Chapter 18
International Finance and Exchange Rates
Multiple Choice:
1. Since 1970, U.S. investment in other countries has
A) increased by more than foreign investment in the U.S.
B) increased by less than foreign investment in the U.S.
C) necessarily increased by exactly the same as foreign investment in the U.S.
D) increased more than twenty-fold.
2. Since roughly 1970, the U.S. has moved from being a
A) net importer of goods and services to being a net exporter of goods and services.
B) net debtor nation to being a net creditor nation.
C) net creditor nation to being a net debtor nation.
D) small net creditor nation to a much larger net creditor nation.
3. Borrowing from other nations is necessary to finance
A) more imports than exports.
B) more exports than imports.
C) a foreign trade surplus.
D) a surplus in the current account.
4. The two fundamental sections of the Balance of Payments accounting system are:
A) the physical and monetary direct transfers among individuals.
B) physical investment and ephemeral investment.
C) aggregate consumption and government spending.
D) the current account and the capital account.
5. What “balances” in the Balance of Payments accounting system are:
A) the physical and monetary direct transfers among individuals.
B) physical investment and ephemeral investment.
C) aggregate consumption and government spending.
D) the current account and the capital account.
6. “Net transfers of private money” most often represent
A) money sent home by foreign workers in the U.S.
B) purchases by foreigners of physical capital in the U.S.
C) purchases by foreigners of U.S. export goods.
D) purchases of foreign-produced goods and services by U.S. citizens.
7. The difference between imports and exports of merchandise goods and services is
reported
A) in the capital account.
B) in the current account.
C) nowhere in the Balance of Payments accounting system.
D) as the sum of the current account and the capital account.
8. The massive deficit in the U.S. current account primarily reflects the
A) excess of foreign investment in the U.S. over domestic private investment.
B) excess of U.S. exports over U.S. imports.
C) excess of U.S. imports over U.S. exports.
D) transfers of money home by U.S. citizens working in other countries.
9. Over time, the U.S. current account balance has primarily reflected
A) the U.S. balance of trade.
B) the volume of U.S. exports.
C) the extent of U.S. investment in other countries.
D) transfers of money home by U.S. citizens working in other countries.
10. Changes in U.S. citizens’ holdings of long-term financial and physical assets in
another country are reported in
A) the trade balance.
B) the current account.
C) total exports of goods and services.
D) the capital account.
11. Aside from a statistical discrepancy, any deficit in the current account is matched by
A) a deficit in the capital account.
B) a surplus in the capital account.
C) a surplus in the merchandise trade balance.
D) the excess of exports over imports.
12. In 2011, the U. S. current account balance as a percentage of GDP was approximately
A) 20%.
B) 2%.
C) 0%.
D) -3.5%.
13. In 2011, foreign purchases of U.S. assets as a percentage of GDP was approximately
A) 4%.
B) 14%.
C) 0%.
D) -4.
14. Any restriction on the ease of exchanging on currency for another tends to harm
A) only the prospective purchaser of imported goods.
B) only the prospective manufacturer of goods for export.
C) both the prospective import purchaser and the prospective export manufacturer.
D) no one.
15. In the market for a foreign currency, the curve that represents the “willingness of
those who have U.S. dollars to trade them for the foreign currency” is the
A) equilibrium curve.
B) price curve.
C) supply curve.
D) demand curve.
16. In the market for a foreign currency, the curve that represents the “willingness of
those who have foreign currency to trade them for the U.S. dollar” is the
A) price curve.
B) equilibrium curve.
C) supply curve.
D) demand curve.
17. Anything that makes it more difficult to exchange one currency for another tends to
A) increase exports.
B) decrease imports.
C) increase imports.
D) all of the options are correct.
18. Anything that makes it more difficult to exchange one currency for another tends to
A) decrease the price of exports.
B) decrease the price of imports.
C) increase the price of imports.
D) all of the options are correct.
19. In the market for a foreign currency, a “strengthening” of the dollar corresponds to a
A) higher dollar price of foreign currency.
B) lower dollar price of foreign currency.
C) larger demand for the foreign currency.
D) smaller supply of the foreign currency.
20. In the market for a foreign currency, a “weakening” of the dollar corresponds to a
A) higher dollar price of foreign currency.
B) lower dollar price of foreign currency.
C) smaller demand for the foreign currency.
D) larger supply of the foreign currency.
21. Between 2000 and mid-2005, the value of the U.S. dollar expressed in Chinese yuan
A) increased sharply.
B) decreased precipitously.
C) remained essentially constant.
D) was zero because it was illegal to sell yuan.
22. In late 2008, the value of the U.S. dollar expressed in British Pounds
A) increased sharply.
B) decreased precipitously.
C) remained essentially constant.
D) was zero because it was almost impossible to sell dollars.
23. No government intervention in active markets for foreign currency is typical of a
A) fixed exchange rate system.
B) floating exchange rate system.
C) managed float exchange rate system.
D) gold standard.
24. Continuous government intervention in markets for foreign currency is typical of a
A) fixed exchange rate system.
B) floating exchange rate system.
C) managed float exchange rate system.
D) gold standard.
25. Occasional government intervention in markets for foreign currency is typical of a
A) fixed exchange rate system.
B) floating exchange rate system.
C) managed float exchange rate system.
D) gold standard.
26. To offset an increased demand for its currency, a government fixing its exchange rate
A) must sell gold or some other precious metal.
B) must increase the supply of the foreign currency.
C) must increase the supply of its currency.
D) must make it illegal to sell its currency.
27. To offset an decreased demand for its currency, a government fixing its exchange rate
A) must buy gold or some other precious metal.
B) must decrease the supply of its currency.
C) must decrease the supply of the foreign currency.
D) must make it illegal to buy its currency.
28. In the market for euros, an increase in U.S. imports from Europe tends to
A) increase demand.
B) increase supply.
C) decrease demand.
D) cause no change in the market demand for euros.
29. In the market for euros, an increase in U.S. imports from Europe tends to
A) decrease equilibrium price.
B) increase excess supply.
C) increase equilibrium price.
D) cause no change in equilibrium price.
30. In the market for euros, a decrease in U.S. imports from Europe tends to
A) increase demand.
B) decrease demand.
C) cause no change in the market demand for euros.
D) decrease supply.
31. In the market for euros, a decrease in U.S. imports from Europe tends to
A) decrease equilibrium price.
B) increase excess demand.
C) increase equilibrium price.
D) cause no change in equilibrium price.
32. In the market for euros, a decrease in U.S. real interest rates tends to
A) cause no change in equilibrium price.
B) increase excess supply.
C) increase equilibrium price.
D) decrease equilibrium price.
33. In the market for euros, an increase in U.S. real interest rates tends to
A) cause no change in equilibrium price.
B) increase excess demand.
C) increase equilibrium price.
D) decrease equilibrium price.
34. In the market for euros, an increase in the relative safety of U.S. investments tends to
A) cause no change in equilibrium price.
B) increase excess demand.
C) decrease equilibrium price.
D) increase equilibrium price.
35. In the market for euros, a decrease in the relative safety of U.S. investments tends to
A) increase equilibrium price.
B) increase excess supply.
C) decrease equilibrium price.
D) cause no change in equilibrium price.
36. In the market for yen, a decrease in U.S. real interest rates tends to
A) cause no change in equilibrium price.
B) increase excess supply.
C) increase demand.
D) decrease equilibrium price.
37. In the market for yen, an increase in U.S. real interest rates tends to
A) cause no change in equilibrium price.
B) increase excess demand.
C) increase equilibrium price.
D) decrease demand.
38. In the market for yen, an increase in the relative safety of U.S. investments tends to
A) cause no change in equilibrium price.
B) increase excess demand.
C) decrease demand.
D) increase equilibrium price.
39. In the market for yen, a decrease in the relative safety of U.S. investments tends to
A) increase demand.
B) increase excess supply.
C) decrease equilibrium price.
D) cause no change in equilibrium price.
40. The major determinant of the current account is the
A) balance of trade.
B) exports.
C) imports.
D) exchange rates.
41. What balances in balance of payment calculations
A) exports and imports.
B) exports and short term income balances.
C) the capital and current accounts.
D) exports minus imports (plus a statistical discrepancy) with short term income
movements.
42. If there is a trade deficit that creates a current account deficit
A) there must be a capital account deficit too.
B) there must be a capital account surplus.
C) there must be greater exports than imports.
D) a currency must ultimately decrease in value.
43. Over the last 50 years, as a percentage of GDP, the current account deficit has been
A) trending larger.
B) trending smaller.
C) roughly constant.
D) has been fixed at zero
44. Over the last 50, as a percentage of GDP, foreign investment in the U.S. has
A) grown faster than US investment abroad.
B) decreased.
C) grown more slowly than US investment abroad.
D) as the result of an accounting identity, grown at exactly the same rate as U.S.
investment abroad.
45. The United States current account typically runs as a
A) deficit of about $1 billion.
B) surplus of about $1 billion.
C) deficit of around $750 billion.
D) surplus of around $750 billion.
46. If the exports are $1.5 trillion, imports are $2 trillion, short-term investment to and
from the US exactly balances, and taxes and private payments to and from the US
also exactly balance, the current account balance is a
A) surplus of $3.5 trillion.
B) deficit of $.5 trillion.
C) surplus of $.5 trillion.
D) deficit of $3.5 trillion.
47. If the exports are $1.5 trillion, imports are $2 trillion, short-term investment to and
from the US exactly balances, and taxes and private payments to and from the US
also exactly balance, the capital account balance is a
A) surplus of $3.5 trillion.
B) deficit of $.5 trillion.
C) surplus of $.5 trillion.
D) deficit of $3.5 trillion.
48. If no one is holding cash, a US trade deficit with China likely means
A) the Chinese are buying more US assets than Americans are buying Chinese assets.
B) the Chinese are selling more US assets than Americans are selling Chinese assets.
C) the Chinese are buying fewer US assets than Americans are buying Chinese
assets.
D) that next year the US will runs a trade surplus with China.
49. If the exchange rate of dollars for yuan is 6 yuan to $1 then the exchange rate of yuan
for dollars is
A) .166 (1/6) dollars per yuan.
B) 5 (6-1) dollars per yuan.
C) -5 (1-6) dollars per yuan.
D) not knowable from this data.
50. If the exchange rate of dollars for euros is .75 euro to $1 then the exchange rate of
euros for dollars is
A) 1.33 (1/.75) dollars per euros.
B) .25 (1-.75) dollars per euros.
C) -.25 (.75-1) dollars per euros.
D) not knowable from this data.
51. If the exchange rate of US dollars for Canadian dollars is 1.1 Canadian dollars to $1
(U.S.) then the exchange rate of Canadian dollars for U.S. dollars is
A) .909 (1/1.1) US dollars per Canadian dollars.
B) .1 (1.1-1) US dollars per Canadian dollars.
C) -.1 (1-1.1) US dollars per Canadian dollars.
D) not knowable from this data.
52. If the exchange rate of U.S. dollars for yen is 100.yen to $1 (U.S.) then the exchange
rate of yen for U.S. dollars is
A) .01 (1/100) dollars per yen.
B) 99 (100-1) dollars per yen.
C) -.1 (1-1.1) dollars per yen.
D) not knowable from this data.
53. If the market exchange rate of yen per dollar rises this means the
A) dollar has strengthened and the yen has weakened.
B) yen has strengthened and the dollar has weakened.
C) dollar has strengthened but the yen has not changed.
D) dollar has weakened but the yen has not changed.
54. If the market exchange rate of yen per dollar falls this means the
A) dollar has strengthened and the yen has weakened.
B) yen has strengthened and the dollar has weakened.
C) dollar has strengthened but the yen has not changed.
D) dollar has weakened but the yen has not changed.
55. When a good is exported from one country to another, the exporting company gets
A) the currency of the importing country and can only buy goods from the importing
country with it.
B) its own currency from buyers in importing country that those buyers have been
holding for this circumstance.
C) its own currency because the importer has arranged to get that currency through
the foreign exchange market.
D) a combination that is half its own currency and half in the currency of the
importing buyers.
56. In order to buy goods from another country the importer must pay with
A) its own currency.
B) a combination of its own currency and the currency of the country from which it
is buying the goods.
C) the currency of the country from which it is buying the goods and they must have
been holding the currency from a previous transaction.
D) the currency of the country from which it is buying the goods that it has arranged
to get through the foreign exchange market.
57. Suppose an event occurs that causes people to lose faith in the ability of Europeans to
pay their euro-denominated debt. Suppose that before this happens the exchange rate
between the euro and the dollar is .75 euros/dollar. The resulting exchange rate would
likely
A) rise to (perhaps) .9 euros/dollar.
B) fall to (perhaps) .6 euros/dollar.
C) cause the exchange rate to have to be expressed in dollars per euro (because the
other way would no longer make sense).
D) remain unchanged.
58. Suppose an event occurs that causes people to gain faith in the ability of Europeans to
pay their euro-denominated debt. Suppose that before this happens the exchange rate
between the euro and the dollar is .75 euros/dollar. The resulting exchange rate would
likely
A) rise to (perhaps) .9 euros/dollar.
B) fall to (perhaps) .6 euros/dollar.
C) cause the exchange rate to have to be expressed in dollars per euro (because the
other way would no longer make sense).
D) remain unchanged.
59. Suppose, for whatever reason, real interest rates in the United States are projected to
grow and real interest rates in Europe are projected to remain flat and suppose that
before this happens the exchange rate between the euro and the dollar is .75
euros/dollar. The resulting exchange rate would likely
A) rise to (perhaps) .9 euros/dollar.
B) fall to (perhaps) .6 euros/dollar.
C) cause the exchange rate to have to be expressed in dollars per euro (because the
other way would no longer make sense).
D) remain unchanged.
60. Suppose, for whatever reason, real interest rates in the United States are projected to
fall and real interest rates in Europe are projected to remain flat and suppose that
before this happens the exchange rate between the euro and the dollar is .75
euros/dollar. The resulting exchange rate would likely
A) rise to (perhaps) .9 euros/dollar.
B) fall to (perhaps) .6 euros/dollar.
C) cause the exchange rate to have to be expressed in dollars per euro (because the
other way would no longer make sense).
D) remain unchanged.
61. Suppose, for whatever reason, the trade deficit of the United States with Europe is
projected to grow and suppose that before this happens the exchange rate between the
euro and the dollar is .75 euros/dollar. The resulting exchange rate would likely
A) rise to (perhaps) .9 euros/dollar.
B) fall to (perhaps) .6 euros/dollar.
C) cause the exchange rate to have to be expressed in dollars per euro (because the
other way would no longer make sense).
D) remain unchanged.
62. Suppose, for whatever reason, the trade deficit of the United States with Europe is
projected to fall and suppose that before this happens the exchange rate between the
euro and the dollar is .75 euros/dollar. The resulting exchange rate would likely
A) rise to (perhaps) .9 euros/dollar.
B) fall to (perhaps) .6 euros/dollar.
C) cause the exchange rate to have to be expressed in dollars per euro (because the
other way would no longer make sense).
D) remain unchanged.
63. Suppose there are two countries (country A and country B) each with its own
currency (Currency A and Currency B). Suppose the exchange rate is expressed in
terms of amount of Currency A needed to get Currency B. A strengthening of
Currency A would show up as
A) an increase in the exchange rate.
B) a decrease in the exchange rate.
C) an increase in the interest rate
D) a decrease in the interest rate
64. Suppose there are two countries (country A and country B) each with its own
currency (Currency A and Currency B). Suppose the exchange rate is expressed in
terms of amount of Currency B needed to get Currency A. A strengthening of
Currency A would show up as
A) an increase in the exchange rate.
B) a decrease in the exchange rate.
C) an increase in the interest rate
D) a decrease in the interest rate
65. Suppose there are two countries (country A and country B) each with its own
currency (Currency A and Currency B). Suppose the exchange rate is expressed in
terms of amount of Currency A needed to get Currency B. A weakening of Currency
A would show up as
A) an increase in the exchange rate.
B) a decrease in the exchange rate.
C) an increase in the interest rate
D) a decrease in the interest rate
66. Suppose there are two countries (country A and country B) each with its own
currency (Currency A and Currency B). Suppose the exchange rate is expressed in
terms of amount of Currency B needed to get Currency A. A weakening of Currency
A would show up as
A) an increase in the exchange rate.
B) a decrease in the exchange rate.
C) an increase in the interest rate
D) a decrease in the interest rate
67. Which of the following countries engages in a fixed exchange rate policy?
A) China
B) The U.S.
C) The United Kingdom
D) Japan
68. If a country tries to maintain a fixed exchange rate it must be
A) willing to sell gold and hard currency to weaken its currency, if needed.
B) willing to print and sell its own currency to weaken it, if needed.
C) willing to print and sell its own currency to strengthen it, if needed.
D) a communist nation to accomplish it.
69. If a country tries to maintain a managed floating exchange rate system it must be
A) willing to sell gold and hard currency to weaken its currency, if needed.
B) willing to print and sell its own currency to weaken it, if needed.
C) willing to print and sell its own currency to strengthen it, if needed.
D) a communist nation to accomplish it.
70. If a country tries to maintain a flexible exchange rate it must be willing to
A) sell gold and hard currency to weaken its currency, if needed.
B) print and sell its own currency to weaken it, if needed.
C) print and sell its own currency to strengthen it, if needed.
D) accept a large fluctuation in the exchange rate.
71. Which exchange rate system requires an immediate response by a government to
counter all market forces on exchange rates?
A) The fixed exchange rate system
B) The managed float exchange rate system
C) The floating exchange rate system
D) The Bretton-Woods exchange rate system
72. Which exchange rate system requires an immediate response by a government to
counter market forces on exchange rates but it need not completely negate all of those
forces?
A) The fixed exchange rate system
B) The managed float exchange rate system
C) The floating exchange rate system
D) The free market exchange rate system
73. The gold standard is
A) the only way to achieve a fixed exchange rate system
B) one way of achieving a fixed exchange rate system
C) one way of achieving a floating exchange rate system
D) the only way of achieving a floating exchange rate system
74. Which system is the most difficult to maintain if you are running a trade deficit?
A) The fixed exchange rate system
B) The managed float exchange rate system
C) The floating exchange rate system
D) The free market exchange rate system
75. Which system is the least difficult to maintain if you are running a trade deficit?
A) The fixed exchange rate system
B) The managed float exchange rate system
C) The floating exchange rate system
D) The free market exchange rate system
76. Which system allows a country to print its currency and buy hard currencies or gold
when it is running a trade surplus?
A) The fixed exchange rate system
B) The managed float exchange rate system
C) The floating exchange rate system
D) The free market exchange rate system