Help, CFA Level 1 Arbitrage Question (Can't Find Correct Forum Topic)

I was working on a practice test for Level 1 when I came across this bugger. The answer provided makes absolutely no sense to me. I honestly think they made an error. If I don't get to the bottom of this it will really bother me. Please give it a shot and let me know. Should be very simple.

Question:

An investor examines the following rate quotes for the Brazilian real and the Australian dollar and shorts BRL 500,000.

Spot rate BRL/AUD 2.1128 BRL 1-year interest rate 4.1%
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Forward rate BRL/AUD 2.1388 AUD 1-year interest rate 3.1%

Question:
The risk-free arbitrage profit that is available is closest to:

a) BRL6,405.
b) BRL1,344.
c) –BRL6,327

b) is the Correct answer...somehow

This is how I got my answer:
Scenario 1(invest locally) vs Scenario 2(invest abroad then convert back):

Scenario 1.

Step 1: Simply invest 500,000 BRL locally @ 4.1%
= 500,000 * 1.041 = 520,500 BRL

VS.

Scenario 2.

Step 1: Convert 500,000 BRL to AUD, @ BRL/AUD = 2.1128 (2.1128 AUD for every 1 BRL)
500,000 * 2.1128 = 1,056,400 AUD

Step 2: Invest that 1,056,400 AUD @ 3.1% for 1 year
1,056,400 * 1.031 = 1,089,148 AUD

Step 3: Convert that 1,089,148 AUD back to BRL @ BRL/AUD 2.1388 (Locked in Forward Rate)
2.1388 AUD for every 1 BRL, so 1,089,148/2.1388 = 509,233 BRL

RESULT: Scenario 2 - Scenario 1
Arbitrage Profit = 509,233 BR - 520,500 BRL = -11,267 BRL
Ergo, no arbitrage profit, you are better off keeping those BRL and investing locally
Am I missing something here?? or is it an error?

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

This is what the answer key gave me:

Left side of equation: BRL500,000 × (1+.041) = BRL520,500

Right Side:

1

BRL500,000 × (1/2.1128AUD/BRL) = AUD236,653 --- **Why are they doing 1 over spot?**
**500,000 BRL= 1,056,400 AUD not 236,653 AUD wtf?**
Convert domestic to foreign

2

AUD236,653 × (1.031) = AUD243,989

Invest foreign @ foreign rate

3

AUD243,989 × 2.1388 = BRL521,844

Convert foreign to domestic

Arbitrage profit = BRL521,844 – BRL520,500= BRL1,344 ----Wtf? Any ideas?

Thanks in advance!

4 Comments
 

They definitely gave you the BRL/AUD rate and called it AUD/BRL. Does it seem logical to you that the Brazilian real would be stronger than Aussie dollars?

Then out spake brave Horatius, The Captain of the Gate: "To every man upon this earth, death cometh soon or late. And how can man die better than facing fearful odds, For the ashes of his fathers, and the temples of his Gods."
 
"VolSurface"

They definitely gave you the BRL/AUD rate and called it AUD/BRL.
Does it seem logical to you that the Brazilian real would be stronger than Aussie dollars?

This. Look at Step 2 in the answer key, where the exchange rate was (1/2.1128).

Though it's the other way around - they gave you the AUD/BRL rate but called it BRL/AUD.

 

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