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Open Economy Macroeconomics

Question
CBSEENEC12013416

Where will sale of machinery to abroad be recorded in the Balance of Payments Accounts? Give reasons.

Solution

Sale of machinery to abroad (exports) will be recorded as positive item in the current account of BOP.
Current account refers to an account which records all the transactions relating to export and import of goods and services and unilateral transfers during a given period of time. Current account contains the receipts and payments relating to all the transactions of visible items, invisible items and unilateral transfers. Those transactions that result in a inflow of foreign exchange in the country are recorded as positive items in the current account of BOP. On the other hand, those items that lead to an outflow of foreign exchange from the country are recorded as negative items in the current account of BOP. Therefore, as sale of machinery abroad leads to an inflow of foreign exchange in the country it will be recorded as a positive item in the current account of BOP.