Rate of return parity and currency crises in experimental asset markets

This paper explores the impact of exchange rate uncertainty on the predictive power of rate of return parity in a laboratory environment, extending the work of Fisher and Kelly [Fisher, E.O., Kelly, F.S., 2000. Experimental foreign exchange markets. Pacific Economic Review 5, 365–388] and Childs and Mestelman [Childs, J., Mestelman, S., 2006. Rate of return parity in experimental asset markets. Review of International Economics 14, 331–347]. While these works use unchanging exchange rates, this paper allows for a change in the exchange rate between laboratory currencies. The data indicate rate of return parity is weakened by the potential for a currency crisis. The results also indicate that currency crises can be caused by self-fulfilling prophecies and that the level of reserves with which a fixed exchange rate is defended impacts the timing of a crisis but does not significantly change the likelihood of a currency crisis.