The Brazilian economy in 2001 and 2002 had gone up and down. The Brazilian "real" (R$) had also been declining since 1999 (when it was floated). Investors wished to diversify internationally - into U.S. dollars for the most part - to protect themselves against the domestic economy and currency. A large private investor had, in April 2002, invested Brazilian "reais" (plural) R$ 500,000 in Standard & Poor's 500 Indexes [Standard & Poor's Depository Receipts or SPiDeRs] which are traded on the American Stock Exchange (AMEX: SPY). The beginning and ending index prices and exchange rates between the Brazilian "real" and the US dollar were as follows:
April 10, 2002 April 10, 2003
Purchase Sale
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Share price of "SPIDERS" (US dollars)
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$ 112.60
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$ 87.50
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Exchange rate (Reais/US $)
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2.27
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3.22
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- What was the % return on the index fund for the year to a US-based investor? (USD$220,264.32 - USD$171,164.55) / USD220,264.32 = 22.3% The U.S investors had a capital loss = 22.3%
- What was the % return to the Brazilian investor for the one-year holding period? If the Brazilian investor could have invested locally in Brazil in a 10% interest-bearing account, would that have been better than his/her American investment diversification strategy?