REAL EXCHANGE RATE, MONETARY POLICY, AND THE U.S. ECONOMY: EVIDENCE FROM A FAVAR MODEL

This paper examines the effects of exchange rate depreciation to the U.S. economy in a factor-augmented vector autoregression model using monthly data of 148 variables for the post-Bretton Woods period of 1973-2017. Exchange rate shock is identified to reflect exogenous disturbances to the foreign exchange market, and movements in exchange rate that are not accounted for by changes in the U.S. monetary policy. We find that depreciation is expansionary and inflationary to the broad U.S. economy, the current account improves over time conforming to the J-curve theory, and monetary policy is leaning against the wind. (JEL E3, E5, F31, F32, F41)
I. INTRODUCTION The breakdown of the Bretton Woods system in the early 1970s embarked on the transition of the world monetary system from fixed exchange rates to floating. With accelerated [...]