Radovan Kovačević
This paper examines the impact of the selected factors on the real exports of goods and services in the several euro area (the eurozone) peripheral economies. There are five countries in the sample (Italy, Spain, Portugal, Ireland, and Greece). The time period from 2000 to 2019 is considered. The research is aimed at providing robust estimates of the long-term relationship between the real exports of these countries and the selected explanatory variables using panel data analysis. The coefficients of the cointegration export equation were estimated using the FMOLS and DOLS estimators. Using the FMOLS estimator, the estimated coefficient of the real effective exchange rate is negative (-0.80) and of the variable foreign demand is positive (2.25). The coefficient of the real effective exchange rate confirms the fact that, from the point of view of the eurozone peripheral members, the overestimated real value of the euro has a disincentive effect on their real exports. The estimated coefficient of foreign demand suggests that the real export of goods and services (volumes) of the eurozone peripheral members increases by 2.25% when the real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the EU increases by 1%. The real export elasticity of the eurozone periphery countries is higher for foreign demand (income elasticity) than for relative price changes (price elasticity). Reductions in wages and prices in peripheral countries have led to redistributive effects in favor of the core.
Radovan Kovačević
In this paper, the adequacy of foreign exchange reserves in the Republic of Serbia (RS) and the factors that influence their accumulation is analyzed by means of an econometric model. The relevant variables, such as the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the Real Effective Exchange Rate (REER) and monetary aggregate M2/GDP are included in the analysis. The unit root tests applied in the research led to the conclusion that the timeseries were integrated of the order I(1). The cointegration test revealed that there was one cointegration equation. The regression model was estimated using the quarterly data for the period from 2002q1 to 2020q3. The estimated cointegration coefficients showed that the economic activity approximated in terms of the GDP had a significant influence on foreign exchange reserves accumulation, which is only followed by appreciation pressure on the dinar (approximated by the REER index) and money supply growth (estimated through the monetary aggregate M2/GDP). In addition to conventional factors, the analysis also points out specific factors and their impact on foreign exchange reserve accumulation in RS. The results of the research study show that foreign exchange reserves in RS are greater than the levels suggested by standard optimality criteria. The findings also suggest that it is necessary to take into account the dividends realized by foreign investors, as well as some segments of portfolio investment in assessing the specific indicator of the adequate level of foreign exchange reserves.