We provide benchmarks to evaluate what is an optimal foreign debt and a maximal foreign debt (debt-max), when risk is explicitly considered. When the actual debt exceeds debt-max, then the economy will default when a "bad shock" occurs. This paper is an application of the stochastic optimal...

The International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the bond rating agencies did not anticipate the crises in Asia 1997-98 and in Argentina 2001. With this statement in mind, we consider some multi-stage inter-temporal stochastic optimisation models in international finance that imply...

The papers in this issue are concerned with the behaviour of exchange rates - their fundamental determinants, adjustment processes and policy implications. The authors combine theory with empirical evidence, test hypotheses as well as show the relevance of their analysis for policy. This...

The EMU is in the process of expanding its membership. How will the expansion affect the equilibrium or sustainable real value of the euro? What is the explanatory power of the model used to explain the equilibrium value of a synthetic euro? We then demonstrate quantitatively the dynamic effects...