Because of the financial cycle, emerging countries must now avoid having an external deficit
Since the 2000s, a financial cycle has emerged under which periods of capital inflows into emerging countries have alternated with periods of capital outflows from these countries, mainly caused by changes in investor risk aversion. Emerging countries that have external deficits are hit when the financial cycle shifts t o the phase of capital outflows from emerging countries (as is being seen again today in Argentina, Brazil, Turkey, India, South Africa and Indonesia) . T hey then face a depreciation of their exchange rate s , inflation, rising interest rates and a fall in activity. Unfortunately, as long as this financial cycle is present, the only way to avoid this is to avoid having a significant external deficit, which is a curb to investment and development.