The nominal effective exchange rate (NEER) is a way to compare a country's currency to a basket of other currencies. It's calculated by taking the exchange rate of the country's currency against each of the currencies in the basket and then averaging them.
The NEER is typically calculated using a basket of currencies from major trading partners. This basket can include currencies from countries with which the country has a significant trade relationship. For example, the US dollar is often included in the basket of currencies used to calculate the NEER for many countries.
The NEER is an important tool for policymakers and economists because it helps them understand the value of a country's currency relative to its trading partners. This can help them make informed decisions about interest rates, trade policies, and other economic issues.
The NEER can be influenced by a variety of factors, including changes in interest rates, inflation rates, and trade balances.
What Is the Nominal Effective Exchange Rate?
The nominal effective exchange rate (NEER) is an unadjusted weighted average rate at which one country's currency is exchanged for a basket of multiple foreign currencies. This rate is essential for measuring a country's international competitiveness in the foreign exchange market.
The NEER is calculated by taking the weighted geometric average of the home currency's bilateral nominal exchange rates against other currencies. This is a key concept for forex traders who refer to it as the trade-weighted currency index.
A NEER coefficient above 1.0 indicates that the domestic currency is worth relatively more than imported currencies, while a coefficient below 1.0 shows that the domestic currency is worth relatively less. This is a crucial indicator for economists analyzing policies concerning international trade.
The NEER can be adjusted to account for the inflation rate of the home country relative to the inflation rates of its trading partners, resulting in the real effective exchange rate (REER). This adjustment helps to provide a more accurate picture of a country's international competitiveness.
A single, focused statistic typically expressed as an index, the NEER shows how the value of one local currency compares to several other currencies at once. This makes it a valuable tool for traders carrying out currency arbitrage to fulfill their objectives.
Calculation and Formula
The nominal effective exchange rate (NEER) is calculated using a basket of foreign currencies, which is weighted according to the trading value relative to the domestic currency. The basket includes major currencies such as the US dollar, British pound, and Euro.
To calculate the NEER, we need to determine the weights for each currency in the basket. The weights are usually related to the assets and liabilities of separate countries.
The formula for NEER is as follows: NEER = (w1 * ER1) + (w2 * ER2) + … + (wn * ERn), where w1, w2, …, and wn are the weights for each foreign currency, and ER1, ER2, …, ERn are the exchange rates of the domestic currency with each foreign currency.
The weights reflect the importance of each currency in international trade, and the exchange rates can be either market or official based on data availability and context.
Here's a breakdown of the major currencies included in the basket:
- US dollar (USD)
- British pound (GBP)
- Japanese yen (JPY)
- Euro (EUR)
- Swiss franc (CHF)
- Chinese renminbi (CNH)
- Canadian dollar (CAD)
- Australian dollar (AUD)
- New Zealand dollar (NZD)
- South African rand (ZAR)
The NEER is a vital indicator for gauging a nation's global competitiveness in foreign exchange.
Components and Selection
The Nominal Effective Exchange Rate (NEER) is calculated using a basket of foreign currencies, which is chosen based on the domestic country's most important trading partners and other major currencies. The top five major currencies are the U.S. dollar, the British pound, the Euro, the Japanese yen, and the Swiss franc.
The value of foreign currencies in a basket is weighted according to the value of trade with the domestic country. This can be export or import value, the total value of exports and imports combined, or some other measure. The weights often relate to the assets and liabilities of different countries.
The basket of foreign currencies used for NEER calculation can vary between institutions. For example, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) basket is different from the baskets of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Federal Reserve, or the Bank of Japan.
Components
In the world of international economics, two key indicators help us understand a country's currency value and trade competitiveness: the Nominal Effective Exchange Rate (NEER) and the Real Effective Exchange Rate (REER).
The NEER is calculated using a specific formula that takes into account the relative trade balance and the country's currency. This is essential to get an accurate picture of a country's exchange rate dynamics.
A country's NEER is like a weighted box, where the Indian currency holds more weight than other nations' currencies that engage in significant trade with India.
The REER, on the other hand, assesses a nation's average currency value and is correlated with the country's inflation rate. In India, the REER has ranged from 94.8 in 2009 to its peak of 118.3 in 2017.
To better understand the difference between REER and NEER, let's take a look at the following table:
The REER is determined using the NEER, and it's considered a more accurate estimate because it's corrected for inflation.
Selection of Currencies
Selection of Currencies is a crucial step in calculating the Nominal Effective Exchange Rate (NEER). The selected currencies must have had an individual share of no less than 1 percent of Japan's total exports in 2005.
The 15 currencies that comprise the nominal and real effective exchange rates as of January 2000 are the US dollar, Chinese yuan, EMU Euro, Korean won, New Taiwan dollar, Hong Kong dollar, Thai baht, Singapore dollar, Pound sterling, Malaysian ringgit, Australian dollar, Indonesian rupiah, Philippine peso, Canadian dollar, and Mexican peso.
The Euro area is considered a single region when selecting currencies, regardless of the individual share of each member country. This is because the Euro area is treated as a single economic entity.
The selected countries and regions became 30 with the 16 countries of the Euro area included, as of January 2009, when Slovakia adopted the Euro.
The exchange rate of each currency is quoted from the official reference rate released by International Department, Bank of Japan, which is equal to a monthly average of actual exchange rate.
Usage and Limitations
The Nominal Effective Exchange Rate (NEER) is a useful tool for economists, policymakers, and forex traders, but it has its limitations.
The NEER is an abstract, relative value that doesn't measure the strength of a currency in real terms. It's used for research, analysis, and policy-making, but may only partially drive business and investment decisions.
Economists use the NEER to inform international trade decisions, while forex traders use it for speculative, hedging, or arbitrage reasons. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) constructs and publishes the nominal and real effective exchange rates for most large, developed countries.
The NEER can only measure whether a currency is strong or weak or is strengthening or weakening relative to other foreign currencies. It can't definitively show whether a currency is strong or gaining strength in real terms.
The IMF and central banks publish the NEER data, which can be used to gain insights on trends and developments in the economy and within the forex market. For example, the Federal Reserve calculates three NEER indices for the United States: the broad index, the Advanced Foreign Economies (AFE), and the Emerging Market Economies (EME).
Here are some key limitations of the NEER:
- The NEER is an abstract, relative value that doesn't measure the strength of a currency in real terms.
- The NEER may only partially drive business and investment decisions.
- The NEER can't definitively show whether a currency is strong or gaining strength in real terms.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between nominal and real effective exchange rates?
The key difference between nominal and real effective exchange rates lies in how they account for price level differences between trading partners. Nominal effective exchange rate only adjusts for exchange rates, while real effective exchange rate also considers inflation rates.
What is the nominal exchange rate?
The nominal exchange rate is the price of one currency in terms of another, typically expressed as the domestic price of the foreign currency. For example, if it costs $1.36 to buy one euro, the nominal rate is 0.735 euros per dollar.
What does an increase in NEER indicates?
An increase in NEER indicates a nominal appreciation of a currency, meaning its value has risen relative to other currencies. This suggests a stronger currency in terms of purchasing power.
Sources
- https://www.boj.or.jp/en/statistics/outline/exp/exrate.htm
- https://www.investopedia.com/terms/n/neer.asp
- https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/economics/nominal-effective-exchange-rate-neer/
- https://www.wallstreetmojo.com/nominal-effective-exchange-rate/
- https://testbook.com/ias-preparation/reer-and-neer
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