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The David Lin Report · Thursday, August 6, 2026

US Interest Rates and Yen Carry Trade Dynamics

David Lin highlights that typically, currency exchange rates track interest rate differentials, but this has not fully explained the yen's depreciation in 2024, even as Japanese long-term yields have risen. Hanke counters that focusing on 30-year yields is misleading, as hedge funds are unlikely to borrow at such long durations, suggesting shorter-term rates are more relevant to carry trade dynamics.

personDavid LinpersonSteve Hanke

The tape

3 quotes
Now, I want to show you something else because typically, uh, currencies track interest rate differentials.
That doesn't, I mean, when when that interest rate moves up even faster than the US interest rate, then an economic theory tell us that the yen would stop depreciating and go up.
You've got a 30-year. You think the hedge funds are borrowing money at 30 years duration? I mean, you must be kidding. You've got to get something a lot shorter than that.
Heard on The David Lin Report — “Yen Bailout Failing? Are Bond Vigilantes Back? Economist Steve Hanke Answers, published Thursday, August 6, 2026. Heardvine summarizes and quotes with attribution and timestamps, and links to the original everywhere.
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US Interest Rates and Yen Carry Trade Dynamics — Heardvine