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3. Which balance-of-payments item does not directly enter into the calculation of the U.S. gross domestic product?
a. Merchandise imports
b. Shipping and transportation receipts
c. Direct foreign investment
d. Service exports
ANSWER: c
5. Which of the following would call for inpayments to the United States?
a. American imports of German steel
b. Gold flowing out of the United States
c. American unilateral transfers to less-developed countries
d. American firms selling insurance to British shipping companies
ANSWER: d
Amount
Transaction (billions of dollars)
10. Unlike the balance of payments, the balance of international indebtedness indicates the international:
a. Investment position of a country at a given moment in time
b. Investment position of a country over a one-year period
c. Trade position of a country at a given moment in time
d. Trade position of a country over a one-year period
ANSWER: a
11. Which of the following indicates the international investment position of a country at a given moment in time?
12. Concerning the U.S. balance of payments, which account is defined in essentially the same way as the net export of
goods and services, which comprises part of the country's gross domestic product?
a. Merchandise trade account
b. Goods and services account
c. Current account
d. Capital account
ANSWER: b
13. If an American receives dividends from the shares of stock she or he owns in Toyota, Inc., a Japanese firm, the
transaction would be recorded on the U.S. balance of payments as a:
a. Capital account debit
b. Capital account credit
c. Current account debit
d. Current account credit
ANSWER: d
14. If the United States government sells military hardware to Saudi Arabia, the transaction would be recorded on the U.S.
balance of payments as a:
a. Current account debit
b. Current account credit
c. Capital account debit
d. Capital account credit
ANSWER: b
18. The current account of the U.S. balance of payments does not include:
a. Investment income
b. Merchandise exports and imports
c. The sale of securities to foreigners
d. Unilateral transfers
ANSWER: c
20. The value to American residents of income earned from overseas investments shows up in which account in the U.S.
balance of payments?
a. Current account
b. Trade account
c. Unilateral transfers account
d. Capital account
ANSWER: a
21. Consider Table 10.2. The U.S. balance of international indebtedness suggests that the United States is a net:
a. Debtor
b. Creditor
c. Spender
d. Exporter
ANSWER: b
24. Credit (+) items in the balance of payments correspond to anything that:
a. Involves receipts from foreigners
b. Involves payments to foreigners
c. Decreases the domestic money supply
d. Increases the demand for foreign exchange
ANSWER: a
25. Debt (-) items in the balance of payments correspond to anything that:
a. Involves receipts from foreigners
b. Involves payments to foreigners
c. Increases the domestic money supply
d. Decreases the demand for foreign exchange
ANSWER: b
26. When all of the debit or credit items in the balance of payments are combined:
a. Merchandise imports equal merchandise exports
b. Capital imports equal capital exports
c. Services exports equal services imports
d. The total surplus or deficit equals zero
ANSWER: d
28. All of the following are credit items in the balance of payments, except:
a. Investment inflows
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29. All of the following are debit items in the balance of payments, except:
a. Capital outflows
b. Merchandise exports
c. Private gifts to foreigners
d. Foreign aid granted to other nations
ANSWER: b
30. The role of ____ is to direct one nation's savings into another nation's investments:
a. Merchandise trade flows
b. Services flows
c. Current account flows
d. Capital flows
ANSWER: d
35. Concerning a country's business cycle, rapid growth of production and employment is commonly associated with:
a. Large or growing trade deficits and current account deficits
b. Large or growing trade deficits and current account surpluses
c. Small or shrinking trade deficits and current account deficits
d. Small or shrinking trade deficits and current account surpluses
ANSWER: a
36. The burden of a current account deficit would be the least if a nation uses what it borrows to finance:
a. Unemployment compensation benefits
b. Social Security benefits
c. Expenditures on food and recreation
d. Investment on plant and equipment
ANSWER: d
37. Concerning a country's business cycle, ____ is commonly associated with large or growing current account deficits:
a. Rapid growth rates of production and employment
b. Slow growth rates of production and employment
c. Falling interest rates on government securities
d. Falling interest rates on corporate securities
ANSWER: a
38. According to researchers at the Federal Reserve, the loss of jobs associated with a deficit in the current account tends
to be:
a. Offset by the increase of jobs associated with a surplus in the capital account
b. Reinforced by the decrease of jobs associated with a surplus in the capital account
c. A threat to the level of employment for the economy as a whole
d. Of no long-run economic consequence for workers who lose their jobs
ANSWER: a
Table 10.3 shows hypothetical transactions, in billions of U.S. dollars, that took place during a year.
Table 10.3. International Transactions of the United States
Amount
Transaction (billions of dollars)
Allocation of SDRs 10
Changes in U.S. assets abroad 100
Statistical discrepancy -15
Merchandise imports -400
Payments on foreign assets in U.S. -20
Remittances, pensions, transfers -60
Travel and transportation receipts, net 30
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39. Refer to Table 10.3. The merchandise-trade balance registered a deficit of $50 billion.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
40. Refer to Table 10.3. The services balance registered a surplus of $100 billion.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
41. Refer to Table 10.3. The goods-and-services balance registered a surplus of $50 billion.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
42. Refer to Table 10.3. The unilateral-transfers balance registered a deficit of $40 billion.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
43. Refer to Table 10.3. The current-account balance registered a surplus of $30 billion.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
44. Refer to Table 10.3. The "net exports" component of the U.S. gross domestic product registered $-110 billion.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
45. Refer to Table 10.3. The payments data suggest that the United States was a "net demander" of $30 billion from the
rest of the world.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
46. The balance of payments refers to the stock of trade and investment transactions that exists at a particular point in
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47. Referring to the balance-of-payments statement, an international transaction refers to the exchange of goods, services,
and assets between residents of one country and those abroad.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
48. The balance of payments includes international transactions of households and businesses, but not government.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
49. Because the balance of payments utilizes double-entry accounting, merchandise exports will always be in balance with
merchandise imports.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
50. On the U.S. balance-of-payments statement, the following transactions are credits, leading to the receipt of dollars
from foreigners: merchandise exports, transportation receipts, income received from investments abroad, and investments
in the United States by foreign residents.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
51. On the U.S. balance of payments, the following transactions are debits, leading to payments to foreigners:
merchandise imports, travel expenditures, gifts to foreign residents, and overseas investments by U.S. residents.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
52. The "goods and services" account of the balance of payments shows the monetary value of international flows
associated with transactions in goods, services, and unilateral transfers.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
53. An increase in import restrictions by the U.S. government tends to promote a merchandise-trade surplus.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
55. On the balance-of-payments statement, dividend and interest income are classified as capital-account transactions.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
56. A surplus on Germany's goods-and-services balance indicates that Germany has sold more goods and services to
foreigners than it has bought from them over a one-year period.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
57. The merchandise-trade account on the balance-of-payments statement is defined the same way as "net exports" which
constitutes part of the nation's gross domestic product.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
58. A positive balance on the goods-and-services account of the balance of payments indicates an excess of exports over
imports which must be added to the nation's gross domestic product.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
59. For the United States, merchandise trade has generally constituted the largest portion of its goods-and-services
account.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
60. Unilateral transfers refer to two-sided transactions, reflecting the movement of goods and services in one direction
with corresponding payments in the other direction.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
61. Unilateral transfers consist of private-sector transfers, such as church contributions to alleviate starvation in Africa, as
well as governmental transfers, such as foreign aid.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
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62. Current-account transactions include direct foreign investment, purchases of foreign government securities, and
commercial bank loans made abroad.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
63. On the U.S. balance-of-payments statement, a capital inflow would occur if a Swiss resident purchases the securities
of the U.S. government.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
64. If Toyota Inc. of Japan builds an automobile assembly plant in the United States, the Japanese capital account would
register an outflow.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
65. If Bank of America receives repayment for a loan it made to a Mexican firm, the U.S. capital account would register
an inflow.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
66. On the balance-of-payments statement, a capital inflow can be likened to the import of goods and services.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
67. The capital account of the balance of payments includes private-sector transactions as well as official-settlements
transactions of the home country's central bank.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
68. If the current account of the balance of payments registers a deficit, the capital account registers a surplus, and vice
versa.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
69. Concerning the balance of payments, a current-account surplus means an excess of exports over imports of goods,
services, investment income, and unilateral transfers.
a. True
b. False
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70. If a country realizes a current-account deficit in its balance of payments, it becomes a net supplier of funds to the rest
of the world.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
71. Concerning the balance of payments, a current-account deficit results in a worsening of a country's net foreign
investment position.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
72. In the balance-of-payments statement, statistical discrepancy is treated as part of the merchandise trade account
because merchandise transactions are generally the most frequent source of error.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
73. Because a large number of international transactions fail to get recorded, statisticians insert a residual, known as
statistical discrepancy, to ensure that total debits equal total credits.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
74. Concerning the balance of payments, the goods-and-services balance is commonly referred to as the "trade balance"
by the news media.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
75. Since the 1970s, the merchandise trade account of the U.S. balance of payments has registered deficit.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
76. Although the United States has realized merchandise trade deficits since the early 1970s, its goods-and-services
balance has always registered surplus.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
77. In the past two decades, the U.S. services balance has generally registered surplus.
a. True
78. The U.S. unilateral-transfers balance has consistently registered surplus in the past two decades.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
79. Because the balance of payments is a record of the economic transactions of a country over a period of time, it is a
"flow" concept.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
80. The United States would be a "net creditor" if the value of U.S. assets abroad exceeded the value of foreign assets in
the United States.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
81. If a country consistently realizes a current-account surplus in its balance of payments, it likely will become a "net
debtor" in its balance of international indebtedness.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
82. By the mid-1980s, the United States had evolved from the status of a net-creditor nation to a net-debtor nation in its
balance of international indebtedness.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
83. The net-debtor status, that the United States achieved in its balance of international indebtedness by the mid-1980s,
reflected the continuous current-account surplus that the United States attained in its balance of payments during the
1970s.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
84. Although a net-debtor country may initially benefit from an inflow of savings from abroad, over the long run
continued borrowing results in growing dividend payments to foreigners and a drain on the debtor-country's economic
resources.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
86. That U.S. importers purchase bananas from Brazil constitutes a debit transaction on the U.S. balance of payments.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
87. That German investors collect interest income on their holdings of U.S. Treasury bills constitutes a credit transaction
on the U.S. balance of payments.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
88. That U.S. charities donate funds to combat starvation in Africa constitutes a debit transaction on the U.S. balance of
payments.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
89. To reduce a current account deficit, a country should either decrease the budget deficit of its government or reduce
investment spending relative to saving.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
90. Most economists belief that in the 1980s, a massive outflow of capital caused a current account deficit for the United
States.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
91. A current account deficit for the United States necessarily reduces the standard of living for American households.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
92. Rapid growth of production and employment is commonly associated with large or growing trade surpluses and
current account surpluses.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
94. For the United States, a consequence of its current account deficit is a growing foreign ownership of the capital stock
of the United States and a rising fraction of U.S. income that must be diverted abroad in the form of interest and dividends
to foreigners.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
95. Most economists contend that any reduction in the current account deficit is better achieved through increased national
saving than through reduced domestic investment.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
96. What are the components of the current account of the balance of payments?
ANSWER: The current account includes transactions in goods and services, income flows, and unilateral transfers.
97. Concerning the balance of international indebtedness, when is a country a net creditor or a net debtor?
ANSWER: A country is a net creditor when its claims on foreign nations exceed foreign claims on it. The nation is a net
debtor when foreign nations' claims on it exceed its claims on foreign nations.
98. How do we measure the international investment position of the United States at any point in time? How did the U.S.
become a net debtor nation so rapidly?
ANSWER: The international investment position of the United States is measured by the monetary value of U.S. assets
abroad versus foreign assets in the United States. Unlike the balance of payments, which is a flow concept, the
balance of international indebtedness is a stock concept. The reason for the U.S. becoming a net debtor nation
is that foreign investors have placed more funds in the United States than the U.S. residents have invested
abroad. The United States has been considered attractive to foreign investors.
100. If an American purchases a ticket from Scandinavian Airlines, paying by a personal check, which entries result in the
balance-of-payments accounts of Norway or the United States?
a. a credit in Norway's service account
b. a debit in Norway's service account
c. a credit in the U.S. unilateral transfers account
d. a debit in the U.S. unilateral transfers account
ANSWER: a
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101. If a resident of Japan purchases a ticket from American Airlines, paying by a personal check, which entries result in
the balance-of-payments accounts of Japan or the United States?
a. a debit in the U.S. service account
b. a credit in the U.S. service account
c. a credit in Japan's unilateral transfers account
d. a debit in Japan's unilateral transfers account
ANSWER: b
104. The current account of the United States includes all of the following except
a. trade in goods and services
b. unilateral transfers
c. income receipts and payments
d. gold flows between the United States and foreign central banks
ANSWER: d
108. If U.S. investors purchase Treasury Bills of the British government, this results in a
a. debit transaction in the U.S. current account
b. credit transaction in the U.S. current account
c. debit transaction in the U.S. capital and financial account
d. credit transaction in the U.S. capital and financial account
ANSWER: c
110. In recent years, ______ has been the world's largest international debtor
a. the United States
b. China
c. Japan
d. the United Kingdom
ANSWER: a
112. If General Electric Inc. pays dividends to its Canadian stockholders, this represents a
a. debit in the U.S. current account
b. credit in the U.S. current account
c. debit in the U.S. capital and financial account
d. credit in the U.S. capital and financial account
ANSWER: a
113. If the United States is a net borrower-from or lender-to the rest of the world, this is best indicated by the U.S.
a. balance of payments position
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114. The value of direct investment by Ford Motor Co. in Canada is included in the U.S.
a. capital and financial account
b. current account
c. net export account
d. merchandise trade account
ANSWER: a
115. To "balance" the U.S. balance of payments, U.S. Commerce Department statisticians employ
a. accounting transactions
b. inflows or outflows of gold reserves
c. statistical discrepancy
d. inflows or outflows of government securities
ANSWER: c
116. Concerning the U.S. balance of payments statement, the sum of debits and credits on all transactions will always
a. be equal
b. show a deficit
c. show a surplus
d. be unequal
ANSWER: a
117. When the United States imports goods and services from other countries, the United States
a. makes payments to other countries
b. receives payments from other countries
c. becomes a net lender to other countries
d. receives interest income from other countries
ANSWER: a
119. Concerning the balance of payments statement, the ______ indicates the receipts from exports of goods and services
sold overseas, the payments for imports of goods and services from overseas, unilateral transfers (net), and income
receipts and payments (net)
a. capital and financial account
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120. For the United States, the largest component of its current account transactions consists of
a. payments for imports of goods and services and receipts from exports of goods and services
b. payments for military transactions with other countries
c. travel and transportations payments and receipts with other countries
d. unilateral transfers to other countries and from other countries
ANSWER: a
121. Mary Smith, a resident of Denver Colorado, purchases a Swiss watch in Chicago. On the U.S. balance of payments
statement, this transaction appears on the
a. official reserve asset account
b. net borrowing and lending account
c. current account
d. services account
ANSWER: c
122. The current account of the United States would move toward a surplus as a result of
a. U.S. households importing beer from German breweries
b. Chinese investors purchasing securities of the U.S. government
c. German tourists visiting Yellowstone National Park
d. U.S. construction firms contracting with Japanese architects to design their buildings
ANSWER: c
123. For the U.S. balance of payments statement, which of the following is not recorded in the capital and financial
account?
a. net interest income from international investments
b. purchases of Chinese stocks and bonds
c. sales of Mexican stocks and bonds
d. the acquiring of a business firm in another country
ANSWER: a
124. A negative balance in the capital and financial account suggests that a country
a. is realizing a surplus on its current account
b. is realizing a deficit on its current account
c. borrowing from the rest of the world
d. imports more goods and services than it exports
ANSWER: a
125. A positive balance in the capital and financial account suggests that a country
a. is realizing a surplus on its current account
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126. A Canadian lumber company purchases a saw mill in the state of Washington. On the U.S. balance of payments
statement, this transaction appears in the
a. current account
b. net exports account
c. net imports account
d. capital and financial account
ANSWER: d
127. If the United States has a negative balance on its current account, it
a. is a net lender to the rest of the world
b. is a net borrower from the rest of the world
c. realizes a negative balance on its capital and financial account
d. runs a surplus in the budget of the federal government
ANSWER: b
128. Concerning the U.S. balance of payments statement, throughout the past 30 years
a. the current account balance and the capital account balance have moved in the opposite direction
b. the current account balance and the capital account balance have moved in the same direction
c. the official reserve assets of the U.S. government have shrunk to zero
d. the official reserve assets of the U.S. government have increased in infinite amounts
ANSWER: a
129. Throughout the past 30 years, the U.S. balance-of-payments statement has indicated
a. a positive balance on the current account; a positive balance on the capital and financial account
b. a negative balance on the current account; a negative balance on the capital and financial account
c. a positive balance on the current account; a negative balance on the capital and financial account
d. a negative balance on the current account; a positive balance on the capital and financial account
ANSWER: d
130. If Japan lends more to the rest of the world than it borrows from the rest of the world, Japan is a
a. net borrowing country
b. net lending country
c. net exporting country of goods and services
d. net importing country of goods and services
ANSWER: b
132. If Germany has invested over its history more in other countries than other countries have invested in Germany, then
Germany is a
a. net creditor nation
b. net debtor nation
c. net importer of goods and services
d. net exporter of stocks and bonds
ANSWER: a
133. Over its history, suppose that France has borrowed more from the rest of the world than it has lent to the rest of the
world. This means that France
a. has realized continuous surpluses in its current account
b. has realized continuous surpluses in its goods and services account
c. is a net debtor nation
d. is a net creditor nation
ANSWER: c
135. The United States realizes several benefits from the dollar serving as the main reserve currency of the world,
including
a. Americans can buy goods at a marginally cheaper price than households in other nations who must exchange
their currency with each purchase and pay a transaction cost
b. Americans can borrow at lower interest rates for homes and automobiles
c. the U.S. government can finance larger deficits longer and at lower interest rates
d. all of the above
ANSWER: d
136. In recent years, the two largest holders of U.S. government securities have been
a. China and Japan
b. Mexico and Canada
c. Brazil and Spain
d. Germany and France
ANSWER: a
137. Adopting the Special Drawing Right (SDR) as a reserve currency might possibly occur if the United States was to
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138. For the United States, a loss in its reserve currency position would likely result in several costs, including
all of the above
a. Americans would have to pay more for imported goods as the dollar depreciates
b. interest rates on both private and governmental debt would increase
c. the economic supremacy of the United States would be lessened
d. all of the above
ANSWER: d
139. The ______ is currently the main reserve currency of the global trading and financial system
a. Euro
b. U.S. dollar
c. British pound
d. Chinese yuan
ANSWER: b
140. As the world’s main reserve currency, the U.S. dollar is used throughout the world as a
a. medium of exchange
b. unit of account
c. store of value
d. all of the above
ANSWER: d
141. About two-thirds of the world’s official foreign exchange reserves are held in
a. Swiss francs
b. British pounds
c. Japanese yen
d. U.S. dollars
ANSWER: d
142. For the U.S. balance of payments statement, the sum of debits and credits on all transactions will always be equal-
that is, the balance of payments always balances.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
143. For the first time since World War II, the United States became a net international creditor in the mid-1980s and has
remained so ever since.
144. Because the rest of the world has accepted dollars, the United States has faced virtually no (or minimal) constraint on
its ability to realize current-account deficits.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
145. All countries of the world can simultaneously have balance-of-payments deficits.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
146. The official reserve assets of the United States consist of special drawing rights (SDRs), foreign currencies, gold, and
drawings at the International Monetary Fund.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
147. In 2016, the Chinese yuan replaced the U.S. dollar as the main reserve currency of the world.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
148. Because the United States dollar is the main reserve currency of the world, the U.S. government must pay higher
interest rates to foreigners who purchase its securities.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
149. If the U.S. dollar lost its position as the main reserve currency of the world, Americans would have to pay more for
imported goods if the dollar depreciates when foreigners no longer buy dollars as they previously did when the dollar
served as the reserve currency.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
150. One problem of adopting the Special Drawing Right (SDR) as a reserve currency is that the SDR is backed by
nothing other than the good faith and credit of the International Monetary Fund (IMF); that is, the IMF produces nothing
to support the value of the SDR.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
152. As the main reserve currency of the world, the Euro serves as a medium of exchange, unit of account, and store of
value.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
153. About 25 percent of the world’s official foreign exchange reserves are held in U.S. dollars
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
154. If the Special Drawing Right (SDR) was used as an international currency, the cost of doing business would likely go
up for firms and investors. This is because another step would be added to international transactions, as buyers and sellers
would have to convert their local currencies into SDRs.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
155. In recent years, most economists have argued that the U.S. dollar should be replaced by either the British pound or
the Japanese yen as the world’s main reserve currency.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
156. The world economy is currently in approximate balance concerning consumption levels, savings rates, and fiscal
deficits of advanced countries and emerging countries.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False