IMF Working Papers

Nonlinearity in Deviations From Uncovered Interest Parity: An Explanation of the Forward Bias Puzzle

By Giorgio Valente, Gene L. Leon, Lucio Sarno

May 1, 2006

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Giorgio Valente, Gene L. Leon, and Lucio Sarno. Nonlinearity in Deviations From Uncovered Interest Parity: An Explanation of the Forward Bias Puzzle, (USA: International Monetary Fund, 2006) accessed November 21, 2024
Disclaimer: This Working Paper should not be reported as representing the views of the IMF.The views expressed in this Working Paper are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent those of the IMF or IMF policy. Working Papers describe research in progress by the author(s) and are published to elicit comments and to further debate

Summary

We provide empirical evidence that deviations from uncovered interest rate parity (UIP) display significant nonlinearities, consistent with theories based on transaction costs or limits to speculation. This evidence suggests that the forward bias documented in the literature may be less indicative of major market inefficiencies than previously thought. Monte Carlo experiments allow us to reconcile these results with the large empirical literature on the forward bias puzzle since we show that, if the true process of UIP deviations were of the nonlinear form we consider, estimation of conventional spot-forward regressions would generate the anomalies documented in previous research.

Subject: Currencies, Exchange rates, Financial services, Foreign exchange, Forward exchange rates, Interest rate parity, Money, Spot exchange rates

Keywords: Currencies, Deviations from UIP, Excess return, Exchange rate, Exchange rates, Fama regression, Forward bias puzzle, Forward exchange rates, Global, Interest rate parity, Nonlinearity, Sharpe ratio, Spot exchange rates, UIP deviation, Uncovered interest parity, WP

Publication Details

  • Pages:

    44

  • Volume:

    ---

  • DOI:

    ---

  • Issue:

    ---

  • Series:

    Working Paper No. 2006/136

  • Stock No:

    WPIEA2006136

  • ISBN:

    9781451863963

  • ISSN:

    1018-5941