Carry Trade Part.I

The asset borrowed at low rates is placed in high-yield assets is otherwise called Carry trade. Today, the phenomenon has grown strongly over the yen and becomes problematic. Many analysts calling the Banks to reconsider their policy. They do not seem to find echoes in Japan, but show an awareness of the danger generated. However, non-termination of existing problem at the G8 conference does not seem to go in the direction of a rapid response. The carry trade exchange, a concept theoretically unworkable in the long term.

A carry trade involves borrowing in foreign exchange currency in a country where rates are low, to change this amount in a currency "strong" and place it at high rates (treasury bills ...). Theoretically, the operation of the arbitrage transaction is ephemeral because the markets are efficient (at each moment is a financial security to its price) and rebalance through exchange rates and interest rates.

Moreover, because of the rule of parity uncovered interest rate, the interest of such an operation is theoretically zero. Indeed, a difference in rates between two countries reflects inflation differentials. But these differences are offset by a realignment of exchange rates. Thus, when an investor speculates on the difference in rates between two countries, he loses the same value on the exchange. That said, sometimes the law does not hold true in fact and that the currencies of countries with low rates suffer the opposite effect and depreciates. This is the case on the yen, which reached historic lows against the U.S. dollar and the euro.