Recognizing Reality—Unification of Official and Parallel Market Exchange Rates

February 5, 2021

Preview Citation

Format: Chicago

Simon T Gray. Recognizing Reality—Unification of Official and Parallel Market Exchange Rates, (USA: International Monetary Fund, 2021) accessed December 21, 2024

Disclaimer: IMF Working Papers describe research in progress by the author(s) and are published to elicit comments and to encourage debate. The views expressed in IMF Working Papers are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF, its Executive Board, or IMF management.

Summary

Some central banks have maintained overvalued official exchange rates, while unable to ensure that supply of foreign exchange meets legitimate demand for current account transactions at that price. A parallel exchange rate market develops, in such circumstances; and when the spread between the official and parallel rates is both substantial and sustained, price levels in the economy typically reflect the parallel market exchange rate. “Recognizing reality” by allowing economic agents to use a market clearing rate benefits economic activity without necessarily leading to more inflation. But a unified, market-clearing exchange rate will not stabilize without a supportive fiscal and monetary context. A number of country case studies are included; my thanks to Jie Ren for pulling together all the data for the country case studies, and the production of the charts.

Subject: Currency markets, Exchange rate policy, Exchange rates, Foreign exchange, Multiple currency practices

Keywords: Exchange rate unification, Exchange rate weakness, Managed float, Market rate, Market-clearing exchange rate, Market-clearing rate, Parallel markets, WP

Publication Details

Pages:

45
Volume:

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DOI:

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Issue:

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Series:

Working Paper No. 2021/025
Stock No:

WPIEA2021025
ISBN:

9781513568638
ISSN:

1018-5941

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