Predicting Exchange Rate under UIRP Framework with Support Vector Regression

Abstract

This study aimed to forecast the exchange rate between the Vietnamese dong and the US dollar for the following month in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. It used the Support Vector Regression (SVR) algorithm under the Uncovered Interest Rate Parity (UIRP) theoretical framework; the results are compared with the Ordinary Least Square (OLS) regression model and the Random Walk (RW) model under the rolling window method. The data included the VND/USD exchange rate, the bank interest rate for the 1-month term, and the 1-month T-bill from January 01, 2020, to September 11, 2021. The research discovered a linear link between the two nations' exchange rates and interest rate differentials. Interest rate differentials are input variables to forecast interest rate differentials. Furthermore, the connection between the exchange rate and interest rate differentials during this era does not support the UIRP hypothesis; hence, the error for OLS predictions remains large. The study provided a model to forecast future exchange rates by combining the UIRP theoretical framework and the SVR algorithm. The UIRP theoretical framework can anticipate exchange rate differentials using the input variable and the interest rates between two nations. Meanwhile, the SVR algorithm is a robust machine learning technique that enhances prediction accuracy.