CURRENT ACCOUNT DYNAMICS AND THE REAL EXCHANGE RATE: DISENTANGLING THE EVIDENCE

We study the main shocks driving current account (CA) fluctuations for the G6 economies, using a standard two-good intertemporal model. We build a structural vector autoregression model including the world real interest rate, net output (NO), the real exchange rate, and the CA and identify four structural shocks. Our results suggest four main conclusions: (i) there is substantial support for the two-good intertemporal model with time-varying interest rate, since both external supply and preference shocks account for an important proportion of CA fluctuations; (ii) temporary domestic shocks account for a large proportion of CA fluctuations, albeit smaller than in previous studies; (iii) our results alleviate the puzzle in the literature that a shock that explains little about NO changes can explain a large proportion of CA changes; (iv) the nature of the shock matters to shape the relationship between the CA and the real exchange rate.

Intertemporal Choice of Fuzzy Soft Sets

This paper first merges two noteworthy aspects of choice. On the one hand, soft sets and fuzzy soft sets are popular models that have been largely applied to decision making problems, such as real estate valuation, medical diagnosis (glaucoma, prostate cancer, etc.), data mining, or international trade. They provide crisp or fuzzy parameterized descriptions of the universe of alternatives. On the other hand, in many decisions, costs and benefits occur at different points in time. This brings about intertemporal choices, which may involve an indefinitely large number of periods. However, the literature does not provide a model, let alone a solution, to the intertemporal problem when the alternatives are described by (fuzzy) parameterizations. In this paper, we propose a novel soft set inspired model that applies to the intertemporal framework, hence it fills an important gap in the development of fuzzy soft set theory. An algorithm allows the selection of the optimal option in intertemporal choice problems with an infinite time horizon. We illustrate its application with a numerical example involving alternative portfolios of projects that a public administration may undertake. This allows us to establish a pioneering intertemporal model of choice in the framework of extended fuzzy set theories.

Analisis Keseimbangan Eksternal Indonesia: Pendekatan Intertemporal Model of Current Account

Current account balance has an important role of measuring the direction and the amount of international loan. This study analyzes Indonesian external balance due to its solvency condition of external debt and sustainability of current account balance during 1970{2007 by intertemporal-model approach of current account. The results of cointegration test and bivariate autoregressive (VAR) indicate that solvency condition holds, but not for the sustainability condition of current account balance. It means that Indonesia has capability to payback its external debt.AbstrakDalam hubungannya dengan utang luar negeri, transaksi berjalan mempunyai peranan penting karena mengukur arah dan besarnya pinjaman internasional. Tulisan ini menganalisis mengenai keseimbangan eksternal Indonesia dengan melihat pada solvency condition atas utang luar negeri dan sustainabilitas neraca transaksi berjalan dengan pendekatan intertemporal model of current account. Data yang digunakan adalah time series tahunan periode 1970--2007. Hasil estimasi menunjukkan bahwa solvency condition Indonesia terpenuhi, artinya Indonesia berada dalam kemampuan membayar kembali utangnya, namun kondisi sustainabilitas neraca transaksi berjalan tidak tercapai.