Potential Competitiveness of Pound in Post-Crisis World

In: Mirovaja ėkonomika i meždunarodnye otnošenija: MĖMO, Band 64, Heft 12, S. 44-53

Abstract

The author discusses the factors and trends that determine the British pound's competitive position in various segments of the international monetary system. Despite the devaluation effect caused by Brexit, the pound is still the most expensive of the key international currencies. On the one hand, this is due to the fact that the ratio of the British pound monetary aggregate M1 to GDP is significantly lower than that of other major economies – issuers of reserve currencies. Thus, the pound has the lowest monetary risk of depreciation compared to other currencies. On the other hand, the international significance of the pound sterling is explained by the ability of British economy to service the huge external debt, which in relative size is the largest among the leading economies of the world. This state of affairs is achieved due to the fact that London is home to the largest number of foreign companies in the world that carry out operations in various Eurocurrencies, acting simultaneously as the main issuers of external debt obligations. The attractiveness of the pound sterling as the currency for the nomination of international debt instruments is due to the less risky currency profile of the pound sterling, as well as the relatively higher profitability of debt instruments. After the global financial crisis, the share of the pound in the official reserves of other countries and in the implementation of international payments is gradually increasing. The author comes to the conclusion about the possible strengthening of the future role of the pound as a stabilizer of international economic relations against the backdrop of an increase in unpredictable events taking place on both sides of the Atlantic such as fiscal crisis of the euro area, Brexit, the growing political tension in the USA, COVID 19. These events are increasingly threatening leading positions of the US dollar and the euro as the key international currencies.