
The law of one price (LOOP) is an economic principle stating that, in an efficient market, a security, commodity, or other tradable items must have the same price, irrespective of the location of purchase, once exchange rates are taken into consideration. This law assumes a frictionless market, with no transaction costs, no transportation costs, or legal restrictions, and no price manipulation by buyers or sellers. The law of one price can exist in a domestic market, but it depends on factors such as transportation costs, taxes, and market imperfections. In reality, purchasing power parity is difficult to achieve due to various costs in trading and the inability of some individuals to access markets.
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What You'll Learn

The law of one price (LOOP)
The LOOP is derived from the assumption of the inevitable elimination of all arbitrage. Arbitrage is a financial strategy that involves the simultaneous buying and selling of an asset in different markets to capitalise on price discrepancies, facilitating a risk-free profit. When the LOOP is violated, arbitrage opportunities arise, and arbitrageurs can buy the product at a lower price in one market and sell it at a higher price in another, profiting from the price discrepancy until prices equalise. This process of arbitrage drives prices closer together across markets, maintaining the LOOP.
The LOOP can exist in a domestic market, but it depends on factors such as transportation costs, taxes, and market imperfections. In reality, deviations from the LOOP often occur due to varying demand and supply, transaction costs, legal barriers to trade, and market inefficiencies. For example, tariffs can act as a legal barrier, leading to persistent price differentials rather than a single price. Transaction costs, such as the costs to find a trading counterparty or negotiate and enforce a contract, can also impact the price of goods, with higher transaction costs leading to higher prices in those markets.
The LOOP is related to the concept of purchasing power parity, which states that the value of two currencies is equal when a basket of identical goods is priced the same in both countries. This ensures that buyers have the same purchasing power across global markets. However, achieving purchasing power parity can be challenging due to trading costs and market access restrictions.
In summary, the LOOP states that identical goods or services should have the same price in different markets when expressed in a common currency, assuming no transaction costs or trade barriers. It is based on the assumption that market participants will take advantage of arbitrage opportunities to eliminate price differences. While the LOOP can exist in theory in domestic markets, practical deviations often occur due to various factors, including transportation costs, taxes, and market imperfections.
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Arbitrage opportunities
Arbitrage can be applied to any asset type, including currencies, stocks, commodities, and securities. It is most commonly used in liquid markets such as commodity futures, well-known stocks, or major forex pairs. These assets can be transacted in multiple markets at once, creating opportunities for arbitrageurs to buy in one market and sell in another simultaneously. For example, if a particular security is available for $10 in Market A but is selling for $20 in Market B, investors can purchase the security in Market A and immediately sell it for $20 in Market B, making a profit of $10 without any real risk or shifting of the markets.
In the context of the law of one price, arbitrage opportunities are crucial because they help to eliminate price differences between markets. According to the law of one price, in a frictionless market with no transaction or transportation costs, legal restrictions, or price manipulation, the price for any asset will be the same in every market due to arbitrage. This is because arbitrageurs will take advantage of price differences, buying low and selling high until the prices converge across markets.
However, it is important to note that arbitrage opportunities are typically fleeting and small. With advancements in technology, it has become increasingly difficult to profit from pricing errors in the market. Arbitrageurs must use sophisticated software, algorithms, and high-speed computers to identify and act upon these opportunities in split seconds. Additionally, arbitrage is associated with various risks, including transaction costs, liquidity, model, legal, and regulatory risks.
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Transaction costs
The impact of transaction costs on prices is particularly evident in the wheat trade between Chicago and Liverpool in the 19th century. Despite efficient markets, transport and transaction costs accounted for 20-25% of the Chicago price of wheat. In this case, the price differential was smaller than the transport and transaction costs, so there was no trade and both economies were self-sufficient in wheat. However, if the price differential exceeds transport and transaction costs, traders will ship wheat from Chicago to Liverpool to profit from the price difference, leading to a decrease in Liverpool's wheat prices and an increase in Chicago's wheat prices.
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Price manipulation
The Law of One Price (LOOP) is an economic theory that states that, in a frictionless market, the price of an identical good or asset should be the same across different markets or locations. This theory assumes that there are no transaction or transportation costs, legal restrictions, or currency fluctuations, and that there is no price manipulation by individual buyers or sellers.
However, in reality, these assumptions may not always hold true. Price manipulation by buyers or sellers can disrupt the LOOP. Price manipulation refers to the act of buyers or sellers using their market power to influence prices and create profits. For example, in a market with high transaction costs, a seller may set a higher price for a good, knowing that buyers will have to pay more to account for the transaction costs. Similarly, in a market with limited access to information, sellers may set prices higher, knowing that buyers may not be aware of lower prices in other markets.
The LOOP is based on the assumption of free competition and price flexibility, where prices are determined by market forces of supply and demand, and no individual or group can significantly influence prices. Price manipulation can disrupt this equilibrium and create inefficiencies in the market.
In summary, price manipulation refers to the act of buyers or sellers using their market power to influence prices and create profits. This can occur when there are high transaction costs, limited access to information, or significant market power held by a few individuals or groups. Price manipulation disrupts the LOOP, which assumes a frictionless market with free competition and price flexibility.
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Purchasing power parity
The formula for PPP is useful as it can be applied to compare prices across markets that trade in different currencies. As exchange rates can shift frequently, the formula can be recalculated regularly to identify mispricings across various international markets. PPP is built on the foundation of the law of one price (LOOP), which states that in the absence of trade frictions (such as transport costs and tariffs), and under conditions of free competition and price flexibility, identical goods sold in different locations should be sold for the same price when the prices are expressed in a common currency.
The law of one price assumes that differences between prices are eliminated by market participants taking advantage of arbitrage opportunities. For example, if a particular security is available for $10 in Market A but is selling for the equivalent of $20 in Market B, investors could purchase the security in Market A and immediately sell it for $20 in Market B, netting a profit of $10 without any true risk or shifting of the markets. As securities from Market A are sold on Market B, prices on both markets should change in accordance with the changes in supply and demand. Over time, this would lead to a balancing of the price of the security in the two markets.
However, in reality, PPP is difficult to achieve due to various costs in trading and the inability to access markets for some individuals. For instance, transaction costs, such as the costs to find a trading counterparty or the costs to negotiate and enforce a contract, can lead to persistent price differentials rather than one price. Legal barriers to trade, such as tariffs, capital controls, or immigration restrictions in the case of wages, can also lead to price differentials.
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Frequently asked questions
The Law of One Price (LOOP) is an economic principle stating that in an efficient market, a security, commodity, or other tradable items must have the same price irrespective of the location of purchase once exchange rates are taken into consideration.
The Law of One Price can exist in a domestic market, but it depends on factors like transportation costs, taxes, and market imperfections. Deviations can also exist due to varying demand and supply.
Arbitrage is a financial strategy that involves the simultaneous buying and selling of an asset in different markets to capitalise on price discrepancies, facilitating a risk-free profit. Arbitrage maintains the Law of One Price by ensuring that price discrepancies for the same product in different markets are equalised.
The price of an iPad mini in different countries is an example of the Law of One Price. The price of the iPad mini in various countries nearly reached the same US dollar exchange rate, adhering to the Law of One Price. Another example is the trade of gold between the UK and the US, where traders can buy gold in the UK and sell it in the US, profiting from the price difference.

































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