Reference no: EM132127597

Question: In 1961, Charles de Gaulle decided he did not want the French franc to be considered as a second-rate currency, so he chopped two zeros off the value of the franc, which meant the exchange rate was approximately FF5/$ instead of FF500/$ (he also ordered that the $ key on IBM punchcard machines be replaced by the FF symbol). This had no immediate impact on any domestic or international transactions, but was supposed to convince the French people to put inflation behind them and keep their currency in line with the Dmark and the British pound. Whether or not this change in currency values made any difference, the relative inflation rate did slow down and the value of the FF did rise relative to the dollar over the next two decades. At the same time, the current account balance improved slightly. Based on these factors, explain what happened to the growth rate, show how the NX and NFI curves must have shifted, and describe the underlying economic developments.