Consider the case of a U.S. investor holding dollars and deciding whether to invest in Japanese treasury bills or in U.S. treasury bills. Assume that the investor wants to end up holding dollars. What are the three methods available to this investor to turn present dollars into future dollars? In your answer present an equation that shows the return per dollar invested under each method. Which of these methods is the riskiest and why?

What will be an ideal response?


POSSIBLE RESPONSE: The three methods, each described by an equation, per $1 invested, are:

a. Covered international investment; covered return = (1 + iJP) × (f / e)

b. Uncovered international investment; expected uncovered return = (1 + iJP) × (eex / e)

c. Invest directly in U.S. treasury bills; domestic return = (1 + iUS) 

Here, iJP = interest rate in Japan, iUS = interest rate in the U.S., e = spot exchange rate, f = forward exchange rate, and eex = expected future exchange rate. 

The riskiest is the second option because the investor is exposed to exchange-rate risk and is not covered.

Economics

You might also like to view...

Assume that the supply curve for a commodity shifts to the right and the demand curve shifts to the left, and the shift in demand is greater than the shift in supply

Then, in comparison to the initial equilibrium, the new equilibrium will be characterized by: A) a lower price and a higher quantity. B) the same price and a lower quantity. C) a higher price and a lower quantity. D) a lower price and quantity.

Economics

During 2005, real GDP in Ireland grew 9.8 percent. If Ireland maintains this level of growth in the future, real GDP will double in approximately how many years?

What will be an ideal response?

Economics

Refer to the figure above. What is the producer surplus when Lithasia opens to free trade?

A) $2 B) $5 C) $20 D) $21

Economics

Refer to the figure above. What is the quantity effect of a price reduction from $6 to $4?

A) $600 B) $800 C) $1,000 D) $1,200

Economics