Evaluating the price competitiveness of U.S. exports

Abstract

An index developed by the authors is used to track the U.S. dollar's performance against a number of foreign currencies. The authors' comparison of the index with the relative export growth rates of Japan and Germany suggests that in the 1990s the dollar stayed near levels that put the United States and its main export rivals on an equal footing. Nevertheless, the dollar's rise in 1997, if sustained, will make it more difficult for U.S. firms to keep pace with their competitors.Foreign exchange ; Dollar, American