THE REACTION OF EXCHANGE RATES TO ECONOMIC NEWS

Abstract

This paper examines the short‐run responses of spot exchange rates to several types of economic news. Survey data are used to divide economic announcements into expected and unexpected components with the latter measuring news. The results indicate that exchange rates are systematically related to unexpected money announcements after the October 1979 switch in Federal Reserve operating procedures but not before. This response does not appear to have changed, however, after the October 1982 Federal Reserve regime change. Short‐run exchange rate movements are not systematically related to news on inflation or real activity.