CSAT 2014 Study Note 2 - Balance of Payment

Balance of payments (BoP) accounts are an accounting record of all monetary transactions between a country and the rest of the world. These transactions consist of payments for the country's exports and imports of goods, services, financial capital, and financial transfers. The BOP accounts sum up international transactions for a specific period, usually a year. Sources of funds for a nation, such as exports or the receipts of loans and investments, are recorded as positive or surplus items. Uses of funds, such as for imports or to invest in foreign countries, are recorded as negative or deficit items.

Generally, the Balance of payments is calculated every quarter and every calendar year. All trades conducted by both the private and public sectors are accounted for in the Balance of payments in order to determine how much money is going in and out of a country. If a country has received money, this is known as a credit, and if a country has paid or given money, the transaction is counted as a debit. Theoretically, the BOP should be zero, meaning that assets (credits) and liabilities (debits) should balance, but in practice this is rarely the case.

Most important point to remember
When all components of the BOP accounts are included they must sum to zero theoretically  with no overall surplus or deficit. For example, if a country is importing more than it exports, its trade balance will be in deficit, but the shortfall will have to be counterbalanced in other ways – such as by funds earned from its foreign investments, by running down central bank reserves or by receiving loans from other countries. 

BOP = CURRENT ACCOUNT + CAPITAL ACCOUNT

Balance of payments is a statistical statement that systematically summarises, for a specific time period, the economic transactions of an economy with the rest of the world.

Merchandise credit relate to export of goods while merchandise debit represent import of goods.

The invisible balance or balance of trade on services is that part of the balance of trade that refers to services and other products that do not result in the transfer of physical objects. Examples include consulting services, shipping services, tourism, and patent license revenues. This figure is usually generated by tertiary industry.

Travel covers expenditure incurred by non-resident travellers during their stay in the country and expenditure incurred by resident travellers abroad.

Transportation covers receipts and payments on account of international transportation services.

Insurance comprises receipts and payments relating to all types of insurance services as well as reinsurance.

Government not included elsewhere
(G.n.i.e.) relates to receipts and payments on government account not included elsewhere as well as receipts and payments on account of maintenance of embassies and diplomatic missions and offices of international institutions.

Miscellaneous covers receipts and payments in respect of all other services such as communication services, construction services, software services, technical know-how, royalties etc.

Transfers (official, private) represent receipts and payments without a quid pro quo.

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