Merits and demerits of fixed exchange rate.?
Merits of Fixed Exchange Rate
- Stability: A fixed exchange rate provides a stable environment for international trade and investment. Businesses can plan better without worrying about currency fluctuations.
- Inflation Control: By tying the currency to a stable foreign currency, countries can import credibility and stability, helping to control inflation.
- Predictability: Fixed rates allow for predictable pricing in foreign transactions, which can enhance economic planning and budgeting for both businesses and governments.
- Reduced Speculation: With a fixed exchange rate, there is less opportunity for speculative attacks on the currency, which can promote economic stability.
- Encouragement of Foreign Investment: Stability in exchange rates can attract foreign investors who may be deterred by volatility in floating exchange rate systems.
Demerits of Fixed Exchange Rate
- Loss of Monetary Policy Autonomy: Countries may lose control over their monetary policy as they must maintain the fixed rate. This can limit the ability to respond to economic changes.
- Risk of Currency Crises: If a country cannot maintain its fixed exchange rate due to economic imbalances, it may face a sudden devaluation, leading to a loss of investor confidence.
- Adjustment Difficulties: Fixed rates can lead to misalignment with market fundamentals, requiring painful adjustments later, such as austerity measures or significant economic reforms.
- Resource Drain: Maintaining a fixed exchange rate may require large reserves of foreign currency, which can strain a country’s financial resources.
- Vulnerability to External Shocks: Countries with fixed exchange rates may be more susceptible to external economic shocks that can disrupt their economy.
By understanding these merits and demerits, policymakers can make informed decisions about adopting or maintaining a fixed exchange rate system.
Merits and demerits of fixed exchange rate.?
The merits and demerits of fixed exchange rate system
The main aspect of the fixed exchange rate system is that there must be reliability that the government will be able to perpetuate and maintain the exchange rate at the degree of level mentioned. Often, if there is a deficit in the Balance of Payment, in a fixed exchange rate system, governments will have to interfere to take care of the gap by the use of its official reserves. If people are aware that the amount of reserves is insufficient, they would begin to be skeptical about the capability of the government to maintain the fixed rate. This may increase the hypothesis of devaluation. When this reliance interprets into aggressive purchasing of one currency hereby forcing the government to devalue, it is known to compose a notional attack on a currency. Fixed exchange rates are liable to such types of attacks, as has been observed in the time period before the subside of the Bretton Woods System.