Paper Summary
Paperzilla title
The Dollar's Secret Sauce: Why Everyone Wants a Piece of the Greenback
This paper links the U.S. dollar's exchange rate to the convenience yield foreign investors receive from holding U.S. safe assets, particularly Treasuries. They show that a widening Treasury basis, indicating a higher convenience yield for foreign investors, coincides with dollar appreciation, supporting the U.S.'s unique role as a safe asset provider and the dollar's status as a reserve currency.
Possible Conflicts of Interest
None identified
Identified Weaknesses
The model assumes log-normality and symmetry which can be restrictive assumptions in the context of exchange rate dynamics.
The empirical analysis focuses primarily on the USD, limiting the generalizability of the findings to other currencies.
The paper relies on quarterly data, potentially obscuring higher-frequency dynamics that could be relevant.
The identification of convenience yield shocks relies on an exclusion restriction in the VAR, which could be debated.
Rating Explanation
This paper presents a novel theory and compelling empirical evidence linking the USD's value to the convenience yield derived from holding U.S. safe assets. While there are some limitations, the research is strong and contributes significantly to the literature.
Good to know
This is our free standard analysis. Paperzilla Pro fact-checks every citation, researches author backgrounds and funding sources, and uses advanced AI reasoning for more thorough insights.
File Information
Original Title:
FOREIGN SAFE ASSET DEMAND AND THE DOLLAR EXCHANGE RATE
Uploaded:
July 14, 2025 at 07:03 AM
© 2025 Paperzilla. All rights reserved.