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Interest arbitrage under capital controls: Evidence from reported entrepôt trades

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  • Hu, Jiafei
  • Yuan, Haishan

Abstract

Capital controls segment the offshore credit market of Chinese renminbi from the onshore market. Using a novel administrative data set, we provide evidence that firms arbitrage the onshore-offshore interest differentials using bank-intermediated “entrepôt trades,” which supposedly re-export imports with little or no processing. Onshore-offshore interest differentials drive renminbi inflows from entrepôt trades, which strongly predict 1-year-forward outflows to settle bank-issued letters of credit. The patterns and timing of entrepôt trade flows are consistent with lending by onshore banks and borrowing from offshore banks through bank-intermediated trade finance. A larger interest differential allows transactions with a lower value to be profitable and induces entry into arbitrages. Our findings suggest that renminbi interest arbitrages are feasible but costly under capital controls.

Suggested Citation

  • Hu, Jiafei & Yuan, Haishan, 2021. "Interest arbitrage under capital controls: Evidence from reported entrepôt trades," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbfina:v:127:y:2021:i:c:s037842662100087x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbankfin.2021.106129
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Capital controls; RMB Interest arbitrage; Entrepôt trade; Trade finance;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O24 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Development Planning and Policy - - - Trade Policy; Factor Movement; Foreign Exchange Policy
    • F23 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - Multinational Firms; International Business
    • F33 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - International Monetary Arrangements and Institutions
    • G15 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - International Financial Markets
    • G18 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Government Policy and Regulation
    • G12 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Asset Pricing; Trading Volume; Bond Interest Rates

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