This paper investigates the debate between the Mundellian trilemma and the dilemma.

Overall, the global financial cycle magnifies the binding effect of financial openness on

monetary policy autonomy, and reduces the effectiveness of the floating exchange rate

regime in isolating the domestic economy against financial pressures. I provide empirical

evidence that the trilemma does not morph into a dilemma. Furthermore, the sensitivity

to the global financial cycle depends more on the presence of global investors and global

players than on the fluctuations of these financial forces.