Over the past thirty years the Pacific Basin region has become more integrated with the rest of the world and played an increasingly important role in the world economy. While much has been written on Pacific Basin trade and economic growth, relatively few studies have been published on the conduct of exchange rate and monetary policies in the economies of the region. These papers should be of interest to readers with an interest in broadening their understanding of different exchange rate arrangements as well as those wishing to deepen their knowledge of Pacific Basin economies.

Over the past thirty years the Pacific Basin region has become more integrated with the rest of the world and played an increasingly important role in the world economy. While much has been written on Pacific Basin trade and economic growth, relatively few studies have been published on the conduct of exchange rate and monetary policies in the economies of the region. These papers should be of interest to readers with an interest in broadening their understanding of different exchange rate arrangements as well as those wishing to deepen their knowledge of Pacific Basin economies.

Emerging economies have been the beneficiaries of sharply increased volumes of international capital inflows in the past decade. These inflows have eased foreign financing constraints and offered the potential for higher investment and growth. At the same time, they have posed challenges for policy makers by threatening to fuel inflation, adversely affect international competitiveness, and undermine domestic banking stability. The essays in this volume provide a timely and useful comparison of the experiences of emerging Pacific Basin countries in both Asia and Latin America.