Question

National Bank quotes the following for the British pound and the New Zealand dollar: Quoted Bid Price Quoted Ask Price Value of a British pound (£) in $ $1.61 $1.62 Value of a New Zealand dollar (NZ$) in $ $.55 $.56 Value of a British pound in New Zealand dollars NZ$2.95 NZ$2.96 Assume you have $10,000 to conduct triangular arbitrage. What is your profit from implementing thisstrategy?

Answer 1

Answer:

$15.43

Explanation:

Following actions are required for triangular arbitrage:

Available: $ 10,000

Buy sterling pound @ 1 $ = 1.62 pounds and receive pounds 6172.84 upon conversion.

Now, sell these pounds and purchase NZ $ at the rate :

1 pound = NZ $ 2.95 and receive NZ$ 18209.87

Now, reconvert the above proceeds into US $ at the rate

1 NZ $ = $0.55 i.e sell NZ $ at this rate and receive US $ 10,015.4285

Hence profit from implementing triangular arbitrage is $10,015.43 - $10,000

= $15.43

Arbitrage refers to the prospect of earning a profit by utilizing the mispricing in two different financial markets. An arbitrageur never uses his own funds and always borrows.

Arbitrage works only in the scenario wherein the interest rate purchase parity (IRPT) does not hold good.

The strategy of arbitrage is best explained as "Buy at low price and sell at a high price".