Exchange Rate Regimes in Developing and Emerging Economies and the Incidence of IMF Programs

SummaryThe global economic crisis will compel many countries to revise key economic policies, including their exchange rate regime. The International Monetary Fund will have significant influence on their choices, and has exhibited a bias against intermediate regimes. We examine the link between exchange rate regimes and IMF program use and find no evidence that countries with intermediate exchange rate regimes require more frequent IMF assistance. Rather they appear somewhat less dependent, especially when compared to fixed exchange rates. Our results suggest that intermediate regimes should remain a viable and possibly desirable exchange rate choice for some countries.