Deck 3: The International Monetary System

Question 1

If exchange rates were fixed,investors and traders would be relatively certain about the current and near future exchange value of each currency.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Under the gold standard of currency exchange that existed from 1879 to 1914,an ounce of gold cost $20.67 in U.S.dollars and £4.2474 in British pounds.Therefore,the exchange rate of pounds per dollar under this fixed exchange regime was

A)£4.8665/$.
B)£0.2055/$.
C)always changing because the price of gold was always changing.
D)unknown because there is not enough information to answer this question.

Answer 2

£0.2055/$.

Question 3

Another name for the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development is

A)the Recon Bank.
B)the European Monetary System.
C)the Marshall Plan.
D)the World Bank.

Answer 3

the World Bank.

Question 4

An international gold standard for currency exchanges has the implicit effect of

A)making currencies float relative to the price of gold.
B)limiting the growth of a country's money supply subject to the ability of the official authorities to obtain more gold.
C)melting the polar ice caps.
D)encouraging the United Kingdom to abandon the Pound Sterling in favor of the Euro.

Question 5

Jordan is planning to take a vacation trip to Mexico following her graduation from college.Her parents are giving her a $500 graduation present.If the current exchange rate is Ps11.637/$ how many pesos will Jordan have to enjoy her vacation?

A)$500
B)Ps4,296.64
C)Ps5,818.50
D)$429.66

Question 6

In 1934 the United States ________ the USD from ________.

A)devalued; $20.67/oz to $35.00/oz of gold
B)devalued; $35.00/oz to $20.67/oz of gold
C)revalued; $20.67/oz to $35.00/oz of gold
D)revalued; $35.00/oz to $20.67/oz of gold

Question 7

Today,the United States has been ejected from the International Monetary Fund for refusal to pay annual dues.

Question 8

The IMFs exchange rate regime classification identifies ________ as the most rigidly fixed,and ________ as the least fixed.

A)exchange arrangements with no separate legal tender; independent floating
B)crawling pegs; managed float
C)currency board arrangements; independent floating
D)pegged exchange rates within horizontal bands; exchange rates within crawling pegs

Question 9

The International Monetary Fund (IMF)

A)in recent years has provided large loans to Russia, South Korea, and Brazil.
B)was created as a result of the Bretton Woods Agreement.
C)aids countries with balance of payment and exchange rate problems.
D)is all of the above.

Question 10

American college students on the USA-Canadian border have discovered they can buy Canadian beer for less money than what they pay in the states.Recently Jerry paid C$5.50 for a six-pack of beer while he was in Canada while his roommate,Ben,paid $5.75 for a six-pack of the same beer in the states.If the current exchange rate is $1.0335/C$,who paid less and why?

A)Jerry paid less because his purchase cost 5.68 in USD
B)Jerry paid less because his purchase cost 5.32 in USD
C)Ben paid less because his purchase cost C$5.26
D)Ben and Jerry actually paid the same amount for their beer. Markets are efficient!

Question 11

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of the Bretton Woods Agreement?

A)Member nations would enjoy a fixed exchange rate with an "adjustable peg"
B)The International Monetary Fund would be formed
C)The World Bank would be formed
D)All of the above are characteristics of the Bretton Woods Agreement

Question 12

World War I caused the suspension of the gold standard for fixed international exchange rates because the war

A)cost too much money.
B)interrupted the free movement of gold.
C)lasted too long.
D)used gold as the main ingredient in armament plating.

Question 13

Members of the International Monetary Fund may settle transactions among themselves by transferring Special Drawing Rights (SDRs).

Question 14

A special Drawing Right is a unit of account established by

A)the Federal Reserve Bank.
B)the World Bank.
C)the International Monetary Fund.
D)the European Central Bank.

Question 15

Under the terms of Bretton Woods countries tried to maintain the value of their currencies to within 1% of a hybrid security made up of the U.S.dollar,British pound,and Japanese yen.

Question 16

Which of the following led to the eventual demise of the fixed currency exchange rate regime worked out at Bretton Woods?

A)widely divergent national monetary and fiscal policies among member nations
B)differential rates of inflation across member nations.
C)several unexpected economic shocks to member nations
D)all of the above

Question 17

Which of the following correctly identifies exchange rate regimes from less fixed to more fixed?

A)independent floating, currency board arrangement, crawling pegs
B)independent floating, currency board arrangement, managed float
C)independent floating, crawling pegs, exchange arrangements with no separate legal tender
D)exchange arrangements with no separate legal tender, currency board arrangement, crawling pegs

Question 18

A small economy country whose GDP is heavily dependent on trade with the United States could use a (an)________ exchange rate regime to minimize the risk to their economy that could arise due to unfavorable changes in the exchange rate.

A)pegged exchange rate with the United States
B)pegged exchange rate with the Euro
C)independent floating
D)managed float

Question 19

The post WWII international monetary agreement that was developed in 1944 is known as the ________.

A)United Nations
B)League of Nations
C)Yalta Agreement
D)Bretton Woods Agreement

Question 20

Under a fixed exchange rate regime,the government of the country is officially responsible for

A)intervention in the foreign exchange markets using gold and reserves.
B)setting the fixed/parity exchange rate.
C)maintaining the fixed/parity exchange rate.
D)all of the above.

Question 21

Based on the premise that,other things equal,countries would prefer a fixed exchange rate,which of the following statements is NOT true?

A)Fixed rates provide stability in international prices for the conduct of trade.
B)Fixed exchange rate regimes necessitate that central banks maintain large quantities of international reserves for use in the occasional defense of the fixed rate.
C)Fixed rates are inherently inflationary in that they require the country to follow loose monetary and fiscal policies.
D)Stable prices aid in the growth of international trade and lessen exchange rate risks for businesses.

Question 22

The United States currently uses a ________ exchange rate regime.

A)crawling peg
B)pegged
C)floating
D)fixed

Question 23

Which of the following is NOT a required convergence criteria to become a full member of the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU)?

A)National birthrates must be at 2.0 or lower per person.
B)The fiscal deficit should be no more than 3% of GDP.
C)Nominal inflation should be no more than 1.5% above the average inflation rate for the three members with the lowest inflation rates in the previous year.
D)Government debt should be no more than 60% of GDP.

Question 24

In London an investor can buy a U.S.dollar for £0.6102.In New York the £/$ exchange rate is the same as found in London.Given this information,what is the $/£ exchange rate in New York?

A)$1.6388/£
B)£0.6102/$
C)£1.6388/$
D)$0.6102/£

Question 25

Which of the following groups of countries have replaced their individual currencies with the Euro?

A)France, Germany, and the United Kingdom
B)Sweden, Denmark, and Greece
C)The United Kingdom, The Netherlands, and Austria
D)Germany, The Netherlands, and Italy

Question 26

In January 2002,the Argentine peso was officially valued at a rate of Peso 1.40/USD.More recently the exchange rate is Peso 3.10/USD,thus,the Argentine peso ________ against the U.S.dollar.

A)strengthened
B)weakened
C)remained neutral
D)all of the above

Question 27

The global recession of 2009/2010 saw the major global economic players (USA,,China,and Europe)each choose the same international currency goals from the "impossible trinity".Meaning each felt an independent monetary policy was the most important goal followed by free movement of capital,and third,a policy of free floating currencies.

Question 28

The euro is a somewhat unique currency in that it is a floating currency within the member nations but it is rigidly fixed relative to other international currencies.

Question 29

Which of the following is NOT an argument against dollarization?

A)The dollarized country's central bank can no longer act as a lender of last resort.
B)The dollarized country can no longer profit from seignorage (the ability to profit from the creation of money within its economy).
C)The dollarized country losses sovereignty over its own monetary policy.
D)All of the above are arguments against dollarization from the viewpoint of the affected country.

Question 30

What was the annualized forward premium on the pound if the spot rate on May 6,2011 was £0.6102/$ and the 180 day forward rate was £0.5836/$?

A)18.23%
B)9.12%
C)4.56%
D)8.72%

Question 31

If exchange rates were fixed,investors and traders would be relatively certain about the current and near future exchange value of each currency.

Question 32

Almost every nation today (over 90%)has a floating or perhaps a managed floating currency for the purposes of international currency exchange.

Question 33

A bank holiday

A)occurs every day after 3:00 p.m.
B)is a term used when a country's central government freezes (temporarily)all deposits in commercial banks.
C)is observed in Europe every fourth Friday.
D)occurs the last three working days of the year to prepare financial statements for tax purposes.

Question 34

The authors discuss the concept of the "Impossible Trinity" or the inability to achieve simultaneously the goals of exchange rate stability,full financial integration,and monetary independence.If a country chooses to have a pure float exchange rate regime,which two of the three goals is a country most able to achieve?

A)monetary independence and exchange rate stability
B)exchange rate stability and full financial integration
C)full financial integration and monetary independence
D)A country cannot attain any of the exchange rate goals with a pure float exchange rate regime.

Question 35

Based on the premise that,other things equal,countries would prefer a fixed exchange rate: Variable rates provide stability in international prices for the conduct of trade.

Question 36

Beginning in 1991 Argentina conducted its monetary policy through a currency board.In January 2002,Argentina abandoned the currency board and allowed its currency to float against other currencies.The country took this step because

A)the Argentine peso had grown too strong against major trading powers thus the currency board policies were hurting the domestic economy.
B)the United States required the action as a prerequisite to finalizing a free trade zone with all of North, South, and Central America.
C)the Argentine government lost the ability to maintain the pegged relationship as in fact investors and traders perceived a lack of equality between the Argentine peso and the U.S. dollar.
D)all of the above.

Question 37

You have been hired as a consultant to the central bank for a country that has for many years suffered from repeated currency crises and depends heavily on the U.S.financial and product markets.Which of the following policies would have the greatest effectiveness for reducing currency volatility of the client country with the United States?

A)dollarization
B)an exchange rate pegged to the U.S. dollar
C)an exchange rate with a fixed price per ounce of gold
D)an internationally floating exchange rate

Question 38

Which of the following is NOT an attribute of the "ideal" currency?

A)monetary independence
B)full financial integration
C)exchange rate stability
D)All are attributes of an ideal currency.

Question 39

The Euro currency is fixed against other currencies on the international currency exchange markets,but allows member country currencies to float against each other.

Question 40

On September 9,2000 Ecuador officially replaced its national currency,the Ecuadorian sucre,with the U.S.dollar.This practice is known as ________.

A)bi-currencyism
B)sucrerization
C)a Yankee bailout
D)dollarization

Question 41

The euro was launched in January 1999 with an official initial value against the dollar of $1.16/€.As of January 2011 the currency exchange rate was $1.40/€.Thus,over this time period the euro has ________ against the dollar by a total of ________.

A)appreciated; 82.86%
B)appreciated; 20.69%
C)depreciated; 82.86%
D)depreciated; 20.69%

Question 42

Since adopting the euro,all member nations have realized a significant reduction in unemployment rates.

Question 43

Most Western nations were on the gold standard for currency exchange rates from 1876 until 1914.Today we have several different exchange rate regimes in use,but most larger economy nations have freely floating exchange rates today and are not obligated to convert their currency into a predetermined amount of gold on demand.Occasionally several parties still call for the "good old days" and a return to the gold standard.Develop an argument as to why this is a good idea.

Question 44

All exchange rate regimes must deal with the trade-off between rules and discretion.

Question 45

All exchange rate regimes must deal with the trade-off between cooperation and independence.

Question 46

The 1991 treaty that established a timetable to replace individual European currencies with the euro is referred to as the ________ Treaty.

A)Zurich
B)Yalta
C)Maastricht
D)Paris

Question 47

List and explain the three attributes of the "ideal"currency.Why are these referred to as "the impossible trinity"?

Question 48

On January 4,1999 the member nations of the EMU introduced a new unified currency,the euro,to replace the individual national currencies of many member nations.Identify and explain several of the arguments made both for and against the euro.Do you think the euro has proven to be a "good" idea? Why/Why not?

Question 49

The authors state that the current international monetary system is characterized by strict rules and high degrees of cooperation.

Question 50

Which of the following is a way in which the euro affects markets?

A)Countries within the Euro zone enjoy cheaper transaction costs.
B)Currency risks and costs related to exchange rate uncertainty are reduced.
C)Consumers and business enjoy price transparency and increased price-based competition.
D)All of the above.

Question 51

Because there is now a European Central Bank (ECB),the members of the European Monetary Union have done away with their individual central banks.

Question 52

According to the authors,what is the single most important mandate of the European Central Bank?

A)Promote international trade for countries within the European Union.
B)Price, in euros, all products for sale in the European Union.
C)Promote price stability within the European Union.
D)Establish an EMU trade surplus with the United States.

Question 53

Since the launch of the euro in January of 1999,one nation has joined the original 11 members and three nations have dropped the euro as their official currency.

Question 54

The mobility of international capital flows is causing emerging market nations to choose between a free-floating currency exchange regime and a currency board (or taken to the limit,dollarization).Describe how each of the regimes would work and identify at least two likely economic results for each regime.