The Elasticity Approach to Balance-of-Payments and Exchange-Rate Determination

Overview of the Elasticity Approach

The elasticity approach emphasizes price changes as a determinant of a nations balance of payments and exchange rate. The elasticity approach is helpful in understanding the different outcomes that might arise from the short to long run.

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Elasticity Approach

Review of Elasticity
Price Elasticity of Demand is a measure of the responsiveness of quantity demanded to a change in price. If quantity demanded is highly responsive to a change in price, then demand is said to be relatively elastic. If quantity demanded is not very responsive to a change in price, then demand is said to be relatively inelastic.
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The Effect of Exchange Rate Changes

The exchange rate is an important price to an economy. When a nations currency depreciates, domestic goods become relatively cheaper and foreign goods relatively more expensive in the global market. Hence, we would expect exports to rise and imports to decline.
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The Responsiveness of Imports and Exports

The elasticity approach, therefore, considers the responsiveness of imports and exports to a change in the value of a nations currency. For example, if import demand is highly elastic, a depreciation of the domestic currency will cause a disproportional decline in the nations imports.
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Elasticity of Foreign Exchange Supply and Demand

A nations supply of foreign exchange is dependent upon (among other things) its import demand, e.g. when a nation imports, it supplies foreign exchange as payment. A nations demand for foreign exchange is dependent upon its export supply, e.g. when a nation exports, it demands foreign exchange as payment.
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Surpluses and Deficits

An excess supply of foreign exchange is equivalent to a current account deficit. An excess demand for foreign exchange is equivalent to a current account surplus. The current account is in balance when the quantity of foreign exchange supplied and quantity demanded are equal.
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Spot Exchange Rate

The superscripts I and E denote the relatively inelastic and relatively elastic supply and demand curves.

SE DE

SI

DI Foreign Exchange
in domestic currency units

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Spot Exchange Rate S0

At a spot exchange rate of S0, the nation has an excess supply of foreign exchange and, therefore, is running a current account deficit.

SE DE

SI

DI Foreign Exchange
in domestic currency units

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Spot Exchange Rate S0

SE

The elasticity approach considers how the responsiveness of imports and exports to changes in the exchange rate determines the extent to which a depreciation E will D improve the current account balance. DI Foreign Exchange
in domestic currency units

SI

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Spot Exchange Rate S0 S1 SE

If foreign exchange supply and demand are relatively elastic, a small change in the spot rate can correct the deficit.

DE

SI

DI Foreign Exchange
in domestic currency units

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Spot Exchange Rate S0

If foreign exchange supply and demand are relatively inelastic, a larger change in the spot rate is required to correct the deficit.

S1

SE DE

SI

DI Foreign Exchange
in domestic currency units

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The J-Curve
The J-Curve is an (often, but not always) observed phenomenon. What is observed is that, follow a depreciation or devaluation, the nations balance of payments worsens before it improves.

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Pass-Through Effects
A pass-through effect is when the domestic price of an imported good rises (falls) following the depreciation (appreciation) of the domestic currency.

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The Absorption Approach to Balance-of-Payments and Exchange-Rate Determination

Overview of The Absorption Approach

The absorption approach emphasizes changes in real domestic income as a determinant of a nations balance of payments and exchange rate. Because it treats prices as constant, all variables are real measures.

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Expenditures
A nations expenditures fall into four categories, consumption (c), investment (i), government (g), and imports (m). The total of these four categories is referred to as domestic absorption (a) a c + i + g + m,

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Real Income
A nations real income (y) is equivalent to total expenditures on its output y c + i + g + x, where x denotes exports.

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The Current Account

During the time (early Bretton Woods era) that the absorption model was developed, capital flows were not very important. Trade flows, therefore, determined the current account balance. Hence, the current account (ca) is equivalent to ca x - m. Then, for example, if exports exceed imports, x > m, the nation is running a current account surplus.
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Current Account Determination

The absorption approach hypothesizes that a nations current account balance is determined by the difference between real income and absorption, which can be written as: y - a = (c+i+g+x) - (c+i+g+m) = x - m, or y - a = ca.
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Contractions and Expansions

Though a simple theory, the absorption approach is helpful in understanding a nations external performance during contractions and expansions. For example, when a nation experiences an economic contraction, does its current account necessarily improve and does its currency definitely appreciate? Does the opposite necessarily hold during an economic expansion?
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Balance of Payments Determination

Consider the case of an economic expansion. Real income rises, thereby increasing real expenditures or absorption. Whether the current account balance improves or worsens depends on the relative changes in these two variables.

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Current Account Adjustment

If real income rises faster than absorption, then the current account improves y > a ca > 0. If real income rises slower than absorption, then the current account worsens y < a ca < 0. Similar conclusions can be reached for a nation experiencing an economic contraction.
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Exchange Rate Determination

The absorption approach can also be used to examine how changes in income affect the value of a nations currency. Recall that y - a = x - m. For example, if real income is rising faster than absorption, then exports must be increasing relative to imports. Hence, the nations currency will appreciate.
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Policy Implications
A nation may resort to absorption instruments or expenditure switching instruments to correct an external imbalance. The effectiveness of these instruments, however, is uncertain, as can be seen in the model.
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Policy Instruments
Absorption Instrument: Influences absorption by altering expenditures. Suppose the government reduces its expenditures (g). Absorption will decline as g declines. However, since expenditures decline, so does output. The absorption instrument is effective only if absorption declines faster than output.

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Policy Instruments, Continued

Expenditure Switching Instrument: Alters expenditures among imports and exports by changing relative prices. Suppose the government devalues the domestic currency. Imports are relatively more expensive, and exports are relatively cheaper. If households and businesses switch directly between imports and domestic output without changing overall absorption or income, there is no impact on the current account balance.
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Conclusion
The Absorption Approach emphasizes real income in balance-of-payments and exchange-rate determination. The approach hypothesizes that relative changes in real income or output and absorption determine a nations balance-ofpayments and exchange-rate performance. It is not clear that expenditure switching and absorption instruments are effective.
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