Which of the following is/are the effects of devaluation or depreciati

Which of the following is/are the effects of devaluation or depreciation of currency ?

  • 1. It leads to increase in imports and decrease in exports.
  • 2. It leads to increase in exports and decrease in imports.
  • 3. It leads to increase in domestic inflation.
  • 4. It leads to decrease in domestic inflation.

Select the correct answer using the code given below :

1 and 3 only
1 and 4 only
2 and 3 only
3 only
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CDS-2 – 2023
Devaluation or depreciation of a currency makes a country’s goods cheaper for foreign buyers (increasing exports) and foreign goods more expensive for domestic buyers (decreasing imports). It also tends to increase domestic inflation due to the higher cost of imports and potential demand-pull effects from increased exports.
1. **It leads to increase in imports and decrease in exports:** Incorrect. Depreciation makes imports more expensive, thus decreasing them. It makes exports cheaper, thus increasing them.
2. **It leads to increase in exports and decrease in imports:** Correct. This is the primary intended effect of depreciation/devaluation, improving the trade balance.
3. **It leads to increase in domestic inflation:** Correct. Imports become more expensive, increasing the cost of imported raw materials and finished goods, leading to cost-push inflation. Increased foreign demand for domestic goods can also lead to higher prices if supply cannot keep up (demand-pull inflation).
4. **It leads to decrease in domestic inflation:** Incorrect.
The effects of devaluation/depreciation on trade balance are described by the Marshall-Lerner condition, which states that a currency devaluation will only improve the balance of trade if the sum of the price elasticities of demand for imports and exports is greater than one. Inflationary effects are a common side effect, especially in economies reliant on imports.
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