As shown in Figure 2, in emerging-market countries, deteriorationof banks’ balance sheets, increases in foreign interest rates, andpolitical uncertainty can help produce a foreign exchange crisis inwhich a substantial devaluation (depreciation) of the domestic currencyoccurs. Particularly important (and not sufficiently appreciated) inpromoting a foreign exchange crisis is a deterioration in bankbalance sheets that can make it extremely difficult for the centralbank to defend the domestic currency. Any rise in interest rates tokeep the domestic currency from depreciating has the additionaleffect of weakening the banking system further because the rise ininterest rates hurts banks’ balance sheets. This negative effect of arise in interest rates on banks’ balance sheets occurs because of theirmaturity mismatch and their exposure to increased credit risk whenthe economy deteriorates. Thus, when a speculative attack on thecurrency occurs in an emerging-market country, the central bank iscaught between a rock and a hard place. If it raises interest ratessufficiently to defend the currency, the banking system may collapse.Once investors recognize that a country’s weak bankingsystem makes it less likely that the central bank will take the stepsto successfully defend the domestic currency, they have even greaterincentives to attack the currency because expected profits fromselling the currency have now risen. The situation described here isexactly the one that occurred in Mexico in 1994, and the weaknessof the banking system there played a prominent role in the ensuingcollapse of the currency.
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