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The performance of NDF carry trades

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  • Doukas, John A.
  • Zhang, Hao

Abstract

This paper investigates the performance of carry trade strategies for currencies with non-deliverable forward (NDF) contracts. We find that carry trades for currencies with NDF contracts are associated with higher Sharpe ratios compared to carry trades for currencies with deliverable forward (DF) contracts. We also find that, during the recent financial crisis, DF carry trades incur heavy losses while NDF carry trades realize insignificant losses. DF carry trade payoffs are shaped by credit risk, global foreign exchange (FX) volatility and crash risk. In contrast, NDF carry trade payoffs are driven by global FX volatility and crash risk, liquidity risk, and currency convertibility risk measured by deviations from covered interest parity in offshore markets while global convertibility risk has a limited effect on carry trades.

Suggested Citation

  • Doukas, John A. & Zhang, Hao, 2013. "The performance of NDF carry trades," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 172-190.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:jimfin:v:36:y:2013:i:c:p:172-190
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jimonfin.2013.04.003
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    Cited by:

    1. Fredy Gamboa-Estrada, 2016. "Carry Trade y Depreciaciones Bruscas del Tipo de Cambio en Colombia," Borradores de Economia 957, Banco de la Republica de Colombia.
    2. Yamani, Ehab, 2019. "Diversification role of currency momentum for carry trade: Evidence from financial crises," Journal of Multinational Financial Management, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 1-19.
    3. Egbers, Tom & Swinkels, Laurens, 2015. "Can implied volatility predict returns on the currency carry trade?," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 14-26.
    4. Bank for International Settlements, 2015. "Currency carry trades in Latin America," BIS Papers, Bank for International Settlements, number 81.
    5. Orlov, Vitaly & Äijö, Janne, 2015. "Benefits of wavelet-based carry trade diversification," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 34(C), pages 17-32.
    6. Geyikçi, Utku Bora & Özyıldırım, Süheyla, 2021. "To hedge or not to hedge: Carry trade dynamics in the emerging economies," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    7. Wu, Chih-Chiang & Wu, Chang-Che, 2017. "The asymmetry in carry trade and the U.S. dollar," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 304-313.
    8. Yamani, Ehab, 2021. "Foreign exchange market efficiency and the global financial crisis: Fundamental versus technical information," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 74-89.
    9. Cepni, Oguzhan & Emirmahmutoglu, Furkan & Guney, Ibrahim Ethem & Yilmaz, Muhammed Hasan, 2023. "Do the carry trades respond to geopolitical risks? Evidence from BRICS countries," Economic Systems, Elsevier, vol. 47(2).
    10. Atilgan, Yigit & Demirtas, K. Ozgur & Simsek, Koray D., 2016. "Derivative markets in emerging economies: A survey," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 88-102.
    11. Ospina-Forero, Luis & Granados, Oscar M., 2023. "A network analysis of the structure and dynamics of FX derivatives markets," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 615(C).
    12. Li, Xue & Liu, Yanghui & Li, Hanxu & Li, Jie, 2021. "Onshore spot and offshore forward markets for RMB: Evidence from the “8.11” exchange rate regime reform," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    13. Burenin, Aleksey N. (Буренин, Алексей), 2017. "On the Inevitability of Economic Crises in the Modern Market Economy [О Неизбежности Экономических Кризисов В Современной Развитой Рыночной Экономике]," Ekonomicheskaya Politika / Economic Policy, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, vol. 5, pages 8-21, October.
    14. Doskov, Nikolay & Swinkels, Laurens, 2015. "Empirical evidence on the currency carry trade, 1900–2012," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 370-389.
    15. Azzam, Islam & El-Masry, Ahmed A. & Yamani, Ehab, 2023. "Foreign exchange market efficiency during COVID-19 pandemic," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 717-730.
    16. Zhang, Hao, 2018. "Intraday patterns in foreign exchange returns and realized volatility," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 27(C), pages 99-104.
    17. Ge, Futing & Zhang, Weiguo, 2022. "The determinants of cross-border bond risk premia," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    18. Fredy Gamboa-Estrada, 2017. "Carry Trade Incentives and Turbulence in the Foreign Exchange Market in Colombia," Manchester School, University of Manchester, vol. 85, pages 57-78, September.
    19. Auer, Benjamin R. & Hoffmann, Andreas, 2016. "Do carry trade returns show signs of long memory?," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 201-208.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Non-deliverable forward; Carry trade; Covered interest parity; Exchange rate risk;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F31 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - Foreign Exchange
    • G15 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - International Financial Markets

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