What Drives Global Capital Flows?

The flows of capital from East and South East Asia into the US challenge many assumptions of international financial analysis. This book presents a novel geography of these flows, revealing the driving forces behind them and the crucial turntable roles played by Europe. The market mechanisms necessary for a smooth global flow of funds are shown to be robust but vulnerable to short-circuits triggered by monetary disequilibrium, especially deflation. The game of currency diplomacy, as played between Paris, Washington, Tokyo and Beijing, largely disregards this danger.