The Real Consequences of Macroprudential FX Regulations
87 Pages Posted: 4 Mar 2021 Last revised: 25 Oct 2021
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The Real Consequences of Macroprudential FX Regulations
The Real Consequences of Macroprudential FX Regulations
Date Written: October 2021
Abstract
I exploit a natural experiment in South Korea to examine the real effects of macroprudential foreign exchange (FX) regulations designed to reduce risk-taking by financial intermediaries. By using cross-bank variation in the regulation’s tightness, I show that it causes a reduction in the supply of FX derivatives (FXD) and results in a substantial decline in exports for the firms that were heavily relying on FXD hedging. I offer a mechanism in which imbalances in hedging demand, banks’ costly equity financing, and firms’ costly switching of banking relationships play a central role in explaining the empirical findings.
Keywords: Real effects, Macroprudential policy, International finance, Derivatives hedging, FX risk management
JEL Classification: E44, F31, G15, G28, G32
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation