ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Interest rate parity

Interest rate parity is like going to a candy shop and trying to buy different kinds of candy with different prices. You want to buy candy A, which costs $1, and candy B, which costs $2. But you only have $2.

Now, let's say that candy A is a loan with a low interest rate, and candy B is a loan with a higher interest rate. You want to borrow money, like taking a loan, and use it to buy something else. But if you take the loan with the higher interest rate, you will owe more money than the loan with the lower interest rate.

This is where interest rate parity comes in. It's like a rule that makes sure that you don't end up spending too much money on interest rates. The rule says that the difference between the interest rates of two countries should be equal to the difference in their exchange rates.

For example, let's say that the interest rate in the United States is 2% and the interest rate in Japan is 1%. If the exchange rate between the US and Japan is $1 USD to 100 JPY, then the difference in the interest rates should be equal to the difference in the exchange rates. This means that the expected increase in the value of the US dollar relative to the Japanese yen should be 1%.

So, in this case, if you're deciding whether to borrow money from the US or Japan, the interest rate parity rule tells you that you should pick the one that gives you the same return in terms of exchange rates.

In summary, interest rate parity is like a rule that helps you figure out how to borrow money from different countries without getting ripped off by high interest rates. It helps you make sure that you're getting the best deal possible by taking into account the differences in interest rates and exchange rates.