The decline in net exports is a principal factor
dampening growth at present. This is the result of
the strength of the dollar and the softness in
external demand, particularly from large emerging
markets. Reflecting in part asynchronous
monetary policy stances among major central
banks, the dollar has appreciated more than 20
percent in nominal effective terms—and 18
percent in real effective terms—since mid-2014.
Empirical studies suggest that an appreciation
around this size may reduce GDP growth by one
percentage point after two years (Laporte and
Roberts 2014; Brayton, Laubach, and
Reifschneider 2014).