In 1989 and 1990, the Japanese company Mitsubishi Estate Co. paid the Rockefeller family $1.4 billion for an 80 percent stake in New York’s Rockefeller Center. At the time, the exchange rate was 145 ¥/$. When the investor went to sell the building five years later, in early 1995, the exchange rate was 85 ¥/$ and the property’s value had decreased to $800 million.

a) What exchange risk did Mitsubishi Estate face at the time of the purchase? 

b) How could Mitsubishi Estate have hedged his risk? 

c) Assume the purchase was $1.1 billion in total and that the value declines to $450 million. Suppose the investor financed the purchase with a $100 million down payment in yen and a $1 billion dollar loan accumulating interest at the rate of 8% per annum. Since this is a zero-coupon loan, the interest on it (along with the principal) is not due and payable until the building is sold. How much has the investor lost in yen terms? In dollar terms? 

d) Suppose the investor financed the building with a $100 million down payment in yen and a yen loan for the remaining amount accumulating interest at the rate of 3% per annum. Since this is a zero-coupon loan, the interest on it (along with the principal) is not due and payable until the building is sold. How much has the investor lost in yen terms? In dollar terms?

Answer rating: 100% (QA)

a The exchange risk for the Japanese investor was that if the Yen appreciated his yen returns would ... View the full answer