Tuesday, 25 June 2013

Financial Deregulations: Benefits and Risks in Carry Trade Strategy

Carry Trade Strategy
Table of Contents



 

EXECTIVE SUMMARY:


In the current dynamic, diverse and continuously changing environment the financing decisions of firms are also changing. Firms generate funds across the border due to high benefits associated from the international financing choices and stimulate the firms to issue the bonds and equity in the international markets beyond the country’s financial markets. The boundaries of the countries in terms of capital flow is resolved now to ease the international operation of the firms. 

Today many investors are interested in “carry trade” strategy to gain the high returns on their investment.  Carry Trade is mainly concerned with currency operations and many people having view about carry trade as a type of gamble. We are not sure about the returns from it due to uncertain future; however more accurate information can lead to high returns. There is trade-off between the benefits and costs of deregulations and many researchers view that Deregulation of financial markets produces the favorable results while other scholars oppose the idea and still favor to follow regulatory framework for effectiveness.


1. Evaluates the Impacts of Financial Deregulation and Capital Control on Financial Globalization and International Diversification:

The financing decisions of a corporation depend upon various factors including strategic alignment with their strategic goals and objectives and the financial markets and system of the economy in which it is prevailing. Many studies are conducted on the bases of domestic financial institutions whose operational scope are restricted to local organization. Money market is use for short term loans and capital market is used for long term loans. The people in the current time are not limited to the local money and capital market, they are moving all over world to generate the cheaply finance. Literature has evidenced various studies that support the notation of financial decisions across the boundaries (Claessens, Djankov and Nenova, 2001; Giannetti, 2003). They observe the deregulation of the capital market and compare them with purely domestically financed firms. In 1970’s the capital flow was at boom and the emerging markets gain benefits from this change in the financial behavior of the capital market. This change was triggered due to the oil shock in 1973-74. The growth of the euro bond market and the bank lending was also at the peak 1979. Moreover, 2002 is usually considered as the year of utmost transferring of funds from developed economies to developing economies.   

1.1Postive Aspects of Deregulation of Financial Markets:

The integration of the financial bodies across the boundaries has been increased tremendously. The barriers of investing in the foreign markets have also been lifted up that enhance the financial activity across boundaries. Many researchers suggest deregulation as it reduces cost of capital, increase capital flow and lead to high growth. Ofstfeld (1998) proposed that the international financial market provide effective and profitable plate form for the investment. Stulz (1999) and Mishlin (2001) also argued that the deregulation of financial markets provide more transparent and accurate system of accountability and protect investors right. They further argued that financial markets’ deregulation facilitate the international policy makers and also lead to high economic growth. Financial innovations also allow us to share the macroeconomic risks across the countries. With the opening of international financial market, local firms can diversify their portfolio and transfer their loss to their partner in the situation of loss. It broadens the range of diversification by including the foreign bond and equity.
The mobility of the finance to the other countries reduces the imbalances of external deficit. The developing countries of the world mitigate the problem of scarcity of capital with the financial innovation. This point is helpful to reduce the cost of capital and play vital role in the economic growth of the country. Chari and Henry (2004) take the observation of 430 firms from 8 different countries and concluded that the appreciation in equity is 15 percent with the deregulation of financial markets. Bekaert (2005) suggested that the financial market deregulation is most favorable when the quality of the county’s institution and financial development is high. So, he successfully describes the moderating effects of quality of financial development with the relation of deregulation and its benefits.
On the other hand some scholars also argued against the system of deregulation. They opposed the system due to its negative impacts in term of currency crises that also impact negatively to whole financial system of that economy. They characterized the system of deregulation to the financial crises in 1990’s. The Asian crisis was also due to the support of this system. High capital flow is seen as fundamental cause of such crises. However, other attributed these crises to flow of capital from developing countries to developed economies. This point enforced the many researchers to suggest the people to go back the older order of financial decision. Stiglitz (1999) suggest that developing economies should put some barriers in the free flow of funds to prevent themselves from its drastic results. Rajan and Zingals (2001) argued that well established firms opposed the economic reforms due to the possibility of intense competition. In some countries general public also criticize this system, Soros (2002) and Stiglitz (2002) also criticize the international capital flow widely. Gourinchas and Jeanne (2006) the gain of developing countries from borrowing abroad for steady capital stock is low as compare to their expectations. 
In conclusion researchers are unable to conclude the net benefits and losses of deregulations and view the concept as trade-off between the costs and benefits of deregulations. The researchers who are against this deregulation system proposed that most of the crises are due to currency crises which is mainly due to the deregulation system of the capital market. On the other hand, many people are in the favor of this deregulation system due to the reduction in the cost of capital and so many other benefits associated with it. Majority of studies and people are in the favor of the financial deregulation and diversification of the countries.

2. Discusses the role of financial innovations and technology on international investments:

High transaction cost and risks for investor stimulates the change in financial markets and their operations. Today financial innovative products and process along with technology are use to cater the emerging needs of financial markets especially in the case international capital markets due to its diverse and complex nature.
Financial innovation means to introduce such methods that reduce the cost of the borrowings and minimize the risks for investor. Financial innovation is one of the important factors that can lead to high economic growth. During the last couple of centuries investors have developed efficient systems of financing. Modern financer created the new capital venture to monitor the high tech innovations and rearrange financial data to support the biotechnology (Schweitzer, 2006). They further said that financial intermediaries utilize their resources to evaluate the performances of the firms. The innovative financiers are always in search of new and risky projects for the sake of high returns while if they successfully develop the effective innovative securities strategies they gain more than the follower investors.  According to Greenwood and Jovanovic (1990) the financial intermediaries provide the more accurate and authentic information to improve the allocation of capital due to technology and innovative financial ideas. The statistical measurement of cost has tremendously increases the efficiency of the portfolio. If we talk about the technological changes then the changes in the structure of telecommunication, information technology and financial theories change financial behavior of the capital market. The role of data processing and telecommunication effects more than the other related factors.
The technological changes in financial activities especially in the banking sectors change the shape of banking system. The online banking, ATMs and debt and credit cards all are very effective. The role of the internet in the financial activities helps the investors to remain aware about their stock price at anytime and anywhere in the world. They can purchase and sell their securities online gain the profits by the fluctuation in the prices of stocks. Moreover, symmetric information better facilitate to predict and forecast accurately and help to manage portfolio effectively.  
The innovation in the financial market is bringing through the agents who do not trade the securities directly in the market instead of this they design the structure of the capital market. They are in search of profit and participate actively in the formation of new markets and traded them in the new market for the purpose of hedging. Their main source of income through the sale of some specific securities rather than based on the fees, they receive while performing their role of intermediaries. Allen and Santomero (1997) shed the light on the issue that the importance of the present financial innovation is due to the intermediary bodies who share the risk of their agents, who feel risky to trade the securities directly. Some agents are the international players; they have the knowledge of many stock exchanges, by trading these securities internationally diversify the risk of their principal. 
The innovation of the new securities allows the investors to gain the desirable return on their investment. Dynan, Elmendorf and Sichel (2006) concluded that the financial innovations can play an important role to manage income volatility. The key role of finance in the economy and in its growth automatically enhances the need of innovation in finance (Leivine 1997).  As we can say that finance is the major facilitator of all the other activities therefore, the role of innovation in finance is very critical in the development of economy. In many articles the role of importance in the innovation of finance has been discussed (Van Horn, 1985; Miller, 1986:1992 and Tufano, 2003). The stream of the innovation does not remain the same over the period of time, for all type of firms and in every type of the environment. The statistical risk measurement use to avoid and measure the other type of risk of the rest of portfolio. Various types of the software and computer programmers are used to forecast future sale and the performance of the firm. Berger (2003) said that the technological changes enhance financial performance of the firm. The profit percentage increases on the financial investment with the innovation of derivative market. Mian and Sufi (2009) argued that securitization is one of the very critical and important financial innovations of the recent time. There are some direct channels through which the financial innovation can boost the economic growth of the developing countries. They trade the risk of fluctuation in income by trading the equity and derivatives with the foreign countries.

3. Analyze the Benefits and Risks of a “Carry Trade” Strategy, in Which Investors Borrow Low Interest Rate. Interest Rate Currencies to Finance Their Investments in Assets Denominated in Currencies With Higher.

3.1 Carry Trade:
Carry trade strategy is use to take the loans from low interest rate markets and invest them high interest rate markets. This strategy involves of taking short position in low interest currencies and long position in high interest currencies in a portfolio of investment. Exchange rate of the currencies varies substantially and Investors take benefits of such varying exchange rate. However, high risk is also associated with this technique of gettinh benefits through interest differentials.  The volume of the currency market is increasing day by day.  In the last 25 years it is observed that investing in the carry trade rather than the stock market yields higher returns. The returns on these carry trade highly liquid and connected with the foreign exchange market. Brunnermeier, Nagel, Pedersen (2008) they argued that the participant of the levered market move towards the high yield currencies due to the high interest of the speculators. If the local currency depreciated the carry traders suffer losses if they taken the loan from foreign countries.  Forward biased discount rate is not only the paramilitary condition of but it was compulsory of carry trade.  The logic behind this, the commercial banks make the policy according to economic poison of their own country rather than to focus on the external variables for policy making.
We can implement the strategy of trade carry through different approaches and sources.  The most and easy way to carry trade is investing in the emerging markets and browed from the spot market. The targeted currency can be hold in the form of short term financing until the maturity of particular asset.  Another important approach to carry trade is based on the derivative contracts relies on futures and options. We can follow any approach which is suitable for us based on the complexity of the data. Galati and Malvin (2004) argued that large financial institutions use the carry trade hedge funds and commodity trading advisors.
I f the speculators face the problem of funding then the whole scenario will change. Brunneremeier and Pedersen (2007) formulated a structure for speculators to carry trade at low cost when the liquidity in the market is at the peak.  A speculator only enters in the carry trade if he believes or assumes that other speculators also join him.
The weights of carry trade are considered stable and steady. The return on the carry trade is 4.65% higher than the individual currency returns and the stander deviation is also lower. This is the reason of the popularity of this strategy. Brunnermeier, Nagel and Pedersen (2009) conclude that the rate of return on the carry trade is skewed in the left side and fat-tailed while individual currency return is fate tail.
The result of carry trade totally depends upon the speculation of currency rate. If your speculation clicks then you gain the profit otherwise suffer the loss. We have to distinguish the high and low risk environment and no chance of error at any cost.  In the recession time of any economy the systematic risk of the carry trade increases.  These findings guide us about the risk of carry trade which seems quite attractive and profitable apparently. 
Example:
Suppose that japans Yen exchange rate with Australian dollar is 70 JPY per AUD. While interest rates in Japan and Australia are 1% & and 5% respectively. While suppose that investment yield in Australia is 10%. On the other hand UIRP suggests that in one year japans yen will appreciate with 4%. Now we can gain from such interest and currency differences. First borrow cheap Japans Yen at low rate and then convert it into AUD. For instance you borrow 70 Yen at 1% and convert it into AUD and get 1 AUD. Now invest that 1 AUD into Australian market and get 15% yield after a year that return total amount of 1.1 AUD. Now convert this 1 AUD into Yens. As UIRP suggest 4% appreciation in Yen as compared to AUD, so after one year I AUD will be equal to 67.3 yens, so we will get 74.03 yen (1.1 * 67.3). Now return a total of 70.7 yens loan from Japan (70 yen loan + 0.7 yen interest). Remaining 3.33 (74.03 – 70.7) is yours profit. But this hold true if currency appreciate for only 4%. High appreciation in yens leads to low profits while deprecation in yen as compared to AUD will lead to high profits.

4. Appraises the View That By Borrowing in the International Capital Markets (e.g. Issuing Corporate Bond in International Bond Markets or Cross-Listing its Equity in Foreign Stock Markets) a Company can Generally Increase Its Share Price and Reduce its Cost of Capital.

Globalization means that higher flow of capital across the borders of the countries, close link with financial markets. Another element relating to the globalization is the migration of the security market at international level especially in the case of emerging economies. When a company is listed in the foreign stock exchange, it has the access to more liquid market, gains the fund at lower cost and at easy terms and conditions. These developments and ease in financing is more charming for the firms to be listed in abroad. Stulz (1999) proposed that moving abroad for financial decision is risk and lower down the cost of capital. Shareholders always want to diversify their portfolio internationally. Cantale (1996) and Fuerst (1998) found that the firms listed in the foreign markets are willing to commit the high stander of the corporate governance issues.  Cleassens, Klingebiel and Schmukler (2002) found that the increasing trend in the migration of stock at international level is due to the no. of factors like, efficient legal system, excellent macro policies, high per capita income and better protection to the shareholders.
There are many benefits of international portfolio. According to Coffee (1999) and Rosee and Weisbach (2002) conclude that when any firm issue the stock in which country having strict rule of capital regulation and tight reporting system, they abide by these situations. (Pagano, Roell and Zechner 2002) argued that if the foreign markets are mole liquid, they take the full advantage of this high liquidity. Ultimately reduces the cost of capital.
 The international debt financing is more common than the equity financing. For example in 1990,s 20.24% bonds are issued internationally and equity is only 6% issued internationally. Usually U.K and USA consider more attractive equity market for international operation. European debt market is considered the most attractive in the world for the foreign issuers.
The USA is considering the most favorable place for the international equity issues, acquiring the 74% of the cross boarder equity issues. We can say that on the bases of these results USA equity market is largest in the world. UK is considering the second most attractive cross-border equity issues, contributing 10% of international equity. These two are the prominent foreign equity markets in the world. These are exporter of the new equity.
The debt market is much more international than equity market and the pattern of international debt issues is more dispersed than the international equity market.  The Eurobond market is more popular than USA and UK fore foreign bond market.

 

 

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