A hedge fund manager who called the oil crash is going long these 2 currencies

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putin

Reuters

Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Zach Schreiber, the CEO of PointState Capital who made $1 billion betting against oil two years ago, is long two currencies.

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Speaking at the Sohn Investment Conference on Wednesday, Schreiber, said he's long the Russian ruble and the Mexican peso against the dollar to fund the 1.25% cost of his Saudi riyal trade, report Bloomberg's Katherine Burton and Katia Porzecanski.

Schreiber noted that he's short the Saudi currency against the US dollar, arguing that the lower-for-longer oil price environment and growing costs will ultimately lead the Kingdom to abandon its three-decade old currency peg.

It's worth noting that not everyone shares the view that the Saudis will abandon the peg. Capital Economics' Middle East economist Jason Tuvey argued a week earlier that his team's long-term view continues to be that the riyal's peg against the dollar will remain intact.

As for the ruble and the peso, it's worth mentioning that both are petrocurrencies - aka currencies of countries that are major oil exporters. And petrocurrencies have historically strengthened when oil prices have increased.

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Oil prices have increased significantly since the start of the year. Brent crude is up about 67% and WTI crude up about 70% since mid-January.

Meanwhile, the ruble is having its best year ever, appreciating about 20% since mid-January. As for the Mexican peso, the it is stronger by 6.7% since mid-February.

Still, for what it's worth, Schreiber doesn't see oil going much higher. At the conference, he forecast oil prices will only reach about $50-$55.

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