Market Background In 1972 the International Monetary Market (IMM), a division of the CME, was formed to offer futures contracts in foreign currencies: British pound, Canadian dollar, West German mark, Japanese yen, Mexican peso, and Swiss franc. In 1973 Western economies allowed currency exchange rates to float free. Trading in foreign currency futures contracts became even more attractive. Currency Future markets developed at Philadelphia (Philadelphia Board of Trade), London (London International Financial Futures Exchange (LIFFE)), Tokyo (Tokyo International Financial Futures Exchange), Sydney (Sydney Futures Exchange), and Singapore International Monetary Exchange (SIMEX). Definition of Foreign Currency Futures Contract Foreign Currency Futures Contract refers to standardized and easily transferable obligation between two parties to exchange currencies at a specified rate during a specified delivery month; standardized contract on specified underlying currencies, in multiples of standard amounts. Purchased and traded on a regulated exchange on which margins are posted. Foreign Currency Futures Contract Continue reading
Investment Options
Investments when entire Stock Market is Under or Over Valued
Should management proceed with investing in a project with a satisfactory NPV (Net Present Value) if it has sufficient funds to do so, and if (a) the entire stock market is significantly undervalued and may well rise by 25 or 30% over the next year, or (b) the entire stock market is significantly overvalued and may well fall by 25 or 30% over the next year? In case (a), it could be argued that management should postpone the investment for a year, and invest the cash in a general portfolio of shares, realize them after a year, then take up the postponed investment, and use the capital gain either for future investment or a special dividend payment to shareholders. However, most shareholders do not expect or want the company to use their money for speculative share investments since most companies are unlikely to possess the appropriate skills to do so. Continue reading
Strategies of Options Contracts
Options are of two types – calls and puts. Calls give the buyer the right but not the obligation to buy a given quantity of the underlying asset, at a given price on or before a given future date. Puts give the buyer the right, but not the obligation to sell a given quantity of the underlying asset at a given price on or before a given date. We look here at some Strategies of options contracts. We refer to single stock options here. However since the index is nothing but a security whose price or level is a weighted average of securities constituting the index, all strategies that can be implemented using stock futures can also be implemented using index options. Hedging: Have underlying buy puts Speculation: Bullish security, buy calls or sell puts Speculation: Bearish security, sell calls or buy puts Hedging: Have underlying buy puts Owners of Continue reading
System of Insurance Claims Management
Basis of Claims Management Claims management means and includes all the managerial decisions and processes concerning the settlement and payment of claims in accordance with the terms of insurance contract. It includes carrying out the entire claims process with a particular emphasis on monitoring and lowering the claims costs. The important elements of claims management are claims preparation, claims philosophy, claims processing and claims settlement. The claims philosophy is defined as procedure or specified approach to settle the claims. It contains the claims management principles and also claims handling methods and procedures. The claims philosophy includes the preparation of guidelines regarding the receipt of claims from the insurers or claimants, analysis of the claims, consideration of the possible decision on the particular issues and disputes, evaluating the impact of the claims cost and expenses, relation of claims to the consumer satisfaction, monitoring the claim payment and improving the efficiency of Continue reading
Dividend Investing
For those who are still considered greenhorns in the investment world, a dividend is the payment distributed by a company to all its shareholders. For the longest time, dividend investing has been a permanent fixture in wealth building and wealth management programs because of the kind of financial security it provides. An investor and expert financial planner earns in divided investments through dividend payments, which forms part of a company’s profit. The other profit portion not distributed to the investors will be pumped back into the capitalization used to fuel the operation of the company. Most wealth management and wealth building programs include dividend investing. To place investments strategically, a professional financial planner would be necessary. One who deals with dividend investing would need the expertise provided by a financial planner when playing with the rise and fall of share prices. With dividend investing as part of an individual’s wealth Continue reading
Treasury Bills – Meaning, Features, Types and Importance
Just like commercial bills which represent commercial debt, treasury bills represent short-term borrowings of the Government. Treasury bill market refers to the market where treasury bills are brought and sold. Treasury bills are very popular and enjoy higher degree of liquidity since they are issued by the government. Meaning and Features of Treasury Bills A treasury bills nothing but promissory note issued by the Government under discount for a specified period stated therein. The Government promises to pay the specified amount mentioned therein to the beater of the instrument on the due date. The period does not exceed a period of one year. It is purely a finance bill since it does not arise out of any trade transaction. It does not require any ‘grading’ or’ endorsement’ or ‘acceptance’ since it is clams against the Government. Treasury bill are issued only by the RBI on behalf of the Government. Treasury Continue reading