Study title

Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.

This ESRC-funded project empirically investigated the impact of different exchange rate regimes upon bilateral foreign direct investment (FDI) flows. Using panel data from 27 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and non-­OECD high income countries for the period 1980 through to 2003, and drawing from three different classifications of exchange rate regimes, the researchers found that a currency union is the policy framework most conducive to cross-border investment. Being a member of European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) also appeared to spur greater FDI flows with countries floating their currency vis-à-vis the default regime of a ‘double-float’. For country-pairs fixing or pegging their currency to each other, the impact on FDI flows was found to be negative in most specifications and so was the effect on FDI flows of country-pairs’ regime combinations involving one country fixing its currency and the other floating or being a member of EMU.

The dataset includes 35 series and 8,016 observations. The data are presented in the form used for estimation. A full description of the variables used and the sources from which they are taken is available in the documentation. The dataset consists of series for the total level of real-bi-lateral FDI flows between two countries, a large set of economic determinants and three datasets that are used to classify the bi-lateral exchange rate regime.

Further information can be found on the ESRC How do different exchange rate regimes affect foreign direct investment flows? award webpage.


Main Topics:

The database covers:

• exchange rate regimes
• foreign direct investment