FOREIGN EXCHANGE PLUS

Q.1 : Define Foreign Exchange and Explain the Functions of Foreign

Exchange Market. (M.2011)

Ans. A) FOREIGN EXCHANGE

                Foreign Exchange refers to foreign currencies possessed by a country for making payments to other countries. It may be defined as exchange of money or credit in one country for money or credit in another. It covers methods of payment, rules and regulations of payment and the institutions facilitating such payments.

A.       FOREIGN EXCHANGE MARKET

        A foreign exchange market refers to buying foreign currencies with domestic currencies and selling foreign currencies for domestic currencies. Thus it is a market in which the claims to foreign moneys are bought and sold for domestic currency. Exporters sell foreign currencies for domestic currencies and importers buy foreign currencies with domestic currencies.

            According to Ellsworth, "A Foreign Exchange Market comprises of all those institutions and individuals who buy and sell foreign exchange which may be defined as foreign money or any liquid claim on foreign money". Foreign Exchange transactions result in inflow & outflow of foreign exchange.

B.       FUNCTIONS OF FOREIGN EXCHANGE MARKET

            Foreign exchange is also referred to as forex market. Participants are importers, exporters, tourists and investors, traders and speculators, commercial banks, brokers and central banks.

            Foreign bill of exchange, telegraphic transfer, bank draft, letter of credit etc. are the important foreign exchange instruments used in foreign exchange market to carry out its functions.

            The Foreign Exchange Market performs the following functions.

1.             Transfer Of Purchasing Power I Clearing Function

            The basic function of the foreign exchange market is to facilitate the conversion of one currency into another i.e. payment between exporters and importers. For eg. Indian rupee is converted into U.S. dollar and vice-versa. In performing the transfer function variety of credit instruments are used such as telegraphic transfers, bank drafts and foreign bills. Telegraphic transfer is the quickest method of transferring the purchasing power.

2.             Credit Function

            The foreign exchange market also provides credit to both national and international, to promote foreign trade. It is necessary as sometimes, the international payments get delayed for 60 days or 90 days. Obviously, when foreign bills of exchange are used in international payments, a credit for about 3 months, till their maturity, is required.

            For eg. Mr. A can get his bill discounted with a foreign exchange bank in New York and this bank will transfer the bill to its correspondent in India for collection of money from Mr. B after the stipulated time.

3.             Hedging Function

A third function of foreign exchange market is to hedge foreign exchange risks. By hedging, we mean covering of a foreign exchange risk arising out of the changes in exchange rates. Under this function the foreign exchange market tries to protect the interest of the persons dealing in the market from any unforseen changes in exchange rate. The exchange rates under free market can go up and down, this can either bring gains or losses to concerned parties. Hedging guards the interest of both exporters as well as importers, against any changes in exchange rate.

Hedging can be done either by means of a spot exchange market or a forward exchange market involving a forward contract.

Q. 2 : Explain the dealers or participants in foreign exchange market. (M.2011)

Ans. A) PARTICIPANTS I DEALERS IN FOREIGN EXCHANGE MARKET

            Foreign exchange market needs dealers to facilitate foreign exchange transactions. Bulk of foreign exchange transaction are dealt by Commercial banks & financial institutions. RBI has also allowed private authorised dealers to deal with foreign exchange transactions i.e buying & selling foreign currency. The main participants in foreign exchange markets are

1.        Retail Clients

            Retail Clients deal through commercial banks and authorised agents. They comprise people, international investors, multinational corporations and others who need foreign exchange.

2.        Commercial Banks

            Commercial banks carry out buy and sell orders from their retail clients and of their own account. They deal with other commercial banks and also through foreign exchange brokers.

3.    Foreign Exchange Brokers

            Each foreign exchange market centre has some authorised brokers. Brokers act as intermediaries between buyers and sellers, mainly banks. Commercial banks prefer brokers.

4.        Central Banks

            Under floating exchange rate central bank does not interfere in exchange market. Since 1973, most of the central banks intervened to buy and sell their currencies to influence the rate at which currencies are traded.

            From the above sources demand and supply generate which in turn helps to determine the foreign exchange rate.

B.            TYPES OF FOREIGN EXCHANGE MARKET

            Foreign Exchange Market is of two types retail and wholesale market.

1.        Retail Market

            The retail market is a secondary price maker. Here travellers, tourists and people who are in need of foreign exchange for permitted small transactions, exchange one currency for another.

2.    Wholesale Market

The wholesale market is also called interbank market. The size of transactions in this market is very large. Dealers are highly professionals and are primary price makers. The main participants are Commercial banks, Business corporations and Central banks. Multinational banks are mainly responsible for determining exchange rate.

3.        Other Participants

a)        Brokers

         Brokers have more information and better knowledge of market. They provide information to banks about the prices at which there are buyers and sellers of a pair of currencies. They act as middlemen between the price makers.

b)        Price Takers

                     Price takers are those who buy foreign exchange which they require and sell what they earn at the price determined by primary price makers.

c)        Indian Foreign Exchange Market

         It is made up of three tiers

     i.        Here dealings take place between RBI and Authorised dealers (ADs) (mainly   

      commercial  banks).

    ii.        Here dealings take place between ADs

   iii.        Here ADs deal with their corporate customers.

Q. 3 : Define I Explain I Write note on spot and forward exchange rates.

Ans. A)  EXCHANGE RATE

                     Transactions in exchange market are carried out at what are termed as exchange rates. In foreign exchange market two types of exchange rate operations take place. They are spot exchange rate and forward exchange rate.

1)             Spot Exchange Rate :-

            When foreign exchange is bought and sold for immediate delivery, it is called spot exchange. It refers to a day or two in which two currencies are involved. The basic principle of spot exchange rate is that it can be analysed like any other price with the help of demand and supply forces.

            The exchange rate of dollar is determined by intersection of demand for and supply of dollars in foreign exchange. The Remand for dollar is derived from country’s demand for imports which are paid in dollars and supply is derived from country’s exports which are sold in dollars.

            The exchange rate determined by market forces would change as these forces change in market. The primary price makers buy (Bid) or sell (ask) the currencies in the market and the rates continuously change in a free market depending on demand and supply. The primary dealer (bank) quotes two-way rates i.e., buy and sell rate.

(Bid) Buy Rate 1 US $ = ` 45.50

(Ask) Sell Rate 1 US $ =  ` 45.75

            The bank is ready to buy 1 US $ at Rs. 45.50 and sell at Rs. 45,75. The difference of Rs.0.25 is the profit margin of dealer.

2)             Forward Exchange Rate

            Here foreign exchange is bought or sold for future delivery i.e., for the period of 30, 60 or 90 days: There are transactions for 180 and 360 days also. Thus, forward market deals in contract for future delivery. The price for such transactions is fixed at the time of contract, it is called a forward rate.

            Forward exchange rate differs from spot exchange rate as the former may either be at a premium or discount. If the forward rate is above the present spot rate, the foreign exchange rate is said to be at a premium. If the forward rate is below the present spot rate, the foreign exchange rate is said to be at a discount. Thus foreign exchange rate may be at forward premium or at forward discount.

            For Eg. an Indian importer may enter into an agreement to purchase US $ 10,000 sixty days from today at 1 US $ = Rs. 48. No amount is paid at the time of agreement, except for usual security margin money of about 10% of the total amount. 60 days form today, the importer will get 10,000 US $ in exchange for Rs. 4,80,000 irrespective of the Spot exchange rate prevailing on that date.

a)        Factors Influencing Forward Exchange Rate

i)         Interest rates.

ii)        Degree of speculation in foreign exchange market.

iii)       Inflation rate.

iv)       Foreign investor’s confidence in domestic country.

v)        Economic situation in the country.

vi)       Political situation in the country.

vii)     Balance of payments position etc.

b)        Need For Forward Exchange Rate Contracts

            To overcome the possible risk of loss due to fluctuations in exchange rate, exporters, importersand investors in other countries may enter in forward exchange rate contracts.

                     In floating or flexible exchange rate system the possibility of wide fluctuation in exchange is more. Thus, both exporters and importers safeguard their position through a forward arrangement. By entering into such an arrangement both parties minimize their loss.

Q. 4 : Write note on Arbitrage.                                         O R

         Write note on Interest rate and Arbitrage.

Ans. A.  ARBITRAGE

                        Arbitrage is the act of simultaneously buying a currency in one market and selling it in another to make a profit by taking advantage of exchange rate differences in two markets. If the arbitrages are confined to two markets only it is said “two-point” arbitrage. If they extend to three or more markets they are known as “three-point” or “multi-point” arbitrage. Those who deal with arbitrage are called arbitrageurs.

            A Spot sale of a currency when combined with a forward repurchase in a single transaction is called “Currency Swap". The Swap rate is the difference between spot and forward exchange rates in currency swap.

            Arbitrage opportunities may exist in a foreign exchange market.. Suppose the rate of exchange is 1 US $ = `. 50 in US market and 1 US $ = `. 55 in Indian Markets, then an arbitrageur can buy dollars in US market and sell it in Indian market and get a profit of `. 5 per dollar..

            In today’s modern well connected and advanced markets, arbitrageurs (which are mainly banks) can spot it quickly and exploit the opportunity. Such opportunities vanish over a period of time and equilibrium is again maintained.

For Eg.

                     Bank A       ` / $ = 50.50 / 50.55

                     Bank B       ` / $ = 50.40 / 50.45

The above rates are very close. The arbitrageur may take advantage and he can purchase $ 1,00,000 from Bank B at `. 50.45 / a dollar and sell to it to Bank A at `. 50.50, thus making a profit of 0.05. The total profit would be (1,00,000 x 0.05) = `. 5,000. The profit is earned without any risk and blocking of capital.

B.   ARBITRAGE.AND INTEREST RATE

            Interest arbitrage refers to differences in interest rates in domestic market and in overseas markets. If interest rates are higher in overseas market than in domestic market, an investor may invest in overseas market to take the advantage of interest differential.

Interest arbitrage may be covered and uncovered.

1)             Uncovered Arbitrage

            In this system, arbitrageurs would take a risk to earn profit by investing in a high interest bearing risk free securities in a foreign market. His earnings would be according to his calculations if the currency of foreign market where he invested does not depreciate. If depreciation is equal to the difference in interest rate, the investor would not incur loss. However, if depreciation is more than interest rate, then the arbitrageur will incur loss.

            For Eg. In New York interest rate on 6 month Treasury Bill is 6% and in Spain it is 8%. An US investor may convert US dollars in EURO and invest in Spain, thereby taking an advantage of +2% interest rate. Now when bill matures, US investor will convert EURO into dollars. However, by that time EURO may have depreciated the US investor will get less dollars per EURO. If EURO depreciates by 1%, US investor will gain only +1% (+2 – 1%). If EURO depreciates by 2% or more, US investor will not gain anything or incur loss. If EURO appreciates, US investor will gain, +2% and interest rate differential

2)             Covered Arbitrage

International investors would like to avoid the foreign exchange risk, thus interest arbitrage is usually covered. The investor converts the domestic currency for foreign currency at the current spot rate for the purpose of investment. At the same time, investor sells forward the amount of foreign currency which he is investing plus the interest that he will earn so as to coincide with maturity of foreign investment.

The covered interest arbitrage refers to spot purchase of foreign currency to make investment and offsetting simultaneous forward sale of foreign currency to cover foreign exchange risk. When treasury bills mature, the investor will get the domestic currency equivalent of foreign investment plus interest without a foreign exchange risk.