Global Portfolio Rebalancing and Exchange Rates

AuthorH. Hau, N. Camanho, H. Rey
JournalThe Review of Financial Studies
Date10 nov. 2022
CatégorieAcademic Publications
Volume35(11)
Page numbers5228–5274

We examine international equity allocations at the fund level and show how excess foreign returns influence portfolio rebalancing, capital flows, and currencies. Our equilibrium model of incomplete foreign exchange (FX) risk trading where exchange rate risk partially segments international equity markets is consistent with the observed dynamics of equity returns, exchange rates, and fund-level capital flows. We document that rebalancing is more intense under higher FX volatility and find heterogeneous rebalancing behavior across different fund characteristics. A granular instrumental variable approach identifies a positive currency supply elasticity.