← Search

Journal of Political Economy Vol. 83 No. 2 1975

Covered Interest Arbitrage: Unexploited Profits?

Jacob A. Frenkel; Richard M. Levich

Abstract

Empirical studies of covered interest arbitrage suggest that the parity condition is not always satisfied and thus implying unexploited profit opportunities. This paper provides a procedure for estimating transaction costs in the markets for foreign exchange and for securities. Allowance for these costs accounts for most of the apparent profit opportunities. It is shown that in addition to transaction costs, demand and supply elasticities in the various markets and lags in executing arbitrage can account for all of the apparent profit opportunities. It is concluded that empirical data are consistent with the interest parity theory and that covered interest arbitrage does not entail unexploited profit opportunities.

DOI
10.1086/260325
Volume
83
Issue
2
Pages
325-338
Language
en
Sources
openalex crossref

Cite