N°24-13: Political Uncertainty and Currency Markets

We study the impact of political uncertainty on exchange rates and the pricing of currency options. While we do not find clear directional patterns in exchange rates, option prices reflect the heightened political uncertainty around elections and referendums for a cross-section of 30 countries. In general, FX options whose lives span political events are more expensive, with the effect being even stronger for options that protect against domestic currency depreciation.