Foreign Exchange Risk Premium Research Articles

Exchange Rates and International Risk Sharing

Recent research in international finance has equated changes in real exchange rates with differences between the marginal utility growths of representative agents in different economies. The asset market view of exchange rates, encapsulated in this equation, has been used to gain insights into exchange rate determination, foreign exchange risk premia, and international risk sharing. We argue that, in fact, this equation is of limited usefulness. By itself, the asset market view does not identify the economic mechanism that determines the exchange rate. It only holds under complete markets, and even then, it does not generally allow us to identify the marginal utility growths of distinct agents. Moreover, if we allow for incomplete asset markets, measures of agents' marginal utility growths, and international risk sharing, cannot be based on asset market and exchange rate data alone. Instead, we argue that in order to explain how exchange rates are determined, it is necessary to make specific assumptions about preferences, goods market frictions, the assets agents can trade, and the nature of endowments or production.

Properties of foreign exchange risk premiums

We study the properties of foreign exchange risk premiums that can explain the forward bias puzzle, defined as the tendency of high-interest rate currencies to appreciate rather than depreciate. These risk premiums arise endogenously from the no-arbitrage condition relating the term structure of interest rates and exchange rates. Estimating affine (multi-currency) term structure models reveals a noticeable tradeoff between matching depreciation rates and accuracy in pricing bonds. Risk premiums implied by our global affine model generate unbiased predictions for currency excess returns and are closely related to global risk aversion, the business cycle, and traditional exchange rate fundamentals.

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Estimation of the Time-Varying Risk Premium in the Czech Foreign Exchange Market

The paper presents both the theoretical account of the issue of foreign exchange risk premium and the actual estimates of the time-varying risk premium for the cases of the Czech koruna to euro and US dollar. The risk premium is modelled within a state space framework and estimated using the Kalman filtering procedure. Some financial market fundamentals are used to estimate the risk premium, and thus not only do the estimates give insight into the foreign exchange market behaviour but also into some linkages between the various segments of the financial market as a whole.

Exchange rate dynamics under alternative optimal interest rate rules

We explore the role of interest rate policy in the exchange rate determination process. Specifically, we derive exchange rate equations from interest rate rules that are theoretically optimal under a few alternative settings. The exchange rate equation depends on its underlying interest rule and its performance could vary across evaluation criteria and sample periods. The exchange rate equation implied by the interest rate rule that allows for interest rate and inflation inertia under commitment offers some encouraging results — exchange rate changes “calibrated” from the equation have a positive and significant correlation with actual data, and offer good direction of change prediction. Our exercise also demonstrates the role of the foreign exchange risk premium in determining exchange rates and the difficulty of explaining exchange rate variability using only policy based fundamentals.

Foreign Exchange Exposure and the Term-Structure of Industry Cost of Equity

Using a single-factor Global CAPM (GCAPM) and a two-factor International CAPM (InCAPM), we study the effect of foreign exchange (FX) exposure on the term structure of industry cost of equity of 39 U.S. industries. Following Ang and Liu (2004), we estimate the term structure of industry expected returns at the end of 2010 and find that: 1) Capturing FX exposure in the asset-pricing model changes the position and shape of the spot discount curves; 2) The average industry FX risk premium is around 3% for cash flows with short-term maturities (around 24% of the total industry cost of equity); 3) For most industries the FX risk premium declines with increasing cash flow maturities; 4) The pricing error from ignoring the term structure is substantially larger than the pricing error resulting from the omission of the FX risk component.

Determinants of the Foreign Exchange Risk Premium in the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries

This paper analyzes macroeconomic determinants of the foreign exchange risk premium in two Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries that peg their currencies to the U.S. dollar: Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The analysis is based on the stochastic discount factor methodology, which imposes a no arbitrage condition on the relationship between the foreign exchange risk premium and its macroeconomic determinants. Estimation results suggest that U.S. inflation and consumption growth are important factors driving the risk premium, which is in line with the standard C-CAPM model. In addition, growth in international oil prices influences the risk premium, reflecting the important role played by the hydrocarbon sector in GCC economies. The methodology employed in this paper can be used for forecasting the risk premium on a monthly basis, which has important practical implications for policymakers interested in the timely monitoring of risks in the GCC.

The Foreign Exchange Risk Premium A Disaggregate Approach

<p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">This paper re-examines the issue of the existence of a time-varying risk premia in the three foreign exchange markets. By using the theoretical framework developed by Domowitz and Hakkio it relates the risk premium in the foreign exchange market with the heterogeneity across the market participants. The empirical research using a disaggregate survey data base support the importance is supportive of the existence of time-varying risk premia for the British Pound, German Mark and Japanese Yen exchange rates. In particular, we demonstrate that consensus measures of the risk premium mask the existence because of the importance of heterogenous expectations.</span></span></span></p>

Financial Amplification of Foreign Exchange Risk Premia

Theories of systemic risk suggest that financial intermediaries’ balance-sheet constraints amplify fundamental shocks. We provide supporting evidence for such theories by decomposing the U.S. dollar risk premium into components associated with macroeconomic fundamentals and a component associated with financial intermediaries’ balance sheets. Relative to the benchmark model with only macroeconomic state variables, balance sheets amplify the U.S. dollar risk premium. We discuss applications to systemic risk monitoring.

Exchange Rate Dynamics Under Alternative Optimal Interest Rate Rules

We explore the role of interest rate policy in the exchange rate determination process. Specifically, we derive exchange rate equations from interest rate rules that are theoretically optimal under a few alternative settings. The exchange rate equation depends on its underlying interest rate rule and its performance could vary across evaluation criteria and sample periods. The exchange rate equation implied by the interest rate rule that allows for interest rate and inflation inertia under commitment offers some encouraging results – exchange rate changes “calibrated” from the equation have a positive and significant correlation with actual data, and offer good direction of change prediction. Our exercise also demonstrates the role of the foreign exchange risk premium in determining exchange rates and the difficulty of explaining exchange rate variability using only policy based fundamentals.

The Real Exchange Rate, Real Interest Rates, and the Risk Premium

The well-known uncovered interest parity puzzle arises from the empirical regularity that, among developed country pairs, the high interest rate country tends to have high expected returns on its short term assets. At the same time, another strand of the literature has documented that high real interest rate countries tend to have currencies that are strong in real terms - indeed, stronger than can be accounted for by the path of expected real interest differentials under uncovered interest parity. These two strands - one concerning short-run expected changes and the other concerning the level of the real exchange rate - have apparently contradictory implications for the relationship of the foreign exchange risk premium and interest-rate differentials. This paper documents the puzzle, and shows that existing models appear unable to account for both empirical findings. The features of a model that might reconcile the findings are discussed.

Exchange Rate Dynamics Under Alternative Optimal Interest Rate Rules

We explore the role of interest rate policy in the exchange rate determination process. Specifically, we derive exchange rate equations from interest rate rules that are theoretically optimal under a few alternative settings. The exchange rate equation depends on its underlying interest rate rule and its performance could vary across evaluation criteria and sample periods. The exchange rate equation implied by the interest rate rule that allows for interest rate and inflation inertia under commitment offers some encouraging results – exchange rate changes 'calibrated' from the equation have a positive and significant correlation with actual data, and offer good direction of change prediction. Our exercise also demonstrates the role of the foreign exchange risk premium in determining exchange rates and the difficulty of explaining exchange rate variability using only policy based fundamentals.

Foreign exchange risk and risk exposure in the Japanese stock market

PurposeWhether stock returns are linked to exchange rate changes and whether foreign exchange risk is priced in a domestic context are less conclusive and thus still subject to a great debate. The purpose of this paper is to provide new empirical evidence on these two inter‐related issues, which are critical to investors and corporate risk management.Design/methodology/approachThis paper applies two different econometric approaches: Nonlinear Seemingly Unrelated Regression (NLSUR) via Hansen's Generalized Method of Moment (GMM) and multivariate GARCH in mean (MGARCH‐M) to examine the exchange rate exposure and its pricing.FindingsUsing industry data for Japan, similar to previous studies, foreign exchange risk is not priced based on the test of an unconditional two‐factor asset pricing model. However, strong evidence of time‐varying foreign exchange risk premium and significant exchange rate betas are obtained based on the tests of conditional asset pricing models using MGARCH‐M approach where both conditional first and second moments of industry returns and risk factors are estimated simultaneously.Research limitations/implicationsThe strong empirical evidence found in this study implies that corporate currency hedging not only results in more stable cash flows for a firm, but also reduces its cost of capital, and hence is justifiable.Originality/valueThis paper conducts an in‐depth investigation regarding the exchange rate exposure and its pricing by utilizing two different econometric approaches: NLSUR via Hansen's GMM and MGARCH‐M. In doing so, a more reliable conclusion about the exchange rate exposure and its pricing can be drawn.

Yield Curve Predictors of Foreign Exchange Returns

In a no-arbitrage framework, any variable that affects the pricing of the domestic yield curve has the potential to predict foreign exchange risk premiums. The most widely used interest rate predictor is the difference in short rates across countries, known as carry, but the short rate is only one of many factors affecting domestic yield curves. We find that in addition to interest rate levels other yield curve predictors have significant ability to forecast the cross section of currency returns. In particular, changes of interest rates and term spreads significantly predict excess foreign exchange returns, exhibit low skewness risk, and are lowly correlated with carry returns. Predictability from these yield curve variables persists up to 12 months and is robust to controlling for other predictors of currency returns.

Determinants of the Foreign Exchange Risk Premium in Gulf Cooperation Council Countries

This paper analyzes macroeconomic determinants of the foreign exchange risk premium in two Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries that peg their currencies to the U.S. dollar: Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The analysis is based on the stochastic discount factor methodology, which imposes a no arbitrage condition on the relationship between the foreign exchange risk premium and its macroeconomic determinants. Estimation results suggest that U.S. inflation and consumption growth are important factors driving the risk premium, which is in line with the standard C-CAPM model. In addition, growth in international oil prices influences the risk premium, reflecting the important role played by the hydrocarbon sector in GCC economies. The methodology employed in this paper can be used for forecasting the risk premium on a monthly basis, which has important practical implications for policymakers interested in the timely monitoring of risks in the GCC.

Determinants of the Foreign Exchange Risk Premium in Gulf Cooperation Council Countries

This paper analyzes macroeconomic determinants of the foreign exchange risk premium in two Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries that peg their currencies to the U.S. dollar: Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The analysis is based on the stochastic discount factor methodology, which imposes a no arbitrage condition on the relationship between the foreign exchange risk premium and its macroeconomic determinants. Estimation results suggest that U.S. inflation and consumption growth are important factors driving the risk premium, which is in line with the standard C-CAPM model. In addition, growth in international oil prices influences the risk premium, reflecting the important role played by the hydrocarbon sector in GCC economies. The methodology employed in this paper can be used for forecasting the risk premium on a monthly basis, which has important practical implications for policymakers interested in the timely monitoring of risks in the GCC.

Foreign exchange risk and risk exposure in the Japanese stock market

Purpose – Whether stock returns are linked to exchange rate changes and whether foreign exchange risk is priced in a domestic context are less conclusive and thus still subject to a great debate. This paper attempts to provide new empirical evidence on these two inter-related issues, which are critical to investors and corporate risk management. Design/methodology/approach – This paper applies two different econometric approaches: Nonlinear Seemingly Unrelated Regression (NLSUR) via Hansen’s (1982) Generalized Method of Moment (GMM) and multivariate GARCH in mean (MGARCH-M) to examine the exchange rate exposure and its pricing. Findings – Using industry data for Japan, similar to previous studies, foreign exchange risk is not priced based on the test of an unconditional two-factor asset pricing model. However, strong evidence of time-varying foreign exchange risk premium and significant exchange rate betas are obtained based on the tests of conditional asset pricing models using multivariate GARCH in mean (MGARCH-M) approach where both conditional first and second moments of industry returns and risk factors are estimated simultaneously. Research limitations/implications – The strong empirical evidence found in this study implies that corporate currency hedging not only results in more stable cash flows for a firm, but also reduces its cost of capital, and hence is justifiable. Originality/value – This paper conducts an in-depth investigation regarding the exchange rate exposure and its pricing by utilizing two different econometric approaches: Nonlinear Seemingly Unrelated Regression (NLSUR) via Hansen’s (1982) Generalized Method of Moment (GMM) and multivariate GARCH in mean (MGARCH-M). In doing so, a more reliable conclusion about the exchange rate exposure and its pricing can be drawn.

FTA체결 전.후의 환율행태 변화 분석과 전망

This study intends to discuss the influence on behaviors of won/dollar exchange rate after a FTA between Korea and US come into effect. The change of behaviors of won/dollar exchange rate has been looked into concerning other countries who have signed a FTA pact with the US, and these examples were compared with that of Korea so as to find similarities and differences. As a result of analyses, behaviors of exchange rate between FTA-pact countries were showed differently. Volatility and risk premium somewhat decreased after the FTA took effect except for Chile. As for Chile, showing intense volatility, foreign exchange risk premium rather increased. It can be concluded that the relationship between volatility and risk premium of individual exchange rate is established and FTA can influence change of these behaviors of exchange rate depending on the situation of individual country. This study will contribute to offer informations to Korea trading companies related to IT that will have to prepare for the uncertainties of change of exchange rate due to FTA between Korea and US.

Macroeconomic sources of foreign exchange risk in new EU members

We address the issue of foreign exchange risk and its macroeconomic determinants in several new EU members. We derive the observable macroeconomic factors—consumption and inflation—using the stochastic discount factor (SDF) approach. The joint distribution of excess returns in the foreign exchange market and the factors are modeled using a multivariate GARCH-in-mean specification. Our findings show that both real and nominal factors play important roles in explaining the variability of the foreign exchange risk premium. Both types of factors should be included in monetary general equilibrium models employed to study excess returns. To contribute to the further stability of domestic currencies, the new EU members should strive to implement stabilization policies aimed at achieving nominal as well as real convergence with the core EU members.

Estimates of foreign exchange risk premia: a pricing kernel approach

The goal of this study is to measure market prices of risk and foreign exchange risk premia. Estimations of minimum variance pricing kernels permit to determine market prices of risk, which, in an international no-arbitrage framework, allow to measure foreign exchange risk premia. Market prices of risk are time-varying and surge during financial turmoils. Foreign exchange risk premia are on average small in comparison to interest rate differentials and exhibit significant variation from the early 1970s onwards, when the Bretton Woods exchange rate system collapsed. At times, foreign exchange risk premia dominate interest rate differentials.