De Facto Classification of Exchange Rate Regimes and Monetary Policy Frameworks
Data as of April 31, 2008
The classification system is based on the members' actual, de facto arrangements as identified by IMF staff, which may differ from their officially announced arrangements. The scheme ranks exchange rate arrangements on the basis of their degree of flexibility and the existence of formal or informal commitments to exchange rate paths. It distinguishes among different forms of exchange rate arrangements, in addition to arrangements with no separate legal tender, to help assess the implications of the choice of exchange rate arrangement for the degree of independence of monetary policy. The system presents members' exchange rate regimes against alternative monetary policy frameworks in order to highlight the role of the exchange rate in braod economic policy and to illustrate that different exchange rate arrangements can be consistent with similar monetary frameworks. The following explains the categoreis.
Exchange rate anchor
The monetary authority stands ready to buy or sell foreign exchange at given quoted rates to maintain the exchange rate at its predetermined level or within a range (the exchange rate serves as the nominal anchor or intermediate target of monetary policy). These regimes cover exchange rate regimes with no separate legal tender, currency board arrangements, fixed pegs with or without bands, and crawling pegs with or without bands.
Monetary aggregate target
The monetary authority uses its instruments to achieve a target growth rate for a monetary aggregate, such as reserve money, M1, or M2, and the targeted aggregate becomes the nominal anchor or intermediate target of monetary policy.
Inflation targeting framework
This involves the public announcement of medium-term numerical targets for inflation, with an institutional commitment by the monetary authority to achieve these targets. Additional key features include increased communication with the public and the markets about the plans and objectives of monetary policymakers and increased accountability of the central bank for its inflation objectives. Monetary policy decisions are guided by the deviation of forecasts of future inflation from the announced inflation target, with the inflation forecast acting (implicitly or explicitly) as the intermediate target of monetary policy.
Other
The country has no explicitly stated nominal anchor, but rather monitors various indicators in conducting monetary policy. This is also used when no relevant information on the country is available.