The Gold Standard (1876 — 1913): The Gold Standard Exchange Rate System is defined as the system of setting currency values whereby the participating countries commit to fix the prices of their domestic currencies in terms of a specified amount of gold. The gold standard as an international monetary system gained acceptance in Western Europe in the 1870s. The United States was something of a latecomer to the system, not officially adopting the standard until 1879. The rules of the game under the Gold Standard Exchange Rate System were clear and simple. Each country set the rate at which its currency (paper or coin) could be converted to a weight of gold. The United States, for example, declared the dollar to be convertible to gold at a rate of $20.67/ounce of gold (a rate in effect until the beginning of World War 1). The British pound was pegged at £4.2474/ounce Continue reading
International Finance
International finance is the branch of economics that studies the dynamics of foreign exchange,foreign direct investment and how these affect international trade. Also studies the international projects, international investment and the international capital flow .International Finance can be broadly defined, as the study of the financial decisions taken by a multinational corporation in the area of international business i.e. global corporate finance. International finance draws much of its background from the preliminary studies in the topics of corporate finance such as capital budgeting, portfolio theory and cost of capital but now viewed in the international dimension.
Exchange Rate Factors – Factors Affecting Exchange Rates
When trade takes place between the residents of two countries, the two countries being a sovereign state have their own set of regulations and currency. The exporter would like to get the payment in the currency of his own country, the importer can pay only in the currency of the importers country. This creates a need for the conversion of the currency of importer’s into that of the exporter’s country. Foreign exchange is the mechanism by which the currency of one country is gets converted into the currency of another country. The conversion is done by banks and financial institutions, who deals with foreign exchange business. When one currency is converted into another, there must be some basis in effecting the conversion. The basis by which the currency unit of one country gets converted into currency units of another country is known as foreign exchange rate. Foreign exchange rate is Continue reading
Progression / Transfer of FERA to FEMA
Foreign Exchange Regulation Act, 1973 (FERA) in its existing form became ineffective, therefore, increasingly incompatible with the change in economic policy in the early 1990s. While the need for sustained husbandry of foreign exchange was recognized, there was an outcry for a less aggressive and mellower enactment, couched in milder language. Thus, the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (FEMA) came into being. The scheme of FERA provided for obtaining Reserve Bank’s permission either special or general, in respect of most of the regulations there under. The general permissions have been granted by Reserve bank under these provisions in respect of various matters by issuing a large number of notifications from time to time since the Act came into force from 1st January 1974. Special permissions were granted upon the applicants submitting prescribed applications for the purpose. Thus, in order to understand the operative part of the regulations one had to Continue reading
Fixed and Option Forward Exchange Contracts
Under the fixed forward contract the delivery of foreign exchange should take place on a specified future date. Then it is known as ‘fixed forward contract’. Suppose a customer enters into a three months forward contract on 5th January with his bank to sell Euro 15,000, then the customer would be presenting a bill or any other instrument on 7th April to the bank for Euro 15,000. The delivery of foreign exchange cannot take place prior to or later than the determined date. Though forward exchange is a mechanism wherein the customer tries to overcome the exchange risk, the purpose will be defeated if the delivery of foreign exchange does not take place exactly on the due date. Practically speaking, it is not possible for any exporter to determine in advance the precise date on which he will be tendering export documents for reasons which are internal relating to production. Continue reading
Foreign Exchange Risk Management by Banks
Exchange Dealings When the foreign currency denominated assets and liabilities are held, by the banks or the business concern, two types of risks are faced. Firstly, the risk that the exchange rates may vary and the change may affect the cash flows/profits. This is known as exchange risk. Secondly, the interest rate may vary and it may affect the cost of holding the foreign currency assets and liabilities. This is known as interest rate risk. The present section discusses exchange risk management by banks. Dealing Position Foreign exchange is such a sensitive commodity and subject to wide fluctuations in price that the bank which deals in it would like to keep the balance always near zero, The bank would endeavor to find a suitable buyer wherever it purchase so as to dispose of the foreign exchange acquired and be free from exchange risk. Likewise, whenever it sells it tries to Continue reading
Export Financing – Financing Export Transactions
Export financing starts after the order from the buyer has been received, the export order has bee accepted, manufacturing for the export order begins, and the shipping documents are issued; and it ends at ports when the goods are cleared. In other words, export finance refers to the financing of the goods from the home port to the foreign port and the inland centers, and remittances accruing from the sale of these goods. Financing of exports is a specialized business demanding the operations of institutions that are engaged in it and have special skills in handling the intricacies of foreign exchange transactions, a network of contracts abroad and a willingness to assume the risks peculiar to it. It follows, therefore, that good financing arrangements are a prerequisite for the success of the export trade. In export trade, where business dealings are carried on between parties who may be separated by Continue reading