external balance

External Balance

A situation in which the money a country brings in from exports is roughly equal to the money it spends on imports. That is, external balance occurs when the current account is neither excessively positive nor excessively negative. An external balance implies capital movement. That is, a country needs to have both imports and exports to maintain an external balance; it is not sufficient simple to note no balance by not buying and selling goods. An external balance is considered sustainable. See also: Internal balance.

external balance

a situation of BALANCE OF PAYMENT EQUILIBRIUM that, over a number of years, results in a country spending and investing abroad no more than other countries spend and invest in it. The achievement of external balance is one of the macroeconomic objectives of the government. Compare INTERNAL BALANCE. See also DEMAND MANAGEMENT, EXCHANGE RATES, MACROECONOMIC POLICY, INTERNAL-EXTERNAL BALANCE MODEL.