人民币汇率波动如何影响中国企业的对外直接投资?

基于2005-2017 "中国全球投资跟踪数据库"的对外投资微观数据,本文考察人民币汇率波动的不确定性对中国企业对外直接投资的影响。研究发现:人民币汇率波动的增加,不仅减少了中国企业对外直接投资的可能性,也抑制了投资规模,这一结果在考虑内生性问题、样本选择性偏差、不同的汇率波动指标等一系列问题后仍然稳健。基于手工搜集的企业年报数据,研究发现,企业前期的套期保值行为,可以有效规避汇率风险,弱化汇率波动对企业对外投资的抑制作用。进一步研究显示,汇率波动对中国企业对外投资的影响有明显的异质性,投资于不同行业、不同国家的企业以及不同投资方式的企业对人民币汇率波动的反应各异,这又与中国现阶段对外投资的一些独特特征有关。本文研究为汇率波动影响中国企业的对外直接投资行为提供了微观层面的证据。     

Analyzing firms' strategic investment decisions in a real options' framework

Within the context of investment under uncertainty, the real options literature has led to models that capture primarily the time to wait flexibility of monopolistic corporations' investment decision. In this paper, we propose an approach which relies on barrier options to model production and/or sales delocalization flexibility for multinational enterprises making decisions under exchange rate uncertainty. We then extend the model by introducing game theoretic considerations to show how the information set and the competitive structure of the market may lead firms to act strategically and exercise their delocalization options preemptively at an endogenously fixed exchange rate barrier.     

货币政策对我国投资水平影响的实证分析

投资是整个宏观经济体系运转过程中非常重要的一个环节,而货币政策对投资水平的作用是一个受到广泛关注的问题。理论界普遍的共识是,至少在短期内货币政策还是能对一国投资总水平产生影响。本文运用VAR模型、IRF检验及格兰杰因果关系检验,对我国货币政策与投资水平的关系进行了实证分析。结果显示,包括货币供给量、利率、汇率等在内的货币政策工具对总投资水平都会产生影响,相比较而言,货币供给量和利率的影响更大,持续时间更长。基于此,本文提出了通过适当减少货币供给量、调整利率和放开汇率等途径来提高投资水平的政策建议。     

The introduction of the Euro and its effects on portfolio decisions

Examining investment behavior related to the Euro introduction, we address the relevance of different investment determinants. With the advent of the currency union two potential sources of portfolio reallocation can be distinguished: First, the diminishment of exchange rate risk and transaction costs within the EMU. Second, the increase of correlation of EMU returns so that diversification benefits decreased. We test for structural breaks in the holdings of German investors and estimate a market model to account for the two effects. A significant decrease in national and an increase in EMU and rest-of-the-world investments can be observed. Comparing the observed holdings with benchmark portfolios, we find that investment home bias has diminished since the Euro introduction.     

汇率风险对冲如何影响企业并购行为——基于自由现金流的视角

本文基于2001—2019年上市公司年报中关于外汇衍生品的使用信息,研究发现,使用外汇衍生品的上市公司相比未使用的公司发起并购的概率更低,但并购的市场和经营绩效有所提高。主要原因在于,中国上市公司进行并购通常以企业自有资金进行现金支付,外汇衍生品的使用大幅降低了公司出于预防性动机而持有的现金,从而降低了公司发起并购的概率。此外,进行汇率风险对冲可避免公司因持有大量自由现金流而发生的过度投资行为,从而提高了公司的投资效率。总体而言,使用外汇衍生品进行汇率风险对冲可使上市公司更注重并购质量而非并购数量,从而实现“少而精”的投资策略。本文研究对进一步厘清企业使用外汇衍生品的相关影响提供了一定参考。     

Brand equity of stock exchange as a mediator in financial decisions

The aim of this study is to investigate investors’ brand equity perception for a stock exchange as a mediator in financial investment decisions. An online survey is conducted in two samples in the developed market context of Ireland and developing one of Turkey. Results indicate that although investors’ risk perception has a negative impact on investment decisions, this impact is partially mediated by brand equity of stock exchanges in question. This mediating effect further differs by the market context, with a larger effect size in the developing Turkish market. It can be concluded that although developing markets face higher volatility in macroeconomic conditions, it could be possible to spread the risk resulting from this volatility with an effective brand equity management, which is found to be especially important in developing markets. The study offers some practical implications to policy makers and managerial sides regarding the need for a careful perception management aimed at individual investors.     

Does internationalisation increase exchange rate exposure? -Evidence from Chinese financial firms

This study investigates both the symmetric and asymmetric exchange rate exposures of Chinese financial firms in the context of an accelerated pace of RMB internationalisation. We find that an increasing number of Chinese financial firms are exposed to negative symmetric effects from the change in the trade weighted effective exchange rate. The evidence concerning asymmetries shows that after 2009 negative exchange rate shocks (a weaker RMB) have a stronger effect on exposures than positive shocks (a stronger RMB). Changes in the bilateral exchange rate also have a significant impact on firm returns, given the importance of the USD in the effective exchange rate. Further, the empirical analysis reveals that exchange rate exposures are associated with firm level characteristics including total assets, earnings per share, net cash flows, investment incomes, total liabilities and firm size. Finally, we suggest that domestic and foreign stakeholders need to pay close attention to the movement of the Yuan's exchange rate before it becomes completely convertible.     

Exchange rate volatility and productivity growth: The role of financial development

The vast empirical exchange rate literature finds the effect of exchange rate volatility on real activity to be small or insignificant. In contrast, this paper offers empirical evidence that real exchange rate volatility can have a significant impact on productivity growth. However, the effect depends critically on a country's level of financial development. The results appear robust to time window, alternative measures of financial development and exchange rate volatility, and outliers. We also offer a simple monetary growth model in which real exchange rate uncertainty exacerbates the negative investment effects of domestic credit market constraints.     

International Portfolio Investment: Theory, Evidence, and Institutional Framework

At first sight, the idea of investing internationally seems exciting and full of promise because of the many benefits of international portfolio investment. By investing in foreign securities, investors can participate in the growth of other countries, hedge their consumption basket against exchange rate risk, realize diversification effects and take advantage of market segmentation on a global scale. Even though these advantages might appear attractive, the risks of and constraints for international portfolio investment must not be overlooked. In an international context, financial investments are not only subject to currency risk and political risk, but there are many institutional constraints and barriers, significant among them a host of tax issues. These constraints, while being reduced by technology and policy, support the case for internationally segmented securities markets, with concomitant benefits for those who manage to overcome the barriers in an effective manner.     

Decision-making in sequential projects: expected time-to-build and probability of failure

The main purpose of this paper is to account for the two most basic options in the context of a sequential investment project, the option to adjust investment speed and the exit option. Current models of sequential investment ignore the role of a minimal investment rate that must be sustained as long as the project is not abandoned. In most real projects, a positive minimal investment rate provides an incentive for (irreversible) exit from the project. On the other hand, the minimal investment rate still leaves room for adjustment of the investment speed. Therefore, models with realistic (non-extreme) assumptions about the minimal investment should account for both, the exit option and the option to adjust investment speed. In this paper we set up the equations for this dual-option scenario in a continuous (PDE) framework. The resulting model is characterized by the presence of two thresholds describing the optimal decision-making. We provide a robust numerical procedure for the determination of both thresholds. Our analysis reveals that the minimal investment rate creates an endogenous incentive for fast completion that complements the corresponding exogenous incentives. This ??incentive-enhancement effect?? of the minimal investment rate is reflected by the fundamental statistical characteristics of the sequential project. As a direct consequence of this effect, an increase of the minimal investment rate will always lead to a reduction of the expected time-to-build. Another, striking consequence is that the minimal investment rate can also have a positive effect on the probability of failure (default-risk). This effect occurs under the condition of a low exogenous incentive for fast completion, represented e.g. by poor market expectations for the product to be developed.     

Reinsurers' investment and underwriting portfolios and the exchange rates risk

Summary and concluding remarks The traditional analysis of the performance of large international reinsurers typically concentrates on the effect of exchange rates on profitability of the firm (NRG [9]). The multi-index model enables us to capture and analyze two additional effects: According to the Interest Rates Parity Theorem, the expected rates of return on foreign investments already reflect the expected change in the exchange rate. Therefore, a firm operating in a perfect market would be indifferent to the currency denomination of its financial assets. The firm should consider only the unexpected element in the exchange rate movements, i.e., the exchange risk. The uncertainty in the exchange rate contributes to the variability of the return on each investment and underwriting project. The firm must consider this new element of risk while constructing its investment and insurance portfolios. p ]The model can be used to examine and analyze alternative policies of the firm operating in international markets. For example, the model can be used to examine the “full hedge” policy, in which the insurer has a zero net position in any non-reference currency, or the policy of isolating national insurance markets.     

Foreign direct investment and forward hedging

This paper examines the behavior of a risk-averse multinational firm (MNF) making investment in a foreign country under exchange rate uncertainty. To hedge the exchange rate risk, the MNF has access to an unbiased currency forward market. Foreign direct investment (FDI) is irreversible and sequential in that the MNF can acquire additional capital after the exchange rate uncertainty is completely resolved. The MNF as such possesses a real (call) option that is rationally exercised whenever the foreign currency has been substantially appreciated relative to the domestic currency. We show that the MNF's optimal initial level of sequential FDI is always lower than that of lumpy FDI, while the expected optimal aggregate level of sequential FDI can be higher or lower than that of lumpy FDI. We further show that the presence of the currency forward market improves the MNF's incentives to make FDI, both ex-ante and ex-post.     

Does Bitcoin behave as a currency?: A standard monetary model approach

We derive the Bitcoin exchange rate dynamics by solving the exchange rate equation of the standard flexible-price monetary model to investigate any characteristics of Bitcoin like a currency. The dynamics is driven by an asymmetric mean-reverting fundamental shock which can be attributed to a money demand shock. A crash occurs when the exchange rate with a weakened mean-reverting force breaches a lower boundary where a smooth-pasting condition is imposed. The empirical results show the exchange rate dynamics can be calibrated according to the model, in which the mean reversion of the dynamics is positively co-integrated with the Bitcoin transaction volume indicating demand for Bitcoin; and with the risk reversals of the commodity currencies (Australian dollar and Canadian dollar) in currency option markets. The analysis shows that the Bitcoin exchange rate shares some characteristics of commodity currencies with crash risk. This suggests that Bitcoin behaves as a currency between fiat money and a crypto-commodity used for trading and investment purposes.     

Forecasting EUR–USD implied volatility: The case of intraday data

This study models and forecasts the evolution of intraday implied volatility on an underlying EUR–USD exchange rate for a number of maturities. To our knowledge we are the first to employ high frequency data in this context. This allows the construction of forecasting models that can attempt to exploit intraday seasonalities such as overnight effects. Results show that implied volatility is predictable at shorter horizons, within a given day and across the term structure. Moreover, at the conventional daily frequency, intraday seasonality effects can be used to augment the forecasting power of models. The type of inefficiency revealed suggests potentially profitable trading models.     

Australia’s equity home bias and real exchange rate volatility

The main purpose of this paper is to consider the effect of real exchange rate volatility on equity investment by Australian investors. Equity investment is of major importance to savers and investors in Australia. Also real exchange rate volatility is an important influence on Australia’s financial integration in the global economy. Analysis of the effect of real exchange rate volatility on Australia’s equity home bias is important since Australian dollar is a commodity currency. There is a close relationship between Australia’s terms of trade and real exchange rate volatility. Home bias is measured on the basis of free float-adjusted market capitalization in recognition of the fact that closely held shares are not available to ordinary investors. Real exchange rate volatility is measured by deviations from purchasing power parity on a bilateral basis between Australia and 35 countries. The cross-border equity investment data over the period 2001–2007 are from International Monetary Fund’s Coordinated Portfolio Investment Survey. Australian investors are found to invest significantly less in a country if the real exchange rate volatility of that country is relatively high (results that are robust to standard control measures and generalized method of moments).     

The influence of management perception of environmental variables on the choice of international transfer-pricing methods

In this paper, we provide an empirical study of the association between the management's perception of the importance of environmental variables and their choice of international transfer-pricing methods in the context of a developing economy. Given the sizable investment flowing to developing countries and the amount of economic exchange that occurs through foreign investment in these countries, we believe this is a significant issue. For this study, we collected the data from field interviews with the management of large foreign investment enterprises (FIEs) in China. These FIEs include mainly investors from the United States, Japan, and Europe. Our evidence indicates that the more important management perceives the interests of local partners and the maintenance of a good relationship with host government to be, the more likely that the FIE will use a market-based transfer-pricing method. On the other hand, the more important the management perceives foreign exchange controls in transfer-pricing decisions, the more likely the FIE will choose a cost-based method. Finally, there is a moderate agreement between U.S. and non-U.S. FIEs on the relative importance of the environmental variables.     

Definition-consistent measurement of exchange market pressure

Currencies can be under severe pressure, but in a managed exchange rate regime that is not fully visible via the change in the exchange rate. The literature has proposed a way to measure such exchange market pressure (EMP) indirectly, by adding interest rate changes and forex interventions to the exchange rate change. We demonstrate that this measure is not consistent with the definition of EMP and develop a new measure that is consistent. This is first derived within the commonly used monetary exchange rate model. Then we generalize the analysis by avoiding the use of an exchange rate model. We find that the interest rate should not be taken in the first-difference form used so far, but rather in level form and relative to the interest rate chosen if the country had no exchange rate objective. Applications on the European Monetary System and East Asian crises confirm that this improvement is highly relevant in practice.     

Interest Rates and Exchange Rate Movements: Analyzing Short-term Investments in Long-term Bonds

Tests of the uncovered interest rate parity (UIP) are subject to various data problems when long-term interest rates are applied: due to the long investment period, time intervals for measuring exchange rate movements are usually overlapping and therefore not independent. This shortfall can be prevented by considering short-term investments in long-term bonds instead of investments to maturity. This article analyzes the explanatory power of long-term interest rates with regard to 1- and 3-month exchange rate movements by relating return differences from 1- and 3-month investments in domestic and foreign 10-year government bonds to nine different exchange rates. From a Swiss perspective, there is only weak support for an interrelation between return differences and the corresponding exchange rate movements, whereas from a US perspective, the resulting estimates are much more in line with UIP.The reader may for instance consider Engel (1996) and Froot and Thaler (1990).     

FOREIGN EXCHANGE AND CROSS-BORDER VALUATION

Should a corporate financial manager analyze a cross-border investment proposal from the perspective of the foreign currency or the home currency? The conventional wisdom among economists is that it doesn't matter–the valuation of an asset should be the same in one currency as in another, given the spot FX rate. This assertion implies that it is irrelevant whether we analyze an overseas investment's NPV in the home currency or the foreign currency, as long as we use consistent cross-border conversions.
But what happens if managers' foreign exchange forecasts differ from the efficient markets forecast that is implicit in interest rates? In that case, as this article demonstrates through a series of examples, managers' FX forecasts can affect their investment, hedging, and financing decisions.     

The Composition of Government Spending and the Real Exchange Rate

We show that the composition of government spending influences the long-run behavior of the real exchange rate. We develop a two-sector small open-economy model in which an increase in government consumption is associated with real appreciation, while an increase in government investment may generate real depreciation. Our empirical work confirms that government consumption and government investment have differential effects on the real exchange rate and the relative price of nontradables.