What’s Driving FX Isn’t Just Yield - It’s Reverse Carry

The search for capital appreciation is on.

The Australian flag flies outside the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) headquarters in Sydney, Australia.

Photographer: Brendon Thorne/Bloomberg
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This wasn't supposed to happen. The central banks of Australia and New Zealand lowered benchmark interest rates and their respective currencies promptly strengthened.

Traders puzzled by the way foreign-exchange markets are behaving should consider that potential for capital appreciation, in addition to yield, may be a significant driver of recent moves.