Translation Exposure in Terms of Foreign Exchange Risk
Consolidation of financial statements, which involve foreign currency denominated assets and liabilities automatically, gives rise to translation exposure, sometimes termed as accounting exposure. Consolidation of foreign subsidiaries account into group financial statements denominated in home currency requires the application of a rate or rates of exchange to foreign subsidiaries accounts, in order that they may be translated into the parent currency. Both balance sheets and income statements must be consolidated and they both give rise to translation exposure. Translating foreign currency profit and loss accounts at either the average exchange rate during the accounting year or at the exchange rate at the end of the accounting year (both methods are currently permissible as per British accounting procedures) will mean that expected consolidated profit will vary as the average or that the expected closing rate changes. So the whole amount of profit earned in the foreign currency is exposed to translation Continue reading