Optimal currency pegs for primary producing countries

The paper compares several methods a developing country can use to select a basket of currencies against which to peg its exchange rate, if the country's goal is to minimize variations in its real effective exchange rate. Data over the period 1973-1983 for Zaire, Zambia, Chile and Peru are used to compare the lowest variance exchange rate pegs that are obtained by: a) using different formulas to calculate the indexes of exchange rate variability, b) using different types of weights in the formulas (e.g., weighting bilateral exchange rate fluctuations by export, import or total trade), and c) calculating the indexes of exchange rate variation over different time periods within 1973-1983.