This paper examines the relationship between terms of trade shocks, private saving, and the current account position. The relationship between these variables is theoretically ambiguous: an adverse transitory terms of trade shock can either induce a deterioration or an improvement in the current...

This paper examines the optimality of international capital flows to a persistent net importer of capital, Australia, during its post-capital-controls period 1984-98. The results suggest that international capital flows were larger than optimal during the 1980s, but in the 1990s such flows have...

This paper estimates a simple consumption-smoothing model of the French current account, and examines its capacity to predict recent developments in France`s external performance. The model views the current account as a buffer through which private agents can smooth consumption over time in...

This paper investigates empirically the degree of international integration of industrial and emerging country equity markets. It analyzes two issues: first, the extent to which equity prices have tended to move similarly across countries and regions in the long run; and second, the strength of...

The issue of informational efficiency in the evolution of asset prices is examined using data on equity markets in Jordan, Turkey and Pakistan over the period 1986-93. The analysis is carried out in two steps. The parameters of agents` dynamic consumption and investment decisions are first...

This paper compares the evolution of the Australian current account balance over the period 1954-94 against an optimal current account derived from a consumption-smoothing model. The findings indicate that the Australian current account was not used to smooth consumption optimally in the period...

This paper extends the staple theory literature by examining the influence of wool, Australia's dominant primary-product export, on the development of the Australian economy and external position over the period 1862-1995. The results support the view that while shocks to the wool industry had...