From the Economist:
WHICH countries has the foreign-exchange market blessed with a cheap exchange rate, and which has it burdened with an expensive one? The Economist‘s Big Mac index, a lighthearted guide to valuing currencies, provides some clues. The index is based on the idea of purchasing-power parity (PPP), which says currencies should trade at the rate that makes the price of goods the same in each country. So if the price of a Big Mac translated into dollars is above $3.57, its cost in America, the currency is dear; if it is below that benchmark, it is cheap. A Big Mac in China is half the cost of one in America, and other Asian currencies look similarly undervalued. At the other end of the scale, many European currencies look uncompetitive. But the British pound, which was more than 25% overvalued a year ago, is now near fair value.
The takeaway:
Buy the Renminbi & Peso.
Short the Euro & Frank.
Mr. Roche is the Founder and Chief Investment Officer of Discipline Funds.Discipline Funds is a low fee financial advisory firm with a focus on helping people be more disciplined with their finances.
He is also the author of Pragmatic Capitalism: What Every Investor Needs to Understand About Money and Finance, Understanding the Modern Monetary System and Understanding Modern Portfolio Construction.
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