The topic of this thesis is on political instability and revolutionary war in the countries that were involved with the Arab Spring. As created by James. C Davies (1962), the J-curve hypothesis serves as the foundational theoretical framework, where revolutions are ignited after prolonged improvements in political and economic living conditions which become interrupted by a sharp reversal. Panel data with variables that measure quantitative factors are analysed by using ordinary least squares (OLS) regression and logistic regression, to statistically test which factors have created political instability and ignited revolutionary war in the Arab Spring. The results of the statistical analysis indicate that political factors, rather than economic factors, such as political terror against the population and government corruption are the most relevant in explaining political instability and revolutionary war in the Arab Spring and the developments that followed.

In this paper, we examined the effects of real effective exchange rate (REER) changes on the Zambia´s trade balance, and whether the Marshal-Lerner condition (M-Lerner condition) and the Jcurve effect are satisfied in Zambia following the depreciation of the Zambian Kwacha (ZMK) against the U.S. dollar. Using annual time series data from 1990 through to 2019, the Johansen cointegration test results show that there is a long run relationship between the trade balance, the real effective exchange rate, the Zambia's GDP growth, the world´s GDP growth, and the Zambia´s terms of trade. A standard trade balance model was employed to estimate the long run and short run relationships between the trade balance and the variables in the trade balance model. The results from the trade balance show that the depreciation of the ZMK against the U.S. dollar improves the trade balance in the long run though the results could not validate the M-L condition since the coefficient value of REER was found to be far much less than unity (1). The results further uncover that the world´s GDP growth and the terms of trade both have a significant positive effect on the trade balance in the long run. The Zambia´s GDP growth was found to be statistically insignificant. In the short run, the results from the trade balance model show that the effects of the depreciation of the ZMK against the U.S. dollar on the trade balance were statistically insignificant, thus not consistent with the J-curve effect. The results from the Error Correction Model (ECM) on the other hand show that about 6.3% of the disequilibrium in the Zambia´s trade balance model is corrected every after one year.

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This thesis studies the relationship between the trade balance ratio between Sweden and Norway and the real exchange rate. Following a real depreciation of the Swedish crown (SEK) against the Norwegian krone (NOK), the trade balance ratio of Swedish exports to Norway to Swedish imports from Norway (X/M), is expected to initially fall due to lower earnings from the exports and higher expenses associated with imports. As the goods become cheaper, the demanded quantity is expected to increase, which is how the J-curve appear. J-curve builds on the Marshall-Lerner theory, which says that if the sum of price elasticities of exports and imports is elastic, the Swedish trade balance will improve as a result of the real depreciation of SEK. A test for cointegration is performed to see if there is a significant long-run relationship between the variables. This relationship is studied at two different frequences of observations, quarterly and annually. Then the Autoregressive Distributed Lag model, ARDL is used to analyse the J-curve. One of the conclusions of the results is that although no significant relationship could be found at monthly or quarterly observations, there is a J-curve present at annual level.

This paper examines the effects of the exchange rate on bilateral industry trade in Sweden's trade with the Euro area. This is done by examining whether the J-curve effect exists using quarterly data from 1995 until 2022. Since becoming floating in the 1990s, the Swedish Krona has weakened significantly and recently, the discussion about the weakness of the Swedish Krona has gained renewed attention. Since Sweden is a small and open economy highly dependent on international trade, changes in the exchange rate may have large effects on the Swedish economy. The J-curve effect implies that the trade balance following a depreciation may initially worsen before later improving. The ARDL-approach is employed to obtain both short- and long-run effects of a depreciation on Swedish trade balance. In the 66 industries studied, little support can be found for a J-curve effect in Sweden's trade with the Euro area. Although 27 industries present short-run effects of a depreciation only five lasts until the long-run. Similarly, the results indicate that industries with a lower share of foreign inputs in their exports are affected more favourable than those with a higher share in the short run. No such results are found in the long run.

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Study analyses the influence of the real exchange rate on the real trade balance between the Czech Republic and Germany, using quarterly data for the period 2000 -- 2014. Previous empirical studies are summarized and their method is used for this analysis. Data are multiplied by consumer price index to achieve real variables and then transformed into natural logarithms. Used variables are trade balance, export, gross domestic products of the Czech Republic and Germany and dummy variables representing economic crisis during the years 2008 -- 2010 and monetary intervention of the Czech National Bank in autumn 2013. All variables were tested for stationarity and were found to be non-stationary, fortunately cointegration among variables was proved. Results failed to prove existence of J-curve concept. Results indicate, that in the short run after depreciation the real trade balance increases, but after that decreases. Economic crisis during the years 2008 -- 2010 led to decrease of the real trade balance. Intervention of the Czech National Bank did not lead in the short run to a decrease of the real trade balance. Granger causality test between the real export, the real trade balance and the real exchange rate did not prove any causal relationships.

The main objective of this thesis is to analyze and evaluate the effect of the Czech National Bank´s foreign exchange intervention on the trade balance of the Czech Republic. For this purpose a hypothesis was set, that in the short-term the devaluation of the Czech currency causes deterioration of the trade balance and only after some time has passed the trade balance starts to grow. In theory this effect is known as the J-curve hypothesis. The first chapter summarizes theoretical knowledge about monetary policy and exchange rate theory. The second chapter analyzes the development of commodity and territorial structure of the Czech trade balance from 2000 to 2013. The third chapter focuses on the foreign exchange intervention itself and provides arguments for and against this measure taken by the Czech National Bank. The fourth chapter is the most important one for acceptance or rejection of the hypothesis set. It uses the Vector Error Correction Model to estimate the impact of devaluation on the trade balance of Czech Republic with Germany. Subsequently outcomes of this model are compared to the real statistical data of Czech trade.

Thesis (M. Commerce (Economics)) -- University of Limpopo, 2016 / The purpose of this paper is to ascertain the impact of the real effective exchange rate on South Africa‟s trade balance and whether the J-curve phenomenon and the Marshal-Lerner condition are satisfied in the economy. Using data spanning the period 1980Q1 – 2014Q4, the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) bounds test as well as the Johansen cointegration test were employed to test for the long run cointegrating relationship between the variables. The ARDL approach was employed to estimate both the long run and short run models as well as to ascertain whether the Marshal – Learner condition as well as the J-curve phenomenon are satisfied in the RSA economy. The results from the cointegration tests show that there is a stable long run equilibrium relationship between the trade balance, real effective exchange rate, domestic GDP, money supply, terms of trade and foreign reserves. The results from the Autoregressive Distributed Lag long run model show that a depreciation of the ZAR improves the trade balance, thus confirming the MarshalLerner condition. The results further reveal that domestic GDP and money supply both have a significant negative impact on the trade balance in the long run with the terms of trade reported positive as well. Foreign reserves were not found to significantly affect the trade balance in the long run. In the short run, the ARDL error correction model shows that a ZAR depreciation leads to a deterioration of the trade balance, thus confirming the J-curve effect for the RSA economy. The terms of trade effect was reported positive in the short run, thus confirming the Harberger-LaursenMetzler effect (HLME) in the process. Money supply, domestic GDP and foreign reserves are also found to have a significant negative impact on the trade balance in the short run. Finally, the error correction model reveals that about 26% of the disequilibrium in the trade balance model is corrected in each quarter.

This essay examines the relationship between exchange rate volatility, estimated using a GARCH model, and level of trade for Sweden and Finland. The data used was collected from Refinitive Eikon Datastream with monthly observations for the time period January 2005 - December 2022. The obtained results indicate that the volatility of the Swedish Krona and Euro positively increases the level of trade for Sweden respectively Finland according to the ARDL model. However, while examining different time perspectives the conclusions resulted in inconclusiveness for the countries and perspectives. The ARDL bounds test for Sweden corresponded with inconclusive results regarding a possible positive long term relationship between SEKs exchange rate volatility and level of trade. Furthermore, the Granger causality test did not state a short term relationship between the two variables for Sweden nor did it state a reversed relationship. On the other hand, for Finland, the ARDL bounds test and Granger causality test denied both a long term and short term positive relationship between the EURs exchange rate volatility and level of trade for Finland. However, for Finland a reversed Granger causality test was shown indicating that the level of trade has an impact on the volatility of the EURs exchange rate.