The Broad Yen Carry Trade

Yen carry trades have traditionally been viewed in narrow terms purely as a foreign exchange transaction. However, evidence from the waxing and waning of balance sheets of foreign banks operating in Japan points to a broader notion of the carry trade. Yen liabilities fund not only pure currency carry trades, but also fund the general increase in balance sheets of hedge funds and financial intermediaries. The difference in overnight rates across countries is a crucial determinant of balance sheet changes. Domestic monetary policy thus has a global dimension.