Current account sustainability in advanced economies

Lanzafame, Matteo (2012): Current account sustainability in advanced economies.

Abstract

This paper investigates the sustainability of current accounts in advanced economies, using a panel of 27 countries and annual data over the 1980-2008 period. We find strong evidence in favour of nonlinear but stationary current-account trajectories for 14 countries, while the remaining 13 appear to be nonstationary and, thus, unsustainable. Our analysis indicates that careful empirical modeling of current-account dynamics, particularly in relation to cross-section dependence and nonlinear behaviour, is crucial for appropriate economic policymaking.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: Current account sustainability; panel unit root tests; nonlinearity
• Subjects: C - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods > C3 - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models ; Multiple Variables > C33 - Panel Data Models ; Spatio-temporal Models

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