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This study examines the effect of exchange rate regimes on foreign direct investment (FDI) flow for West African Monetary Zone (WAMZ). The Arellano Panel Correction for Serial Correlation and Heteroskedaticity option of the Within Estimator for fixed-effect panel data model as well as the Dynamic Panel Data Instrumental Variable Approach by Anderson and Hsiao [(1981). Estimation of dynamic models with error components. Journal of the American Statistical Association, 76, 598–606] for the countries selected based on the data availability for the period 1980–2016 were used. The fixed exchange rate regime was found to hamper FDI flow in the zone, while intermediate policy had a significantly positive effect in facilitating FDI flow during periods of declining foreign reserves and narrowing current account balance in WAMZ. This implies that the transmission of the effect of exchange rate regimes on FDI inflows depends on the positions of the foreign reserves and current account balance in the zone. The study therefore recommends the need for monetary authorities to be cautious in managing their exchange rates especially in periods of depleting foreign reserves and narrowing current account so as not to deter the much needed FDI inflow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Why have emerging market economies (EMEs) been stockpiling international reserves? We find that motives have varied over time; vulnerability to current account shocks was relatively important in the 1980s but, as EMEs became more financially integrated, factors related to the magnitude of potential capital outflows gained importance. Reserve accumulation as a by-product of undervalued currencies has also become more important since the Asian crisis. Correspondingly, using quantile regressions, we find that the reason for holding reserves varies according to the country's position in the global reserves distribution. High-reserve holders, who tend to be more financially integrated, are motivated by insurance against capital account rather than current account shocks and are more sensitive to the cost of holding reserves than are low-reserve holders. Currency undervaluation is a significant determinant across the reserves distribution, albeit for different reasons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]