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The dollar, bank leverage and the deviation from covered interest parity

Type
Publication
Series
BIS Working Paper 592
Date Published
15 November 2016
Sources
Bank for International Settlements
JEL Classification

We document the triangular relationship formed by the strength of the US dollar, cross-border bank lending in dollars and deviations from covered interest parity (CIP). A stronger dollar goes hand-in-hand with bigger deviations from CIP and contractions of cross-border bank lending in dollars. Differential sensitivity of CIP deviations to the strength of the dollar can explain cross-sectional variations in CIP arbitrage profits. We argue that underpinning the triangle is the role of the dollar as proxy for the shadow price of bank leverage.


The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the BIS or its member central banks.