Exchange Rates Flashcards
actors in the foreign exchange market
foreign exchange market
market in which currencies are exchanged for other currencies
floating exchange rate
market forces alone without any government or central bank intervention determine its value
fixed exchange rate
exchange rate is set and maintained at some level by the government
managed exchange rate
no announced level or band but either the exchange rate is allowed to float within some implicit upper and lower bound or authorities intervene whenever they consider the direction or speed of adjustment is the currency is undesirable
appreciation
price of currency increases within a floating system
depreciation
price of currency decreases within a floating system
devaluation
official price of currency decreases within a fixed system
revaluation
official price of a currency increases within a fixed system
causes of change in exchange rate
- change in foreign demand for country’s exports (growing exports - excess currency demand - currency appreciates)
- change in domestic demand for imports (import demand increases - excess currency supply - currency depreciates)
- changes in relative growth rates (high growth rate - incomes increase - import demand increases - currency depreciates)
- changes in relative inflation rates (accelerating inflation - rising prices - export demand decreases - currency depreciates)
factors affecting cross-border capital flows
- changes in relative interest rates (IR decrease - domestic bonds less attractive to foreign investors)
- expectations of future growth (economy growth expected - potential business opportunities)
- currency speculation
when will an exchange rate appreciate?
- foreign demand for exports decreases
- domestic demand for imports decreases
- domestic interest rates increase
- expected growth
- speculators anticipate appreciation
when will an exchange rate depreciate?
- foreign demand for exports decreases
- domestic demand for imports decreases
- domestic inflation increases
- domestic interest rates decrease
- speculators anticipate depreciation
what happens if there is pressure for currency to devalue in a fixed system?
- central bank starts buying currency using foreign exchange reserves
- central bank increases interest rates to attract foreign capital inflows
- official borrowing of foreign exchange
- government restricts imports and access to foreign exchange
what happens if there is pressure for the currency to appreciate in a fixed system?
- central bank sells domestic currency to buy foreign currency
- central bank decreases interest rates to create an outflow of foreign capital