Examining the Effects of the Exchange Rate Shocks on Investment and Employment in Iran using Computable General Equilibrium Models

Exchange rate in Iran has been facing fluctuations for many years, and has been affected the economic structure. Therefore, studying the changes in Exchange rate is of great importance. In this regard, the present paper studies the effects of exchange rate shocks on investment and employment within a systematic multi-regional computable model using GTAP.8 in 2007. To assess the impact of these changes, two scenarios of a 10% increase and reduction in the exchange rate are considered. The results confirm the same movements of price and exchange rate. Increase in the exchange rate in agriculture, industry and mining sectors has caused a reduction in production and employment, but has caused an increase in both variables in the service, oil and gas sectors. The decline in the exchange rate has resulted in fall of production and consequently and employment in the service, oil and gas, sectors, but it has caused an increase in both variables in agriculture, industry and mining sectors. The total investment in all areas examined is in line with exchange rate changes. Therefore, positive exchange rate shocks can increase overall employment rate. The issue is important because the share of employment in the service, oil and gas sectors is more than its share in agriculture, industry and mining ones. In addition, the positive exchange rate shock results in an increase in investment, regarding the structure of exports and imports.