What is Japanese Yen Carry Trade?

Orange Lightning

The Japanese Yen carry trade involves borrowing at low interest rates in Japan to invest in higher-yielding assets abroad, here are some things to know about it.

1

Japanese Yen Appreciation

The Japanese yen hit mid-January highs around 145.28 in Monday's intraday deals, extending its recent appreciation against the US dollar.

2

Bank of Japan's Rate Hike

The appreciation is partly driven by the Bank of Japan's (BoJ) 15-basis points rate hike to 0.25 per cent last week.

3

Bond Purchase Reduction

The BOJ announced it would halve  its monthly bond purchases over the next couple of years to strengthen the currency and boost economic growth.

4

Safe Haven Currency

The Japanese Yen has long been considered a safe-haven currency and a favorite among carry-funding options for global investors. 

5

Analyst Perspectives

Analysts at Barclays believe that the Japanese currency was the most overbought among G10 majors.

6

Impact on Global Markets

Nikkei tumbled almost 13 per cent  on Monday, and other Asian markets like Kospi and Taiwan slumped over 8 per cent each.

7

Implications for India

A stronger Yen could prompt some selling by these investors, potentially impacting the Indian market.