FCNR deposits: a compelling opportunity for NRIs

Suppose you invest $10,000 and use leverage to create FCNR deposits worth $100,000. At a 7% deposit rate, the deposits earn $7,000 a year. If borrowing costs are 5.5%, the interest cost on the $90,000 loan is $4,950, leaving a surplus of about $2,050 annually. Over three years, that translates into more than $6,000 of profit, or an internal rate of return of more than 17% on the original capital.