Carry trade: Difference between revisions

From ACT Wiki
Jump to navigationJump to search
imported>Doug Williamson
(Add link.)
imported>Doug Williamson
(Add example. Source: Nasdaq webpage https://www.nasdaq.com/glossary/c/carry-trade)
Line 1: Line 1:
''Speculation - foreign currency.''
1.  ''Speculation - foreign currency.''


A carry trade is a speculative foreign exchange trading strategy.
A carry trade is a speculative foreign exchange trading strategy.
Line 19: Line 19:


The trader hopes that they will be able to enjoy gains on the interest rate differential and then close out the trade, before any sharp weakening of the higher interest rate currency.
The trader hopes that they will be able to enjoy gains on the interest rate differential and then close out the trade, before any sharp weakening of the higher interest rate currency.
2.  ''Speculation - other financial assets.''
Similar speculative activity, where the financial asset invested in is any asset that produces a higher income than the cost of borrowing.
For example, riding the yield curve.




Line 27: Line 34:
* [[Depreciation]]
* [[Depreciation]]
* [[Expectations theory]]
* [[Expectations theory]]
* [[Financial asset]]
* [[Fisher Effect]]
* [[Fisher Effect]]
* [[Foreign currency]]
* [[Foreign currency]]

Revision as of 15:58, 22 June 2021

1. Speculation - foreign currency.

A carry trade is a speculative foreign exchange trading strategy.

It involves borrowing a low interest-rate currency, and investing in a higher interest-rate currency.


The potential benefit to the trader is the interest differential between the higher interest income receivable on their investment, and the lower interest expense payable on their borrowing.

The downside is the loss on the likely depreciation of the higher interest-rate currency invested in.

The depreciation is explained by the International Fisher Effect.


The losses on the currency depreciation can exceed the interest rate gains by many times.

For this reason, it is a very high-risk form of speculation.


The trader hopes that they will be able to enjoy gains on the interest rate differential and then close out the trade, before any sharp weakening of the higher interest rate currency.


2. Speculation - other financial assets.

Similar speculative activity, where the financial asset invested in is any asset that produces a higher income than the cost of borrowing.

For example, riding the yield curve.


See also