Describe the balance of payments identity and discuss its implications under the fixed and flexible exchange rate regimes.

Answer:  The balance of payments recognize holds that the combined balance on the current and capital accounts must be equal in size, but reverse in sign, to the change in the official reserves: BCA + BKA = -BRA. Within the pure flexible exchange rate regime, central banks do not engage in official reserve transactions. So, the overall balance should balance, that is BCA = -BKA. Within the fixed exchange rate regime, though, a country can have an overall BOP surplus or deficit since the central bank will accommodate it via official reserve transactions.