Hoarding for Stormy Days - Test of International Reserves Providing Financial Buffer Services

This paper outlines a tractable cost-benefit analysis of the buffer stock financial services provided by international reserves and applies it to 8 of the largest Emerging Markets (BRICS, Indonesia, Mexico, Turkey) during 2000-2019. The efficient management of international reserves generates sizable benefits for countries characterized by hard-currency external debt. These benefits increase with the volatility of the real exchange rates and sovereign spreads. While the first-best policy calls for prudential regulations, counter-cyclical management of hoarding reserves in good times and selling them in bad times provides buffers stock financial services adding up to about 3% of GDP during our sample period.