Chronology of Prior G-7 Policy Coordination Meetings
February 3, 2010
The finance ministers and central bank chiefs of the Group of Seven (U.S., Japan, Germany, Britain, France, Italy and Canada) hold their first scheduled meeting in five months on February 5-6 amid continuing high anxiety about the global economy and feelings that the this group’s role has been marginalized by the G-20, which also includes China and other highly influential emerging economies. G-7 finance ministers and central bankers have been meeting three times annually for over two decades. The venue for this week’s event is most unusual of all, Iqaluit, Canada on Baffin Island just 195 miles south of the Arctic Circle in winter, no less. G-7 political leaders have held annual summits since 1975. The first was in Rambouillet, France in November, but these gatherings moved to the summer by 1977. An opportunity for currency policy coordination was a primary initial intent of the G-7 summits, and when that issue got lost in the pomp and circumstances of these staged events, the leaders in the mid-1980s authorized their finance ministers and central bank governors to get together several times each year to do the hands-on work of sharing information about their economies and formulating policy recommendations and basic guidelines in currency policy and a variety of related areas of common interest. After most of these meetings, a statement has been released of common agreement and purpose. When questioned about the euro, ECB President Trichet, who will attend the meeting in Iqaluit, routinely replies that he stands by the principles embodied in these G-7 accords. It is rumored, however, that there may not be a statement released this time.
The table below is a chronology of what has been said about currency policy after these G7 meetings going back to October 2001. Compared to the last meeting in October, the dollar is somewhat stronger against the euro and yen and still unchanged relative to China’s renminbi. Oil prices have recovered further and are roughly twice as high as they were when the group met in Rome a year ago.
| 10/03/09 Istanbul |
Verbatim replication of the four sentences on currency policy coordination found in the April 2009 statement, including the sentence about the renminbi. The statement does not declare victory over the global economic crisis but indicates some progress: “We will keep in place our support measures until recovery is assured.” | Oil $69.95 EUR 1.458 YEN 89.8 |
| 04/24/09 Washington | “Many countries are now playing a major role in the global economy and we welcome their contribution to the collective international effort to promote recovery. We welcome China’s continued commitment to move … [same text as in prior statement about the Renminbi].” Identical three sentences as Rome statement regarding FX policy cooperation and opposition to excessive volatility and disorderly movements. A former view that exchange rates should reflect fundamentals remains conspicuously missing from the text. | Oil $51.56 EUR 1.324 YEN 97.2 |
| 02/14/09 Rome | “We reaffirm our shared interest in a strong and stable international financial system. Excess volatility and disorderly movements in exchange rates have adverse implications for economic and financial stability. We continue to monitor exchange markets closely and cooperate as appropriate.” “…we welcome China’s fiscal measures and continued commitment to move to a more flexible exchange rate, which should lead to continued appreciation of the Renminbi in effective terms and help promote more balanced growth in China and the world economy.” | Oil $37.51 EUR 1.2867 YEN 91.99 |
| 10/10/08 Washington |
Officials issued a statement of atypical length and specificity that abandoned the usual discussion of economic conditions and prospects and excluded any paragraph on currency market policy. The communique promised “urgent and exceptional action” to support bank recapitalisation and market liquidity and to promote lending, depositor insurance, and the health of secondary markets for mortgages and securitized assets. In this more coordinated process, officials pledged not to take steps that would harm other economies and endorsed a critical continuing role for the IMF. | Oil $79.94 EUR 1.341 YEN 100.3 |
| 04//11/08 Washington | Replaced two sentences of FX section stating a desire for parities to reflect fundamentals and not show excessive volatility with the following more sharply worded protest: “We reaffirm our shared interest in a strong and stable international financial system. Since our last meeting, there have been at times sharp fluctuations in major currencies, and we are concerned about their possible implications for economic and financial stability.” Wording on the yuan was same as in February. No explicit mention of the euro, dollar, or yen. | OIL $110.14 EUR 1.583 YEN 100.8 |
| 02/09/08 Tokyo | Meeting focused upon global slowdown, not forex issues, and policy responses to such. Effort made to present solidarity but did not unveil immediate actions. Comment on yuan softened by substituting word “encourage” for phrase “stress its need to allow.” No other changes made to forex policy paragraph. ECB’s Trichet quelled talk of an ECB near-term rate cut. Bank of Canada Governor Carney: more easing is likely. | OIL $91.77 EUR 1.451 YEN 107.3 |
| 10/19/07 Washington | No mention of dollar, yen, or euro. Same first 3 sentences in forex policy paragraph but modified language on yuan to read “We welcome China’s decision to increase the flexibility of its currency, but in view of its rising current account surplus and domestic inflation, we stress its need to allow an accelerated appreciation of its effective exchange rate.” |
OIL $88.60 EUR 1.430 YEN 114.5 |
| 04/13/07 Washington | Identical exchange rate paragraph used as in the Essen statement, with no explicit mention of yen, yuan, dollar, or euro. Expressed a little more optimism about G7 growth, but country-specific comments were similar to the February communique. Deleted praise for Chinese reforms. | OIL $63.63 EUR 1.353 YEN 119.1 |
| 02/10/07 Essen | “We reaffirm that exchange rates should reflect economic fundamentals. Excess volatility and disorderly movements in exchange rates are undesirable for economic growth. In emerging economies with large and growing current account surpluses, especially China, it is desirable that their effective exchange rates move so that necessary adjustments will occur.” No explicit reference to the yen. Upbeat comments about growth outlook. | OIL $59.89 EUR 1.300 YEN 121.8 |
| 09/16/06 Singapore | Same currency market policy paragraph as used in April 2006. Chinese officials offered no more specific promises on yuan flexibility timetable. In later remarks, European officials said the yen should appreciate. More moderate U.S. growth was predicted, but the global outlook was called positive. | OIL $63.40 EUR 1.265 YEN 117.5 |
| 04/21/06 Washington | Same first 3 sentences in paragraph dealing with FX. Then, “Greater exchange rate flexibility is desirable in emerging economies with large current account surpluses, especially China, for necessary adjustments to occur.” Made recommendations for a shared attack on global imbalances. Called expansion outlook favorable and inflation contained. | OIL $75.17 EUR 1.234 YEN 116.6 |
| 12/03/05 London | Kept standard 3-sentence expression of FX policy. Changed yuan comment to “we expect that further flexible implementation of China’s currency system would improve the functioning and stability of the global economy and the international monetary system.” Upgraded growth outlook to “solid” but broadened risk from oil to “possibility of increasing inflationary pressures.” | OIL $59.32 EUR 1.172 YEN 120.5 |
| 09/23/05 Washington | First 3 sentences of FX paragraph are the same. Welcomed Beijing decision to pursue greater flexibility in FX regime and “expects the development of this more market-oriented system…” Global economy continues to expand, but future risks have increased and become more numerous. Such include higher energy prices, growing global imbalances, and protectionism. | OIL $64.19 EUR 1.292 YEN 107.8 |
| 04/16/05 Washington | Fifth consecutive G7 statement to invoke same 4-sentence FX paragraph adopted initially in February 2004. Trichet said the call for FX flexibility meant for all “emerging Asian nations with restrictive FX policies,” not just China. The Chinese did not attend. | OIL $50.49 EURO 1.292 YEN 107.8 |
| 02/05/05 London | No change in FX paragraph. The head of the People’s Bank of China denied any timetable for a yuan revaluation. G7 claimed global growth is more moderate than in prior October but is “expected to remain robust for 2005. “Inflation “remains subdued.” U.S. committed to fiscal consolidation, Europe and Japan to further structural reform. | OIL $46.48 EUR 1.287 YEN 104.1 |
| 10/01/04 Washington | Same FX paragraph for a third straight time. “Oil prices remain high and are a risk. So first we call on oil producers to provide adequate supplies to ensure that prices moderate. Second, it is important for consumers and producers that oil markets function efficiently, and we encourage the IEA to enhance its work on oil data transparency.” | OIL $50.12 EUR 1.240 YEN 110.5 |
| 04/24/04 Washington | Identical 4-sentence paragraph on FX policy to that in the Boca Raton G7 statement. FX should reflect fundamentals. Excessive FX volatility and disorder are undesirable. G7 to cooperate on FX. Urged flexible FX regimes where lacking. | OIL $36.46 EUR 1.830 YEN 109.1 |
| 02/07/04 Boca Raton | No deletions but two inserts made to clarify what some felt was a market “misinterpreta-tion” of Dubai’s message on FX policy. Added the following after Dubai’s first sentence: “excess volatility and disorderly movements in exchange rates are undesirable for economic growth.” Final sentence now reads “…areas that lack such flexibility in FX rates to promote…” | OIL $32.48 EUR 1.270 YEN 105.5 |
| 09/20/03 Dubai | “Exchange rates should reflect fundamentals. We continue to monitor exchange rates closely and cooperate as appropriate in this context. We emphasize that more flexibility in exchange rates is desirable for major countries or economic areas to promote smooth and widespread adjustments in the internationa l financial system, based on market mechanisms.” |
OIL $27.03 EUR 1.137 YEN 114.0 |
| 04/12/03 Washington | “Growth in most of our economies has been subdued, though uncertainties have diminished…We will respond as needed to developments in the economic environment. We will continue to monitor exchange markets closely and cooperate as appropriate.” No specific currency misalignments or policies were mentioned. | OIL $28.00 EUR 1.075 YEN 120.5 |
| 02/22/03 Paris | While affirming confidence in the underlying strength of their economies, officials, “recognize the imperative for higher growth rates and resolve to take steps to achieve this result.” ECB president Duisenberg hinted a near-term rate cut may be in the works, but the statement’s policy commitments were broad and unlikely to impress traders. Language used on Forex was standard stuff. | OIL $35.58 EUR 1.077 YEN 118.7 |
| 09/27/02 Washington | Aside from a pledge “to monitor exchange markets closely and cooperate as appropriate,” statement did not comment on recent countries. “Economic growth is continuing, though at a more moderate pace than earlier this year. Risks remain.” | OIL $30.45 EUR 0.981 YEN 122.6 |
| 04/20/02 Washington | Fifth straight statement to avoid discussion of specific currencies and to merely include standard language about monitoring markets and cooperating as appropriate… “Each of us has an ongoing responsibility to implement sound macroeconomic policies and structural reforms to sustain recovery.” | OIL $26.40 EUR 0.892 YEN 130.3 |
| 02/09/02 Ottawa | Standard clause about monitoring forex and cooperating as appropriate but no further remarks about any particular currency. “Prospects have generally strengthened for resumed expansion… We remain vigilant and will each continue to take appropriate steps to promote a sustained recovery.” Discussed Argentina and Enron. U.S. Treasury Secretary O’neill said the G7 was satisfied with Japan’s progress. | OIL $35.58 EUR 0.872 YEN 134.7 |
| 10/06/01 Washington | Meeting less than one month after the 9/11 attacks, no currencies were cited. “We will continue to monitor exchange markets closely and cooperate as appropriate.” O’neill “understands” why BOJ intervened heavily in September. G7 determined to “bring forward measures to increase economic growth and preserve the health of our financial markets.” | OIL $ 29.60 EUR 0.918 YEN 120.5 |
Copyright Larry Greenberg 2010. All rights reserved. No secondary distribution without express permission.
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