The British pound is currently trading at $1.26. Currently the price of a Big Mac in Great Britain Is £3.19 and the price of a Big Mac in the United States is $3.99. Calculate the real exchange rate for Big Macs between the two countries. Briefly explain what economic theory would predict would occur to prices in both countries and the nominal exchange rate if the exchange rate given your answer?
Real Exchange Rate = Price in US / Price in Britian
= $3.99/3.19
= $1.2507/£
the economic theory that happens to predict the real exchange rate and the prices is the purchasing power parity difference where the purchasing power parity estimates the exchange rate that should be ideal between the countries where the price levels of the basket of goods is considered. If the big Mac index is considered here and the real exchange rate is actually less than the nominal exchange rate. There would be slight increase in the price of big Mac in US or slight decrease in price of Britian if it were to equal the norminal exchange rate.
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