The Argentine peso was fixed through a currency board at Ps1.00/$ throughout the 1990s. In January 2002, the Argentine peso was floated. On January 29, 2003 it was trading at Ps3.20/$. During that one-year period, Argentina's inflation rate was 20% on an annualized basis. Inflation in the United States during that same period was 2.2% annualized. (3.3)
a. What should have been the exchange rate in January 2003 if PPP held?
b. By what percentage was the Argentine peso undervalued?
c. What were the probable causes of undervaluation?