Title: AP Macroeconomics Review Session One
1AP Macroeconomics Review Session One
- Key Vocabulary Terms and Key Graphs.
- This is a fairly comprehensive review largely
based on the 2000 and 2005 released Multiple
Choice Exams and the recent Free Response
Questions.
2Production Possibilities
- Assumptions
- Full Employment
- Fixed Resources and Technology
- Movements
- Along curve shows opportunity cost
- Outward shift illustrates economic growth
- Inward shift indicates destruction of resources
- Producing Capital Goods will lead to greater
economic growth than producing consumer goods.
(Butter will lead to more growth than guns)
3Production Possibilities Graph
Capital Goods
Points A,B,C, are efficient pts. Point D is
underutilization Point E is economic growth
A
E
May Lead to most Future economic growth
May Lead to most Future growth
B
D
C
Consumer Goods
4Economic Systems
- CapitalismFree Market
- Most decisions made by Private businesses
- CommunismCommand Economy
- Most decisions made by the government
- Mixed EconomyFeatures of both Capitalism and
Communism - Decisions made by both the market and governments
5Supply and Demand Factors
- Demand Changes when
- Income changes
- Related Products, complements and substitutes,
(price or quality change) - Expectations (future price change)
- Consumers (more or less added)
- Tastes, Fads, Preferences change
6Demand Increase As Demand Increases, Price and
Quantity Increase as well.
Price
S1
P2
P1
D2
D1
Q1
Q2
Quantity
7Demand Decrease As Demand Decreaes, Price and
Quantity decrease as well
Price
S1
P1
P2
D1
D2
Q1
Q2
Quantity
8Supply Factors
- Supply Changes When
- Input prices change (resources and wages)
- Government (tariffs, quotas, and subsidies)
- Number of sellers change
- Expectations (about price and product
profitability change) - Disasters (weather, strikes, etc..)
9Supply Increase As Supply Increases, Quantity
Increases, but Price Falls.
S1
Price
S2
P1
P2
D1
Quantity
Q2
Q1
10Supply Decrease As Supply Decreases, Quantity
Decreases, but Price Increases.
S2
Price
S1
P2
P1
D1
Quantity
Q1
Q2
11Comparative Advantage
- A nation should specialize in producing goods in
which it has a comparative advantage ability to
produce the good at a lower opportunity cost. - Example
- Cheese Wine
-
- Spain 2 pounds 2 Cases
- France 2 pounds 6 Cases
-
- Spain should produce cheese (1C 1W)
- France should produce wine (1W 1/3C)
-
12Currency Terms
- Appreciation Currency is increasing in demand
(stronger dollar) - U.S. Currency will appreciate when more
foreigners travel to the U.S., buy more U.S.
goods or services, or buy the U.S. dollar to
invest in bonds
13Currency Terms
- Depreciation Currency is decreasing in demand
(weaker dollar) Being SUPPLIED in exchange for
other currency. - U.S. Currency will depreciate when fewer
foreigners travel to the U.S., buy fewer U.S.
goods or services, or sell the U.S. dollar to
invest in their own bonds
14Circular Flow of Economic Activity
- Households supply resources (land, labor,
capital, entrepreneurial ability) to the resource
market. Households demand goods and services
from businesses. - Businesses demand household resources and supply
goods and services to the product (factor) market.
15GDP (Gross Domestic Product) The total dollar
(market) value of all final goods and services
produced in a given year.Expenditure Formula
- Consumption (C) Business Investment (I)
Government Spending (G) Net Exports (x)
16GDP What Counts
- Goods Produced but not Sold (I)
- Goods produced by a foreign country (Japan) in
the U.S. (Honda, Toyota) - Government spending on the military
- Increase in business inventories
17GDP What DOES NOT count
- Intermediate Goods (Tires sold by Firestone to
Ford) - Used Goods
- Non-Market Activities (Illegal, Underground)
- Transfer Payments (Social Security)
- Stock Transactions
18Shortcomings of GDP Leading to GDP being
understated.
- Nonmarket activities (services of homemakers)
does not count. - Leisure Does not include the value of leisure.
- Does not include improvements in product quality.
- Underground economy
19GDP Overstated
- Includes damage to the environment
- Includes more spending on healthcare-Americans
being unhealthy. - Includes money spent to fight crime-more police
officers, more jails, etc
20Real GDP
- Real GDP Nominal GDP adjusted for inflation.
- Calculation
- Real GDP Nominal GDP
- Price Index in Hundredths( deflator)
- Example
- U.S. 2005 Real GDP 12,4558 (billions)
- 1.1274 (based on 2000)
- 11.048 Trillion
21Real GDP Per Capita
- Most commonly used to compare and measure each
countrys standard of living and overall economic
growth. - Real GDP/Nations Population
22Business Cycles
- The increases and decreases in Real GDP
consisting of four phases - Peak highest point of Real GDP
- Recession Real GDP declining for 6 months
- Trough lowest point of Real GDP
- Recovery Real GDP increasing (trough to peak)
23Unemployment
- Calculation Number of Unemployed
- Labor Force
- (Multiplied by 100 to put as a )
- The Labor Force is the total of employed and
unemployed workers. - U.S. unemployment should be about 5
-
24Employed
- You are considered to be employed if
- You work for 1 hour as a paid employee (so
part-time workers count) - You are temporarily absent from work (illness,
strike, vacation) - You work 15 hours or more as an unpaid worker
(family farms are common)
25Unemployed
- Must be looking for work (at least 1 attempt in
the past 4 weeks) - Are reporting to a job within 30 days
- They are temporarily laid off from their job
26Types of Unemployment
- Frictional Have skills that are in demand just
need time to find a job (College Graduate) - Structural Current skills do not match job
openings (Factor jobs being outsourced Flight
attendant after 9/11/2001). - Frictional Structural Natural Rate of
Unemployment (Full Employment rate) - Cyclical Due to a recession (Requires
Government action).
27Not In Labor Force
- A person who is not looking for work
- Full-time students
- Stay at home parents
- Discouraged workers those who have given up hope
of finding a job. - Retirees
28Inflation
- Rise in the general level of prices
- Reduces the purchasing power of money
- Measured with the Consumer Price Index (CPI)
- Reports the price of a market basket , more than
300 goods that are typically purchased by an
urban household
29Consumer Price Index (CPI)
- CPI Recent Price of Market Basket
- Price of same basket in base year
-
- (This number is then multiplied by 100)
- Example Assuming only 2 Goods
- Recent Year Base Year
-
- P Q P Q
- Jeans 25 5 20 5
- Pizza 20 10 15 10
- 325 1.3 100130
- 250
-
30Calculating Inflation
- CPI in Recent Year CPI in Past Year
- Divided by CPI in Past Year
- (Number then Multiplied by 100)
- Example 2002 CPI 179.9
- 2001 CPI 177.1
- Rate of Inflation 179.9-177.1 1.58
- 177.1
31Types of Inflation
- Demand Pull Inflation too much money chasing
too few goods. - AD Curve will shift to the right, resulting in a
higher Price Level and greater Output (up til FE) - Cost-Push Inflation Major cause is a supply
shock-OPEC cutting back on oil production - AS Curve will shift to the left resulting in a
higher Price Level and a decrease in Real GDP.
32Real and Nominal Terms
- Real Income Nominal Income
- Price Index (Hundredths)
-
- Real Interest Rate Nominal Interest Rate
Inflation Rate - Nominal Interest Rate Real Interest Rate
Inflation Premium - (anticipated inflation)
33Inflation Winners Losers
- Winners
- Debtors who borrow money that will be repaid with
cheap dollars. - Those who have anticipate inflation
- Losers
- Savers (especially savings accounts)
- Creditors (Banks will be repaid with those
cheap dollars - Fixed-Income Recipients (retirees receiving the
same monthly pension)
34Consumption and Saving
- As income increases, both consumption and savings
will increase. - The determinants of overall consumption and
savings are (More money or a positive outlook
will increase consumption and reduce savings.
Less money or a negative outlook will increase
savings and reduce consumption. - Wealth (financial assets)
- Expectations about future prices and income
- Real Interest Rates
- Household Debt
- Taxes
35Marginal Propensities
- Marginal Propensity to Consume (MPC) and the
Marginal Propensity to save (MPS) must equal 1. - The MPS is used to derive the spending
multiplier, which equals 1 - MPS
- If the MPS is .2, the spending multiplier is 5.
- Any increase in spending must be multiplied by 5
to determine the overall increase in Real GDP.
36Interest Rate-Investment
- Expected Rate of Return Amount of Profit
(expressed as a percentage) a business expects to
gain on a project/investment. - This rate must be greater than the interest in
order to be profitable. - The Real Rate of Return is most important. An
expected profit of 10, that costs 5 in interest
The real rate of return 5.
37Investment Demand Curve
Real Rate of Return
At lower real interest rates businesses will
Increase investment , leading to an increase In
AD (aggregate demand). At higher rates
of Interest, less money will be invested
r1
r2
ID
Quantity of Investment
Q1
Q2
38Shifts of the Investment Demand Curve
A shift from ID1 to ID2 Represents an increase
in Investment demand. A shift From ID1 to ID3
represents a decrease in investment Demand.
PL
ID2
ID1
ID3
Real GDP
39Aggregate Demand
- Downward sloping
- Real-Balances Effect change
- in purchasing power
-
- 2. Interest-Rate Effect Higher
- interest rates curtail spending
-
- Foreign Purchase Effect
- Substitute foreign products for
- U.S. products
Price Level
AD (C I G X)
Real GDP
40Aggregate Demand
- Determinants of AD
- C I G X (Yes, its GDP)
- An increase in any of these, due to lower
interest rates or optimism will increase AD and
shift the curve to the right. - A decrease in any of these more debt, less
spending, tax increase, will cause a decrease in
AD and shift the curve to the left
41Aggregate Demand Determinants
- Consumption
- Wealth
- Expectations
- Debt
- Taxes
- Investment
- Interest Rates
- Expected Returns
- Technology
- Inventories
- Taxes
- Government
- Change in Gov. spending
- Net Exports
- National Income Abroad
- Exchange Rates
42Aggregate Supply Factors
- R resource prices (wages and materials, as well
as OIL) - A actions by government (Taxes, Subsidies, more
regulation) - P productivity (better technology)
43Aggregate Supply
- Short Run
- Assumes that nominal wages are sticky and do
not respond to price level changes. - Is Upward sloping as businesses will increase
output to maximize profits
- Long Run
- Curve is vertical because the economy is at its
full-employment output. - As prices go up, wages have adjusted so there is
no incentive to increase production.
44Aggregate Supply Graph
Price Level
AS
Short Run
Inflation
Long Run
Growth
Recession
Extended vertical line Illustrates the LRAS
and QF (Full-Employment)
QF
Real GDP
45Demand-Pull Inflation
AS
Price Level
P2
P1
AD2
AD1 (C I G X)
QF
Real GDP
46Cost-Push Inflation
AS2
Price Level
AS1
P2
P1
AD1 ( C I G X)
QF
Q2
Real GDP
47Fiscal Policy
- Using Taxes and Government spending to stabilize
the economy. - Controlled by the President and Congress
- Discretionary Fiscal Policy Congress must take
action (change the tax rates) in order for the
action to be implemented. - Automatic Stabilizers Unemployment benefits,
Progressive Tax System, these changes are
implemented automatically to help the economy.
48Types of Fiscal Policy
- Expansionary
- Used to Fight a Recesssion
- LOWER TAXES
- INCREASE GOVERNMENT SPENDING
- Contractionary
- Used to fight Inflation
- RAISE TAXES
- DECREASE GOVERNMENT SPENDING
49Expansionary Fiscal Policy
- Increasing Government Spending and or cutting
taxes will shift AD to the right and increase
output and the price level.
As1
Price Level
P2
P1
AD2
AD1 ( C I G X )
Real GDP
QFE
Q1
50Tax Multiplier
- Remember, if the government decreases taxes, the
result is not as great as a spending increase,
since households will save a portion (MPS) of the
tax cut. - The Tax Multiplier MPC X Spending Multiplier.
- Example If the MPC is .8 and the MPS is .2
- Spending Multiplier 1/.2 or 5
- Tax Multiplier .8 X 5 or 4
51Loanable Funds Market Expansionary Fiscal Policy
- Used for FISCAL POLICY (Government
spending-Deficit Spending)
Real Interest Rate
An increase in Gov. spending increases the demand
for loanable funds and raises real interest rates
R2
R1
D2
D1
Quantity of Funds
Q1
Q2
52Crowding-Out Effect
- An Expansionary Fiscal Policy as previously
diagrammed will lead to higher interest rates. - At higher interest rates, businesses will take
out fewer loans and there will be a decrease in
INVESTMENT (I) - At the same time there will be a decrease in
CONSUMER SPENDING (C) as they will take out fewer
loans as well. - This CROWDING OUT EFFECT will reduce the gain
made by the expansionary fiscal policy.
53Net Export Effect Expansionary Fiscal Policy
- Government spending has led to an increase in
interest rates. - At higher interest rates, foreigners demand more
U.S. dollars to invest in bonds. - This leads to an appreciation of the U.S. dollar.
- This leads to a decrease in Net Exports, as
foreigners now have to exchange more of their
currency for the U.S. dollar to buy exports. - This decrease in Net Exports will reduce AD and
counter to some extent the expansionary fiscal
policy.
54Contractionary Fiscal Policy
- Raising taxes or reducing government spending to
fight inflation and stabilize the economy.
Price Level
AS
P1
P2
AD1
AD2
Real GDP
QF
55Loanable Funds Market Contractionary Fiscal
Policy
- Used for FISCAL POLICY (Government
spending-Deficit Spending)
A decrease in Gov. spending decreases the demand
for loanable funds and lowers real interest rates
Real Interest Rate
R1
R2
D1
D2
Quantity of Funds
Q2
Q1
56Net Export Effect Contractionary Fiscal Policy
- A decrease in government spending has led to a
decrease in real interest rates. - At lower interest rates, foreigners demand less
U.S. dollars to invest in bonds. - This leads to a depreciation of the U.S. dollar.
- This leads to an increase in Net Exports, as
foreigners now have to exchange less of their
currency for the U.S. dollar to buy exports. - This increase in Net Exports will increase AD and
further strengthen the contractionary fiscal
policy.
57Criticisms of Fiscal Policy
- Timing Problems
- Recognition Lag identifying recession or
inflation - Administrative Lag getting Congress/President
to agree to take action - Operational Lag Time needed to see the results
of the fiscal policy - Political Business Cycles Politicians may take
inappropriate action to get reelected (lower
taxes during an inflationary period). Plus it is
difficult to raise taxes
58Money Supply Terms
- M1 Checkable Deposits and Currency
- M2 M1 Savings deposits, money market accounts,
small time deposits (less than 100,000) - Velocity of Money Equation
- MV PQ ( GDP) (M Money Supply and V Velocity
(number of times per year the average dollar is
spent on goods and services.
59The Federal Reserve System (FED)
- Control Monetary Policy
- Headquartered in Washington D.C.
- 12 Federal Reserve Districts
- Board of Governors (7 members) is the central
authority - Members are appointed by the President and
confirmed by the Senate
60Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC)
- Made up of 12 people Board of Governors New
York FED President 4 other regional presidents
(who rotate) - Meets regularly to direct OPEN MARKET OPERATIONS
(buying or selling of bonds) to maintain or
change interest rates
61Banks and Balance Sheets
- Assets Liabilities
- Reserves 15,000 Checkable Deposits 100,000
- Securities 15,000
- Loans 70,000
- If the current reserve requirement is 10
- 1. What is the amount of new loans this bank
can generate? - Answer 100,000 Checkable deposits X a 10
reserve requirement 10,000 required reserves.
If the bank has 15,000 in reservers, 5,000
of those are excess reserves and can be loaned
out . - 2. How much in new loans can be generated by
the entire banking - system?
- Answer Money Multiplier 1/Required Reserve
Ratio1/.10 - 10 X 5,000 50,000
62FED and the Money Market
Nominal Interest Rate
MS2
MS1
Vertical curve-Supply controlled By the FED. An
increase in MS leads to a rightward shift
and lower interest rates.
I1
I2
MD
Q2
Q1
Quantity of Money
63Easy Money Policy
- Buying Government Bonds, lowering the discount
rate, or lowering reserve requirements, to fight
a recession, by decreasing interest rates,
increasing investment spending and/or consumption
and increasing AD.
AS
Price Level
P2
AD2
P1
AD1 (C I G X)
Q1
QF
Real GDP
64Effects of an Easy Money Policy
- LOWER INTEREST rates which will lead to an
INCREASE in INVESTMENT and CONSUMPTION. - The U.S. dollar will DEPRECIATE, leading to an
increase in NET EXPORTS as well. - These effects STRENGTHEN the overall monetary
policy (opposite of fiscal policys crowding-out
and net export effect
65FED and a TIGHT Money Policy
Nominal Interest Rate
MS1
MS2
Vertical curve-Supply controlled By the FED. A
decrease in the Money supply, shifts the MS
curve to the left and raises interest rates.
I2
I1
MD
12
Q2
Quantity of Money
66Tight Money Policy
- Selling bonds, raising the discount rate, or
raising reserve requirements to fight inflation
which will raise interest rates, decrease
investment and/or consumption and decrease
Aggregate Demand (AD).
Price Level
AS
P1
P2
AD1
AD2
Real GDP
QF
67Effects of a Tight Money Policy
- At the higher interest rates, INVESTMENT
SPENDING, and CONSUMPTION will decrease. - At higher interest rates, the U.S. dollar will
APPRECIATE (foreigners demand more U.S.
securities). This will lead to a DECREASE in NET
EXPORTS. - Again, the Monetary Policy is STRENGTHENED as a
result, unlike the effects of a contractionary
fiscal policy.
68Extended AD-AS Model
- This is the other way to graph the AD-AS Model
Price Level
LRAS
SRAS
P1
AD
QF
Real GDP
The intersection of the 3 curves Is the
Full-Employment Equilibrium
69Extended AD-AS Model and Demand-Pull Inflation
- In Demand-Pull Inflation, the AD curve has
shifted to the right of the LRAS and SRAS
intersection.
LRAS
Price Level
SRAS
P2
PF
AD2
AD1
QF
Q2
Real GDP
The Price Level and Real GDP has increased.
70Extended AD-AS and Demand-Pull Inflation
- Mainstream economists will fight inflation as
previously discussed with either a tight
monetary policy or a contractionary fiscal
policy. The goal would be to move the aggregate
demand curve to the left. - Classical economists would argue to DO NOTHING.
As nominal wages rise, the SHORT-RUN AS curve
will shift to the left (resources and wages are
becoming more expensive), restoring the economy
to its full-employment output level, but with a
higher Price Level.
71Extended AD-AS Model and Cost-Push Inflation
Cost-Push inflation occurs when the SRAS has
shifted to the left Of the LRAS and AD
intersection.
LRAS
Price Level
SRAS1
Here the Price level has Increased and REAL
GDP has decreased.
SRAS2
P1
PF
AD1
QF
Q1
Real GDP
72Extended AD-AS and Cost-Push Inflation
- Mainstream economists must decide whether to
target the Price Level or Unemployment, before
taking any action. - Classical economists would argue to DO NOTHING.
Eventually, wages and resource prices must
decrease and when they do the SRAS curve will
shift back to the right, restoring the economy to
its full-employment output level and the original
Price Level.
73Extended AD-AS Model and Recession
- In a recession due to a decrease in AD, the AD
curve is to the left of the LRAS and SRAS
intersection showing a decrease in both - the Price Level and Real GDP.
LRAS
Price Level
SRAS
PF
P1
AD
QF
Q1
Real GDP
74Extended AD-AS and Recession
- Mainstream economists will fight a recession as
previously discussed with either an easy money
policy or an expansionary fiscal policy. The
goal would be to move the aggregate demand curve
to the right. - Classical economists would argue to DO NOTHING.
The decrease in wages and resource prices will
shift the SRAS curve to the right, restoring the
economy to its full-employment output level, but
with a LOWER price. (SELF-CORRECTION)
75Short-Run Phillips Curve
- Suggests an inverse relationship between the
inflation rate and the unemployment rate.
Inflation Rate (percent)
When the unemployment rate is Low (2), the
inflation rate will Most likely be high (8).
8
When the Unemployment rate Is high, inflation
will likely be low.
2
SRPC1
2
8
Unemployment Rate (percent)
76Short-Run Phillips Curve
- When the Government fights unemployment,
typically higher inflation will result. When the
Government fights inflation, typically, more
unemployment will result. Thereby, we move along
the Short-Run Phillips Curve.
Inflation Rate (percent)
B
7
A
2
SRPC1
3
6
Unemployment Rate (percent)
77Shifting the Short-Run Phillips Curve
- The Short-Run Phillips curve can also shift, this
would mean that both the unemployment rate and
inflation rate are changing at the same time.
Stagflation, unemployment and Inflation occurring
together (OPEC decreasing Oil supply, causes
this type of shift)
Inflation Rate
5
4
SRPC2
SRPC1
6
7
Unemployment Rate
78Shifting the Short-Run Phillips Curve
- The Short-Run Phillips curve can also shift, this
would mean that both the unemployment rate and
inflation rate are changing at the same time.
When Supply increases (productivity surge in
90s) more than demand, prices willfall, while
GDP and employment Increase shifting the curve
to the left.
Inflation Rate
5
3
SRPC1
SRP2
7
5
Unemployment Rate
79Long-Run Phillips Curve
- The Long-Run Phillips Curve is vertical, like the
Long Run Aggregate Supply Curve. So, in the long
run there is no tradeoff between inflation and
unemployment. Only the Price Level will change.
LRPC
Inflation Rate
3
SRPC
5
Unemployment Rate
80Laffer Curve
- What is the optimal tax rate? A tax of 0 will
provide no tax revenue. A tax rate of 100 will
also lead to no tax revenue (no incentive to
work). Answer must be somewhere in between.
Tax Rate
100
Tax Revenue
0
81Economic Growth
- Five Factors connected to long run economic
growth. - Supply Factors
- Increase in natural resources (quantity and
quality) - Increase in human resources (quantity and
quality) - Increase in capital goods
- Improvements in technology
- Demand Factors
- Increase in consumption by households,
businesses, and government
82Illustrating Economic Growth
- Production Possibilities Curve
Capital Goods
B
A
PPC2
PPC1
Consumer Goods
83Illustrating Long Run Growth
- Can also be illustrated with the extended AD-AS
Model.
LRAS2
SRAS2
LRAS1
SRAS1
Price Level
P2
P1
AD2
AD1
Q1
Q2
Real GDP
84Budget Philosophies
- Annually Balanced Budget Government will spend
what - it makes.
- Problem Does not have money during a recession,
it will not be able to increase spending to help
the economy. - If there is inflation, it will also be forced to
spend the extra money - In both cases the economy will be worse off
Cyclically Balanced Budget Government will
finance a deficit during a recession and pay it
off with tax revenue received during
expansion. Problem A long recession may run up
a large deficit that a short expansion period
can not pay off
85National Debt (8.7 Trillion and growing)
- Functional Finance A deficit is necessary to
balance - the economy. The national debt should not be
worried - about too much.
- Causes of the Debt
- 1. Wars
- 2. Recessions
- 3. Lack of Fiscal Discipline
- Concerns
- 1. Interest Payments
- 2. Income Gap (Debt and interest payments held
by the wealthy) - 2. Crowding Out
86Economic Philosophies
- Classical Believes that the government SHOULD
NOT interfere in the economy. And believes in
self-correction of economic problems. - Keynesian Believes that GOVERNMENT SHOULD
interfere in the economy (taxes, government
spending) -
87 International Trade
- Comparative Advantage and Specialization allows
for economic growth and efficiency. (More of each
good can be obtained by trading-Trading line
illustrates this) - Trade barriers create more economic loss than
benefits. - Today there is a trend towards free trade and a
reduction in trade barriers. - Strongest arguments for protection are the infant
industry and military self-sufficiency arguments. - WTO oversees trade agreements and disputes, but
has become a target of protesters lately.
88Foreign Exchange Market
- Lets say a U.S. citizen travels to Japan. This
transaction will provide a supply of the U.S.
dollar and result in a demand for yen. It will
become cheaper for the Japanese to buy the dollar
and more expensive for Americans to buy the Yen.
The Yen is Appreciating and the dollar is
Depreciating.
Yen Price of dollar
Dollar Price of Yen
S1
S1
P2
S2
P1
P1
D2
P2
D1
D1
Q1
Q2
Q1
Q2
Quantity of Yen
Quantity of U.S. Dollars
89Balance of Payments The sum of all transactions
between U.S. residents and residents of all
foreign nations
- Current Account Shows U.S. exports and U.S.
imports of goods and services. - Capital Account Shows the U.S. investment
(financial as well as capital-plants and
factories) abroad and Foreign investment in the
U.S. - Credits A credit are those transactions for
which the U.S. receives income (exports, foreign
purchase of assets) - Debits Those transactions that the U.S. must
pay for imports and purchasing of assets abroad.
90Balance of Payments continued
- The Current Account and Capital Account must be
equal. - Official Reserves Account The Central Banks of
all nations hold foreign currency to make up any
deficit in the combined capital and current
accounts. - If the U.S. has more credits than debits it
finances this difference by dipping into its
reserve account.