Are stabilization programs expansionary?

The empirical evidence presented in this paper casts serious doubts on the by now widely accepted "stylized facts" of the exchange rate based stabilization programs (ERBS) as they are stated in Kiguel and Liviatan (1992) and in Végh (1992). Even though the ERBS programs were associated with output booms, no evidence of booms provoked by the stabilization programs is found. Rather, exogenous capital inflows to Latin America seem to have caused both the output booms and the stabilization programs. Other stylized facts, namely that the ERBS programs cause real exchange rate appreciations and trade account deficits are not rejected by the analysis presented in this paper.