January 20, 2015
Usually when a country takes steps to “defend” its currency, the problem is that the value of its currency is falling in world currency markets. This is most often due to higher inflation in the country in question, although the situation can be worsened by speculative attacks. Raising interest rates is a standard form of defense, since it makes it more desirable to hold assets denominated in that currency.
Against this normal pattern, the NYT told readers that Denmark was “defending” its currency by cutting interest rates. Apparently the problem is that the krone, Denmark’s currency, was rising against the euro. The krone has been pegged against the euro since its inception. The recent upswing in its value threatened to push the krone above its designated range.
So in this case, the “defense” is intended to reduce the value of the currency, not to raise it.
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