4. After the Boom—Commodity Prices and Economic Growth in Latin America and the Caribbean
Author:
International Monetary Fund
Search for other papers by International Monetary Fund in
Current site
Google Scholar
Close

Abstract

This chapter takes another look at the commodity boom experienced by Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) since the early 2000s and analyzes how the region will be affected by a more subdued outlook for commodity prices. The analysis suggests that growth in the years ahead could be significantly lower than during the commodity boom even if commodity prices were to remain stable at their current relatively high levels. The results caution against trying to offset the current economic slowdown with demand-side stimulus and underscore the need for ambitious structural reforms to secure strong growth over the medium term.

Contributor Notes

Note: Prepared by Bertrand Gruss. Anayo Osueke, Carlos Rondon, and Ben Sutton provided excellent research assistance. See Gruss (forthcoming) for technical details.
  • Collapse
  • Expand
  • Aaronson, S., B. Fallick, A. Figura, J. Pingle, and W. Wascher, 2006, “The Recent Decline in the Labor Force Participation Rate and Its Implications for Potential Labor Supply,Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Vol. 1, pp. 69154.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Adler, G., M. L. Djigbenou, and S. Sosa, 2014, “Global Financial Shocks and Foreign Asset Repatriation: Do Local Investors Play a Stabilizing Role?IMF Working Paper No. 14/60 (Washington: International Monetary Fund).

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Adler, G., and S. Sosa, 2011, “Commodity Price Cycles: The Perils of Mismanaging the Boom,IMF Working Paper No. 11/283 (Washington: International Monetary Fund).

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Adler, G., and S. Sosa, 2014, “Intraregional Spillovers in South America: Is Brazil Systemic After All?The World Economy, Vol. 37, No. 3, pp. 456480.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Alesina, A., F. Campante, and G. Tabellini, 2008, “Why Is Fiscal Policy Often Procyclical?Journal of the European Economic Association, Vol. 6, No. 5, pp. 10061036.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Alper, C. E., 2006, “U.S. Monetary Policy Surprises and Emerging Markets Sovereign Spreads,2007 AEA Conference Papers. www.aeaweb.org/annual_mtg_papers/2007/0107_1300_0102.pdf.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Arellano, M., and O. Bover, 1995, “Another Look at the Instrumental Variable Estimation of Error-Component Models,Journal of Econometrics, Vol. 68, No. 1, pp. 2952.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Arora, V., and M. Cerisola, 2001, “How Does U.S. Monetary Policy Influence Sovereign Spreads in Emerging Markets?IMF Staff Papers, Vol. 45, No. 3, pp. 474498.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Arvanitis, A., H. Faruqee, P. N’Diaye, and R. Sahay, forthcoming, “Understanding Emerging Market Volatility and Policy Responses,IMF Staff Discussion Note (Washington).

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Bellas, D., M. G. Papaioannou, and I. Petrova, 2010, “Determinants of Emerging Market Sovereign Bond Spreads: Fundamentals vs. Financial Stress,IMF Working Paper No. 10/281 (Washington: International Monetary Fund).

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Camba-Mendez, G., 2012, “Conditional Forecasts on SVAR Models Using the Kalman Filter,Economics Letters, Vol. 115, No. 3, pp. 376378.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Cashin, P., L. F. Céspedes, and R. Sahay, 2004, “Commodity Currencies and the Real Exchange Rate,Journal of Development Economics, Vol. 75, No. 1, pp. 239268.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Catão, L., and B. Sutton, 2002, “Sovereign Defaults: The Role of Volatility,IMF Working Paper No. 02/149 (Washington: International Monetary Fund).

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Cespedes, L. F., and, A. Velasco, 2011, “Was this Time Different? Fiscal Policy in Commodity Republics,BIS Working Papers No. 365 (Basel: Bank for International Settlements).

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Chen, Y., and K. Rogoff, 2003, “Commodity Currencies,Journal of International Economics, Vol. 60, No. 1, pp. 133160.

  • Clements, B., D. Coady, S. Fabrizio, S. Gupta, T. Alleyne, and G. Sdralevich, Eds., 2013, Energy Subsidy Reform: Lessons and Implications (Washington: International Monetary Fund).

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Csonto, B., and I. V. Ivaschenko, 2013, “Determinants of Sovereign Bond Spreads in Emerging Markets: Local Fundamentals and Global Factors vs. Ever-Changing Misalignments,IMF Working Paper No. 13/164 (Washington: International Monetary Fund).

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Daude, C., A. Melguizo, and A. Neut, 2011, “Fiscal Policy in Latin America: Countercyclical and Sustainable?Economics: The Open Access, Open-Assessment E-Journal, Vol. 5, No. 14, pp. 129.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Deaton, A., and R. Miller, 1996, “International Commodity Prices, Macroeconomic Performance and Politics in Sub-Saharan Africa,Journal of African Economies, Vol. 5, No. 3, pp. 99191.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Dees, S., F. di Mauro, L. V. Smith, and M. H. Pesaran, 2007, “Exploring the International Linkages of the Euro Area: A Global VAR Analysis,Journal of Applied Econometrics, Vol. 22, No. 1, pp. 138.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Di Bella, G., 2009, “Fiscal Policy Response to the Crisis: How Much Room for Countercyclical Policy?in Regional Economic Outlook: Western Hemisphere (Washington: International Monetary Fund, October), pp. 4969.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Eichengreen, B., and P. Gupta, 2014, “Tapering Talk: The Impact of Expectations of Reduced Federal Reserve Security Purchases on Emerging Markets,WB Policy Research Working Paper No. S6754 (Washington: World Bank).

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Erten, B., and J. A. Ocampo, 2013a, “The Global Implications of Falling Commodity Prices,Project Syndicate (blog). www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/china-s-growth-slowdown-and-the-end-of-the-commodity-price-super-cyle-by-jose-antonio-ocampo-and-bilge-erten.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Erten, B., and J. A. Ocampo, 2013b, “Super Cycles of Commodity Prices Since the Mid-Nineteenth Century,World Development, Vol. 44 (C), pp. 1430.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Frankel, J., C. Vegh, and G. Vuletin, 2013, “On Graduation from Fiscal Procyclicality,Journal of Development Economics, Vol. 100, No. 1, pp. 2147.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Gavin, M., and R. Perotti, 1997, “Fiscal Policy in Latin America,NBER Macroeconomics Annual, Vol. 12, pp. 1172.

  • Goldman Sachs, 2014, “2014 Outlook: Within Sight of the Summit,Investment Strategy Group Outlook (New York). http://www.goldmansachs.com/what-we-do/investment-management/private-wealth-management/intellectual-capital/isg-outlook-2014.pdf.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Gruss., B., forthcoming, “After the Boom—Commodity Prices and Economic Growth in Latin America and the Caribbean,IMF Working Paper (Washington: International Monetary Fund).

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Hartelius, K., K. Kashiwase, and L. Kodres, 2008, “Emerging Market Spread Compression: Is It Real or Is It Liquidity?IMF Working Paper No. 08/10 (Washington: International Monetary Fund).

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Hunt, B., M. Sommer, G. Di Bella, M. Estrada, A. Matsumoto, and D. Muir, 2013, “Macroeconomic Implications of the U.S. Energy Boom,in United States—Selected Issues, IMF Country Report No. 13/237 (Washington: International Monetary Fund).

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Ilzetzki, E., and C. Vegh, 2008, “Procyclical Fiscal Policy in Developing Countries: Truth or Fiction?NBER Working Paper No. 14191 (Cambridge, Massachusetts: National Bureau of Economic Research).

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • International Energy Agency, 2013, “World—Natural Gas Statistics,IEA Natural Gas Information Statistics. www.iea.org/statistics/topics/naturalgas.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • International Monetary Fund, 2011, “People’s Republic of China: Spillover Report for the 2011 Article IV Consultation and Selected Issues,IMF Country Report No. 11/193 (Washington).

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • International Monetary Fund, 2012a, “Macroeconomic Policy Frameworks for Resource-Rich Developing Countries—Analytic Frameworks and Applications,IMF Policy Paper (Washington).

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • International Monetary Fund, 2012b, World Economic Outlook (Washington, April).

  • International Monetary Fund, 2013, World Economic Outlook (Washington, October).

  • International Monetary Fund, 2014a, World Economic Outlook (Washington, April).

  • International Monetary Fund, 2014b, Global Financial Stability Report (Washington, April).

  • International Monetary Fund, forthcoming, “Spillover Report” (Washington).

  • Jacks, D. S., 2013, “From Boom to Bust: A Typology of Real Commodity Prices in the Long Run,NBER Working Paper No. 18874 (Cambridge, Massachusetts: National Bureau of Economic Research).

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Jaimovich, D., and U. Panizza, 2007, “Procyclicality or Reverse Causality?IDB Research Department Working Papers No. 599 (Washington: Inter-American Development Bank).

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Jaramillo, L., and A. Weber, 2013, “Bond Yields in Emerging Economies: It Matters What State You Are In,Emerging Markets Review, Vol. 17, pp. 169185.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Kamil, H., P. de Imus, M. Garcia-Escribano, C. Goes, R. Perrelli, S. Roache, and J. Zook, forthcoming, “The Effects of U.S. Monetary Normalization on Emerging Markets’ Sovereign Bond Yields: The Cases of Brazil and Mexico,IMF Working Paper (Washington: International Monetary Fund).

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Kaminsky, G., C. Reinhart, and C. Vegh, 2004, “When It Rains It Pours: Procyclical Capital Flows and Macroeconomic Policies,NBER Macroeconomics Annual, Vol. 19 (Cambridge, Massachusetts: National Bureau of Economic Research).

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Klein, M. W., and J. C. Shambaugh, 2013, “Is There a Dilemma with the Trilemma?VOX (blog). www.voxeu.org/article/dilemma-financial-trilemma.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Klemm, A., 2014, “Fiscal Policy in Latin America over the Cycle,IMF Working Paper No. 14/59 (Washington: International Monetary Fund).

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Lane, P., 2003, “The Cyclical Behaviour of Fiscal Policy: Evidence from the OECD,Journal of Public Economics, Vol. 87, No. 12, pp. 26612675.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Lledo, V., I. Yackovlev, and L. Gadenne, 2011, “A Tale of Cyclicality, Aid Flows and Debt: Government Spending in Sub-Saharan Africa,Journal of African Economies, Vol. 20, No. 5, pp. 823849.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Love, I., and L. Zicchino, 2006, “Financial Development and Dynamic Investment Behavior: Evidence from Panel VAR,Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Vol. 46, No. 2, pp. 190210.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Lusinyan, L., J. Reynaud, D. Muir, and S. Patra, 2014, “The Unconventional Energy Boom in North America: Macroeconomic Implications and Challenges for Canada,in Canada—Selected Issues, IMF Country Report No. 14/28 (Washington: International Monetary Fund).

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Magud, N. E., and E. R. Vesperoni, 2014, “Exchange Rate Flexibility and Credit during Capital Inflow Reversals: Purgatory…not Paradise,IMF Working Paper No. 14/61 (Washington: International Monetary Fund).

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Mishra, P., K. Moriyama, P. N’Diaye, and L. Nguyen, forthcoming, “Impact of Fed Tapering Announcements on Emerging Markets,IMF Working Paper (Washington: International Monetary Fund).

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Moghadam, R., J. D. Ostry, and R. Sheehy, 2011, “Assessing Reserve Adequacy—Supplementary Information,IMF Policy Paper (Washington: International Monetary Fund).

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Perrelli, R., and C. Goes, forthcoming, “Tapering Talks and Local Currency Sovereign Bond Yields: How South Africa Performed Relative to Its Emerging Markets Peers,IMF Working Paper (Washington: International Monetary Fund).

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Pesaran, M. H., and Y. Shin, 1998, “Generalized Impulse Response Analysis in Linear Multivariate Models,Economics Letters, Vol. 58, No. 1, pp. 1729.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Pesaran, M. H., T. Schuermann, and S. M. Weiner, 2004, “Modeling Regional Interdependencies Using a Global Error-Correcting Macroeconometric Model,Journal of Business & Economic Statistics, Vol. 22, No. 2, pp. 129162.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Rey, H., 2013, “Dilemma not Trilemma: The Global Financial Cycle and Monetary Policy Independence,Working Paper (London Business School, CEPR and NBER).

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Smith, L. V., and A. Galesi, 2011, GVAR Toolbox 1.1 (Cambridge, United Kingdom: Centre for Financial Analysis and Policy). www.cfap.jbs.cam.ac.uk/research/gvartoolbox.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Sosa, S., E. Tsounta, and H. S. Kim, 2013, “Is the Growth Momentum in Latin America Sustainable?IMF Working Paper No. 13/109 (Washington: International Monetary Fund).

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Spatafora, N. L., and I. Tytell, 2009, “Commodity Terms of Trade: The History of Booms and Busts,IMF Working Paper No. 09/205 (Washington: International Monetary Fund).

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Talvi, E., and C. Vegh, 2005, “Tax Base Variability and Procyclical Fiscal Policy in Developing Countries,Journal of Development Economics, Vol. 78, No. 1, pp. 156190.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Toosi, M., 2013, “Labor Force Projections to 2022: The Labor Force Participation Rate Continues to Fall,Monthly Labor Review (Washington: Bureau of Labor Statistics, December).

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Turner, P., 2014, “The Global Long-Term Interest Rate, Financial Risks and Policy Choices in EMEs,BIS Working Papers No. 441 (Basel: Bank for International Settlements).

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Uribe, M., and V. Z. Yue, 2006, “Country Spreads and Emerging Countries: Who Drives Whom?Journal of International Economics, Vol. 69, No. 1, pp. 636.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Vegh, C., and G. Vuletin, 2012, “How Is Tax Policy Conducted over the Business Cycle?NBER Working Paper No. 17753 (Cambridge, Massachusetts: National Bureau of Economic Research).

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation