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Towards Greater Diversification in Central Bank Reserves

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  • Marie Briere
  • Valérie Mignon
  • Kim Oosterlinck
  • Ariane Szafarz

Abstract

This paper compares the performance of various diversification strategies regarding foreign exchange reserves. The aim is to provide central banks with guidelines in portfolio allocation. We pay particular attention to the situation of upward pressures on U.S. interest rates by implementing our analysis over both the whole 1986-2015 period and a rising rate subsample. Relying on geometric tests of mean-variance efficiency, we show that introducing currencies weakly correlated to the USD (AUD and CAD) significantly reduces portfolio risk. Expected return is improved through mortgage-backed securities, corporate bonds, and equities.
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Suggested Citation

  • Marie Briere & Valérie Mignon & Kim Oosterlinck & Ariane Szafarz, 2016. "Towards Greater Diversification in Central Bank Reserves," ULB Institutional Repository 2013/232457, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    • Handle: RePEc:ulb:ulbeco:2013/232457
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    1. Linda S. Goldberg & Cindy E. Hull & Sarah Stein, 2013. "Do industrialized countries hold the right foreign exchange reserves?," Current Issues in Economics and Finance, Federal Reserve Bank of New York, vol. 19(April).
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    10. Marie Brière & Bastien Drut & Valérie Mignon & Kim Oosterlinck & Ariane Szafarz, 2013. "Is the Market Portfolio Efficient? A New Test of Mean-Variance Efficiency when all Assets are Risky," Finance, Presses universitaires de Grenoble, vol. 34(1), pages 7-41.
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • F31 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - Foreign Exchange
    • G11 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Portfolio Choice; Investment Decisions
    • G15 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - International Financial Markets
    • E58 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Central Banks and Their Policies

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