Can currency-based risk factors help forecast exchange rates?

This paper examines time-series predictability of bilateral exchange rates from linear factor models that utilize unconditional and conditional expectations of three currency-based risk factors. Exploiting a comprehensive set of statistical criteria, we find that all versions of the linear factor mo...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Ahmed, Shamim, Liu, Xiaoquan, Valente, Giorgio
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2015
Subjects:
Online Access:https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/36949/
Description
Summary:This paper examines time-series predictability of bilateral exchange rates from linear factor models that utilize unconditional and conditional expectations of three currency-based risk factors. Exploiting a comprehensive set of statistical criteria, we find that all versions of the linear factor models largely fail to outperform the benchmark of random walk with drift model in the out-of-sample forecasting of monthly exchange rate returns. This holds true for individual currencies and currency portfolios formed on forward discounts. We also show that the information embedded in the currency-based risk factors does not generate systematic economic value to investors.