti-dumping
Pricing below
cost to gain
competitiveness (subsidy)
Protecting employment
Balance of Payments
Positive current account
Externalities and demerit goods
Education/ healthcare underprovision
Strategic/ security reasons
Unrealistic assumptions of comparative advantages
Advantages of one
is disadvantage or
the other
Quotas
a physical limit on
imports in terms of
volume or value
Similar effect as tariff
Instead of government
revenue foreign importing
firms with quota license
Buying goods at
world price and
selling for higher
Global misallocation
Tariff
Tax on imports
Boosts Domestic firms
Raises Government revenue
Effectiveness depends on
elasticities of D and S
Deadweight welfare loss
Global misallocation
Subsidies
artificially lower the costs
of producer thus reducing
price of G & S
Less imports
more domestic
supply
Negative effect on
government budget
Global misallocation
Economics Integration
Globalization
the geographical dispersion of
industrial and service activities and the
cross-border networking of companies
Preferential trade agreement
Bilateral (2) or Multilateral (many)
Partner > low cost producers
Trading Blocs
Free Trade Area
When countries form a trading area
within which they move goods and
services freely but each individual
country retains its own barriers to
outside countries
Custom Union
Individual country trade
barriers no longer exist and
there is a unified trade policy
Common Market
A customs union with the
free movement of factors of
production as well
Reluctance to surrender
both economic and
political sovereignty stop
further intergration
Monetary Union
a common market with
a common currency and
a common central bank
Advantages
More efficient
resource allocation
Increased quality
of life/ real income
Easier to trade
Price transparency
Coordinated macro policy
with lower inflation and
interest rates
Increase inward investment
Reduced Exchange
Rate uncertainty
between members
Disadvantages
Increased competitive costs
Lower levels of integration,
firms exploit differences in
employment and
environmental legislation
Loos of economic
sovereignty
(Monetary)
"One size fits all"
monetary policy
Asymmetric shocks
Exchange Rates
the price of one
currency in terms of
another
Types of ER
Floating
Demand
Demand for exports
Inflows of investments
Speculative buying
Central Bank buying currency
Supply
Demand for imports
Outflows of investments
Speculative selling
Central banks
selling currency
Factors of Change
Monetary
Interest rates and investors
Fiscal
Investor confidence
Growth
AD on imports/ exports
Inflation
Purchasing Power Parity Theory
ER will adjust in
long run due to PPP
Trade Balance
Trade surplus ER rise,
Trade deficit ER fall
Speculation
Huge impact
Depreciates and
Appreciates
Managed
Government intervention
Set limit to achieve
macro objectives
Fixed
Government intervention
Use IR and Currency reserves
Devalues and
Revalues
Common Currencies and Monetary Integration
Adv. Float (Opposite for Dis. Fixed)
No currency reserves
Monetary policy free to
target domestic goals
Automatic balance of
payments adjustment
Reduced risk of speculation
Adv. Fixed (Opposite for Dis. Float)
Inflation discipline
Certainty through
currency stability
increased trade
Reduced costs of currency
hedging for firms
Strong currency
Adv
Reduced import costs
Inflationary discipline
Improvement in the terms of trade
Increased real
purchasing power
abroad
Dis
Increased import penetration
Exports struggle to maintain competitiveness
Reduces economics growth
Asymmetrical effects on regions and sectors
Balance of Payment
An account of a country's
financial transaction with the
rest of the world
Current Account
the value of trade in
G&S and net
investment income
and transfers
Balance of trade in G&S;
Income; Current transfer
Current account deficit
Export < Import
Downward pressure on ER
Long term risks
Capital Flight (capital transfer over sea)
Inflationary, might need IR rise
Opportunity cost of debt funding
Effects on credit rating
Current account surplus
Export > Import
Upward pressure on ER
Long term risks
Risks of protectionist measures for deficit countries
Upward pressure on the currency
Capital and financial account
Capital flows (shares,
government debt and
foreign investment)
Capital account:
Capital transfer;
Transactions in
non-produced,
non-financial assets
Financial account:
Direct investment,
Portfolio investment,
Reserve assets