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Fundamentals of Multinational Finance, 6e (Moffett et al.)
Chapter 2 The International Monetary System
2.1 History of the International Monetary System
1) Under the gold standard of currency exchange that existed from 1879 to 1914, an ounce of
gold cost $20.67 in U.S. dollars and £4.2474 in British pounds. Therefore, the exchange rate of
pounds per dollar under this fixed exchange regime was:
A) £4.8665/$.
B) £0.2055/$.
C) always changing because the price of gold was always changing.
D) unknown because there is not enough information to answer this question.
2) World War I caused the suspension of the gold standard for fixed international exchange rates
because the war:
A) cost too much money.
B) interrupted the free movement of gold.
C) lasted too long.
D) used gold as the main ingredient in armament plating.
3) The post WWII international monetary agreement that was developed in 1944 is known as
the:
A) United Nations.
B) League of Nations.
C) Yalta Agreement.
D) Bretton Woods Agreement.
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4) Another name for the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development is:
A) the Recon Bank.
B) the European Monetary System.
C) the Marshall Plan.
D) the World Bank.
5) The International Monetary Fund (IMF):
A) in recent years has provided large loans to Russia, South Korea, and Brazil.
B) was created as a result of the Bretton Woods Agreement.
C) aids countries with balance of payment and exchange rate problems.
D) is all of the above.
6) One of the innovations introduced by Bretton Woods was the creation of the Special Drawing
Right or SDR. The SDR is an international reserve asset created by the:
A) U.S. Department of the Treasury.
B) International Bank of Reconstruction and Development (IBRD).
C) World Bank (WB).
7) Which of the following led to the eventual demise of the fixed currency exchange rate regime
worked out at Bretton Woods?
A) widely divergent national monetary and fiscal policies among member nations
B) differential rates of inflation across member nations
C) several unexpected economic shocks to member nations
D) all of the above
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8) Which of the following statements is NOT true?
A) The Gold Standard Era was characterized by growing openness in trade, but limited capital
mobility.
B) The time period between world wars 1 and 2 (the inter war years) witnessed significant
reductions in trade barriers and a rapid acceleration in international trade.
C) The Bretton Woods Era (post WWII) realized the increasing benefits of open economies.
Furthermore, trade was increasingly dominated by capital.
D) Since March 1973, exchange rates have become much more volatile and less predictable than
previous periods.
9) A review of the evolution of the Global Monetary System shows that capital flows dominate
trade in which of the following eras EXCEPT:
A) Classical Gold Standard.
B) Fixed Exchange Rates, 1945-1973.
C) The Floating Era, 1973-1997.
D) The Emerging Era, 1997-Present.
10) Since 2009 the IMF's exchange rate regime classification system uses a "de facto
classification" methodology. Under this system, a country that has given up their own
sovereignty over monetary
policy is considered to have:
A) a residual agreement.
B) hard pegs.
C) soft pegs.
D) floating arrangements.
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11) Since 2009 the IMF's exchange rate regime classification system uses a "de facto
classification" methodology. Under this system, countries with "fixed exchange rates" are
considered to have:
A) a residual agreement.
B) soft pegs.
C) hard pegs.
D) floating arrangements.
12) A small economy country whose GDP is heavily dependent on trade with the United States
could use a(n) ________ exchange rate regime to minimize the risk to their economy that could
arise due to unfavorable changes in the exchange rate.
A) pegged exchange rate with the United States
B) pegged exchange rate with the Euro
C) independent floating
D) managed float
13) Since 2009 the IMF's exchange rate regime classification system uses a "de facto
classification" methodology. Under this system, currencies that are predominantly market-driven
are considered to be:
A) soft pegs.
B) hard pegs.
C) floating arrangements.
D) a residual agreement.
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14) Among IMF member countries since 2010 the dominating exchange rate regime has been:
A) hard peg.
B) soft peg.
C) floating arrangements.
15) Under the terms of Bretton Woods, countries tried to maintain the value of their currencies to
within 1% of a hybrid security made up of the U.S. dollar, British pound, and Japanese yen.
16) Members of the International Monetary Fund may settle transactions among themselves by
transferring Special Drawing Rights (SDRs).
17) Today, the United States has been ejected from the International Monetary Fund for refusal
to pay annual dues.
18) From the time of its creation through July 2012, the euro peaked versus the USD in April
2008 at around $1.60/€.
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19) Since March 1973, when exchange rates become more volatile and less predictable than
during the "fixed" exchange rate period, the nominal exchange rate index of the U.S. dollar
20) The euro is an example of a rigidly fixed system, acting as a single currency for its member
countries. However, the euro itself is an independently floating currency against all other
currencies.
21) Although the contemporary international monetary system is typically referred to as a
"floating regime," it is clearly not the case for the majority of the world's nations.
AACSB: Application of knowledge
22) The IMF's methodology for classifying exchange rate regimes today is based on the official
policy statement of the respective governments, de jure classification.
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23) Most Western nations were on the gold standard for currency exchange rates from 1876 until
1914. Today we have several different exchange rate regimes in use, but most larger economy
nations have freely floating exchange rates today and are not obligated to convert their currency
into a predetermined amount of gold on demand. Currently several parties still call for the "good
old days" and a return to the gold standard. Develop an argument as to why this is a good idea.
24) The mobility of international capital flows is causing emerging market nations to choose
between a free-floating currency exchange regime and a currency board (or taken to the limit,
dollarization). Describe how each of the regimes would work and identify at least two likely
economic results for each regime.
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2.2 Fixed Versus Flexible Exchange Rates
1) Based on the premise that, other things equal, countries would prefer a fixed exchange rate,
which of the following statements is NOT true?
A) Fixed rates provide stability in international prices for the conduct of trade.
B) Fixed exchange rate regimes necessitate that central banks maintain large quantities of
international reserves for use in the occasional defense of the fixed rate.
C) Fixed rates are inherently inflationary in that they require the country to follow loose
monetary and fiscal policies.
D) Stable prices aid in the growth of international trade and lessen exchange rate risks for
businesses.
2) According to the terminology associated with changes in currency values, which of the
following choices is the case when a currency's value relative to other currencies is changed by a
government?
A) depreciation and revaluation
B) devaluation and appreciation
C) devaluation and revaluation
D) depreciation and appreciation
3) Based on the premise that, other things equal, countries would prefer a fixed exchange rate:
Variable rates provide stability in international prices for the conduct of trade.
4) If exchange rates were fixed, investors and traders would be relatively certain about the
current and near future exchange value of each currency.
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5) According to the terminology associated with changes in currency values, depreciation is a
case when a currency's value relative to other currencies is changed by a government.
6) By and large, high capital mobility is forcing emerging market nations to choose between the
two extremes of a free floating exchange rate or a hard peg regime.
7) List and explain the three attributes (often referred as the impossible trinity) an ideal currency
would possess if existed in today's world.
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2.3 The Impossible Trinity
1) Which of the following is NOT an attribute of the "ideal" currency?
A) monetary independence
B) full financial integration
C) exchange rate stability
D) All are attributes of an ideal currency.
2) The authors discuss the concept of the "Impossible Trinity" or the inability to achieve
simultaneously the goals of exchange rate stability, full financial integration, and monetary
independence. If a country chooses to have a pure float exchange rate regime, which two of the
three goals is a country most able to achieve?
A) monetary independence and exchange rate stability
B) exchange rate stability and full financial integration
C) full financial integration and monetary independence
D) A country cannot attain any of the exchange rate goals with a pure float exchange rate regime.
3) China today is a clear example of a nation that has chosen the following policies EXCEPT:
A) control and manage the value of its currency.
B) conduct an independent monetary policy.
C) full financial integration in an attempt to stimulate its domestic economy.
D) restrict the flow of capital into and out of the country.
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2.4 A Single Currency for Europe: The Euro
1) Which of the following is NOT a required convergence criteria to become a full member of
the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU)?
A) National birthrates must be at 2.0 or lower per person.
B) The fiscal deficit should be no more than 3% of GDP.
C) Nominal inflation should be no more than 1.5% above the average inflation rate for the three
members with the lowest inflation rates in the previous year.
D) Government debt should be no more than 60% of GDP.
2) According to the authors, what is the single most important mandate of the European Central
Bank?
A) Promote international trade for countries within the European Union.
B) Price, in euros, all products for sale in the European Union.
C) Promote price stability within the European Union.
D) Establish an EMU trade surplus with the United States.
3) Which of the following is a way in which the euro affects markets?
A) Countries within the Euro zone enjoy cheaper transaction costs.
B) Currency risks and costs related to exchange rate uncertainty are reduced.
C) Consumers and business enjoy price transparency and increased price-based competition.
D) all of the above
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4) For the three years from early 2002 to early 2005, the euro maintained a strong and steady rise
in value against the U.S. dollar (USD). After a brief respite in 2005, the euro continued its climb
against the USD into 2008. Which of the following were NOT a contributing factor in the assent
of the euro and the decline in the dollar?
A) severe U.S. balance of payments deficits
B) a general weakening of the dollar after the attacks of September 11, 2001
C) large U.S. balance of payment surpluses
D) All of the above were contributing factors.
5) The countries that use the euro as their currency have:
A) agreed to use a single currency (exchange rate stability), allow the free movement of capital
in and out of their economies (financial integration), but give up individual control of their own
money supply (monetary independence).
B) gained control over their own money supply (monetary independence), allowed the free
movement of capital in and out of their economies (financial integration), but give up exchange
rate stability.
C) agreed to use a single currency (exchange rate stability), allow individual control of their own
money supply (monetary independence), but give up the free movement of capital in and out of
their economies (financial integration).
D) none of the above
6) The Euro currency is fixed against other currencies on the international currency exchange
markets, but allows member country currencies to float against each other.
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7) The European Central Bank is a strong and independent central bank that has completely
replaced the individual central banks of the countries that use the euro as their currency.
8) The members of the EU do have relative freedom to set their own fiscal policies—
government spending, taxation, and the creation of government surpluses or deficits. They are
expected to keep deficit spending within limits.
9) List and explain three benefits the euro would generate for the states participating in the
European Economic and Monetary Union.
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2.5 Emerging Markets and Regime Choices
1) Beginning in 1991 Argentina conducted its monetary policy through a currency board. In
January 2002, Argentina abandoned the currency board and allowed its currency to float against
other currencies. The country took this step because:
A) the Argentine Peso had grown too strong against major trading powers thus the currency
board policies were hurting the domestic economy.
B) the United States required the action as a prerequisite to finalizing a free trade zone with all of
North, South, and Central America.
C) the Argentine government lost the ability to maintain the pegged relationship as in fact
investors and traders perceived a lack of equality between the Argentine Peso and the U.S.
dollar.
D) all of the above
2) In January 2002, the Argentine Peso changed in value from Peso 1.00/$ to Peso 1.40/$, thus,
the Argentine Peso ________ against the U.S. dollar.
A) strengthened
B) weakened
C) remained neutral
D) all of the above
3) In January 2000 Ecuador officially replaced its national currency, the Ecuadorian sucre, with
the U.S. dollar. This practice is known as:
A) bi-currencyism.
B) securitization
C) a Yankee bailout.
D) dollarization.
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4) You have been hired as a consultant to the central bank for a country that has for many years
suffered from repeated currency crises and depends heavily on the U.S. financial and product
markets. Which of the following policies would have the greatest effectiveness for reducing
currency volatility of the client country with the United States?
A) dollarization
B) an exchange rate pegged to the U.S. dollar
C) an exchange rate with a fixed price per ounce of gold
D) an internationally floating exchange rate
5) Which of the following is NOT an argument against dollarization?
A) Dollarization causes a loss of sovereignty over domestic monetary policy.
B) Dollarization removes currency volatility against the dollar.
C) Dollarization causes the country to lose the power of seignorage.
D) The central bank of the dollarized country loses the role of lender of last resort.
6) The ability of a country to profit from its ability to print money is known as:
A) profiteering.
B) dollarization.
C) seignorage.
D) inflation.
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7) Which of the following factors make it difficult for emerging market economies to choose a
specific currency regime?
A) weak fiscal, financial, and monetary institutions
B) the tendency for commerce to allow currency substitution and the denomination of liabilities
in dollars
C) the emerging market's vulnerability to sudden stoppages of outside capital flows
D) all of the above
8) Of the following, which is NOT a trade-off that must be dealt with in any exchange rate
regime?
A) cooperation vs independence
B) rules vs discretionary action
C) dollars vs pounds
9) The following are examples of degrees of internationalization of an international currency
EXCEPT:
A) First degree of internationalization is when an international currency becomes readily
accessible for trade.
B) A second degree of internationalization is when an international currency is used for
international investment.
C) A third degree of internationalization is when an international currency is used for
international investment.
D) A third degree of internationalization is when an international currency takes the role of a
reserve currency.
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10) A currency board exists when a country's central bank commits to back its money supply
entirely with foreign reserves at all times.
11) A currency board exists when a country's central bank commits to back a fraction of its
money base with foreign reserves at all times.
12) Dollarization is a common solution for countries suffering from currency revaluation.
13) All exchange rate regimes must deal with the trade-off between rules and discretion as well
as between cooperation and independence.
14) Regime structures like the gold standard required no cooperative policies among countries,
only the assurance that all would abide by the "rules of the game."
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15) Bretton Woods required less in the way of cooperation among countries than did the gold
16) The People's Republic of China has two official currencies, the Chinese renminbi (RMB) and
the yuan (CNY).
17) Explain how all exchange rate regimes must deal with the trade-off between rules and
discretion, as well as between cooperation and independence. List and classified two
International Monetary Systems based on these four quadrants.
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18) Dollarization is the use of the U.S. dollar as the official currency of the country. List and
explain the arguments for and against dollarization. Provide example/s of countries that used the
dollar as its official currency.
