Purchasing-power parity holds between the nations of Ectenia and Wiknam, where the only commodity is Spam.
a. In 2000 a can of Spam costs 2 dollars in Ectenia and 6 pesos in Wiknam. What is the exchange rate between Ectenian dollars and Wiknamian pesos?
b. Over the next 20 years, inflation is 3.5 percent per year in Ectenia and 7 percent per year in Wiknam. What will happen over this period to the price of Spam and the exchange rate?
c. Which of these two nations will likely have a higher nominal interest rate? Why?
d. A friend of yours suggests a get-rich-quick scheme: Borrow from the nation with the lower nominal interest rate, invest in the nation with the higher nominal interest rate, and profit from the interest-rate differential. Do you see any potential problems with this idea? Explain.