Productivity growth, fixed exchange rates, and export-led growth

This paper studies how the fixed exchange rate regime (FERR) may promote growth when a country experiences faster rates of productivity growth in its tradable sector than its nontradable sector. In a simple two-sector model with money, we show that the FERR can reduce the Balassa-Samuelson effect if wage adjustment is subject to nominal rigidities. The undervaluation thus created suppresses real wage growth but increases the size of the tradable sector and leads to higher growth rates of the entire economy. Using cross-country panel data, our econometric exercises provide robust evidence that supports the results. Meanwhile, other fundamentals, including the external balance position, export share in the tradable sector, and the stage of development, play roles in determining the effects of FERR. Last, we apply the empirical results to run simulations on China from 1994 to 2007 to highlight the role of FEAR in the country's export-led growth.