We study the properties of foreign exchange risk premiums that can explain the forward bias puzzle, defined as the tendency of high-interest rate currencies to appreciate rather than depreciate. These risk premiums arise endogenously from the no-arbitrage condition relating the term structure of interest rates and exchange rates. Estimating affine (multi-currency) term structure models reveals a noticeable tradeoff between matching depreciation rates and accuracy in pricing bonds. Risk premiums implied by our global affine model generate unbiased predictions for currency excess returns and are closely related to global risk aversion, the business cycle, and traditional exchange rate fundamentals.

This study investigates whether the forward exchange rate is an unbiased predictor of future spot exchange rate. The empirical results by regression analysis show that the forward rate cannot predict the future spot exchange rate, particularly at longer periods. Therefore, this study aims to use behavioral interpretations explaining behind the inefficient forecasts of forward rates. The result clearly shows that behavioral interpretation is effective to explain such issues, indicating that all the examined currencies have similar patterns in the forecast revisions processes. Moreover, the evidences of this research also show that the FRUH do almost hold at shorter periods, and the longer periods, the more behavioral biases occur. Also, after controlling for time-varying risk premium in the regression, the markets reflect a more balanced mood over time and approach the FRUH.

Using a disaggregate survey data base, this paper re-examines the issue of the existence of a time-varying risk premia in three foreign exchange markets. Previous research on this topic has utilized a consensus measure of the risk premium, based on the rational expectations assumption, and is not supportive of the existence of such a premium. In contrast, this paper reports compelling evidence in favour of time-varying risk premia for the British pound, German mark and Japanese yen exchange rates. In particular, we demonstrate that consensus measures of the risk premium mask the existence of risk because of the importance of heterogeneous expectations.

We study the properties of foreign exchange risk premiums that can explain the forward bias puzzle, defined as the tendency of high-interest rate currencies to appreciate rather than depreciate. These risk premiums arise endogenously from the no-arbitrage condition relating the term structure of interest rates and exchange rates. Estimating affine (multi-currency) term structure models reveals a noticeable tradeoff between matching depreciation rates and accuracy in pricing bonds. Risk premiums implied by our global affine model generate unbiased predictions for currency excess returns and are closely related to global risk aversion, the business cycle, and traditional exchange rate fundamentals.