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[T462]The Foreign Exchange Rate
by Willie Reynolds, Wil

Yen! Euro! Dollar! Franc! Pound! There are many choices and decisions to make when it comes to forex trading, and the task can seem pretty daunting. If you have decided to try your hand at the foreign exchange market, newly opened to the individual investor through the advantages of online trading, the fact is that all the information you will need to gather and all the factors that will need to be taken into account in order to be profitable in your venture will only add to the confusion. There are several areas to consider when it comes to foreign exchange, factors that have their effects in many areas of a country's economy and thus on the rate of foreign exchange.

Do not assume that just because you have chosen to invest in foreign exchange means that you are free from other areas of the market. Stocks have a direct and sometimes massive effect on a country's rate of exchange. If a large corporation is planning on outsourcing or opening big offices in a country, whether the country is large or small, the news will have a direct affect on the rate of exchange. Locating to a country is an investment move on the part of the company itself, and thus signals its confidence in that country as a prospective capital gainer. The exchange rate of the country's currency can be expected to directly reflect this view as corporate investors begin to invest in the company in foreign currency to match interest rates.

Likewise, commodity prices also have a direct impact on forex rates. A country with a large amount of a commodity that is in demand, such as oil and recently copper, will inevitably se its economy begin to grow stronger as a result of the rising prices. This will also affect any countries that are short on the commodity in demand, as they grow increasingly dependent on other countries for their economic functions at the ground level.

The domestic policy of a country in terms of economics can also directly impact its currency on the exchange market. In this way, democracy can have a huge role to play as far as the forex trader is concerned. An elected government that ushers in fiscal policies aimed at reducing debt and eliminating deficit will mean a stronger economy as less monies are put towards interest payments. The boost will inevitably play out in the currency value of the country.

It should be fairly obvious that any person who hopes to be a player when it comes to foreign exchange will need to commit to a certain amount of homework. The natural resources ofa country, its governmental policy, and its interest rates are all very important factors and can make or break a forex trade.


It is also important to make sure when you are ready to exchange your currency that you chose the best quote regarding the rates of exchange, as this can make a big difference.

There are a number of foreign currency exchange companies that will quote you much better prices than the high street banks, so look around.

We often hear about a currency pair. This describes two different currencies. The first mentioned, is the base currency. The second of the two currencies is the counter or quote currency.

Thus, in an example quote of EUR / USD 1.59 it means that for 1 EUR you have to give 1.59 USD

Since currencies move up or down all the time, the position can change and a EUR / USD quote may alter to EUR / USD 1.5910 meaning that the Euro went up in value. But, if for instance EUR / USD went to 1.5890 it would mean, that the dollar went up in value.

There are many currencies being traded, but the most traded ones are called Majors.
These are EUR / USD, GBP / USD, USD / JPY, USD / CAD, USD / CHF, AUD / USD

Pairs, where the euro is involved, are known as Euro Crosses. A currency pair where the USD is not included is called Cross Rates.

The bid price is the one at which the broker is prepared to buy, and the offer or asking price, is the one the broker is prepared to sell at.

Currency deposits are usually moved from one bank to the other by the use of the electronic transfer system (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial
Telecommunication) SWIFT for short. This is a very fast and simple way to make the transfer.

Foreign Exchange is often known as Forex or FX.

Bull Market is a period of time when prices are seen to be rising.

Bear Market is a period of time when prices are seen to be falling.

Market Rate is an up to date quote for a currency pair.

Cable is a slang expression for Sterling / US dollar exchange rate.

It is as well to remember that the foreign exchange market is basically slotted in two levels. One is the retail level and the other is the wholesale level.

On the retail side, the smaller agents buy and sell foreign exchange taking the reading from the reference rates. These are adjusted constantly as events unfold in the market.

The wholesale level is an informal network of hundreds of brokerage companies and banks, who deal between themselves as well as very large corporations. It is this trade which is the one, when the newspapers make a reference to the foreign exchange.

These days, people are faced with several permutations. On one hand, they are watching the position of Sterling which has been under pressure lately for many reasons. They are also watching the prices of houses in the UK, and getting nervous
noting they depreciate more and more. This of course, makes them think it may be worth to buy abroad and sell in the UK before the prices do start to fall further.

On the other hand, prices of property abroad in some cases are also falling, but selling now would mean that with the Sterling depreciation, they could get a good exchange rate and eventually buy a house in the UK, especially if the prices get lower and lower.

But then of course, there is the other way of looking at it. For instance, the Euro might depreciate in due course versus the USD, and might push Sterling higher in relation to the Euro. It needs thinking about. One way or the other, it opens up possibilities of making money especially if catching things right.
Article Source : Pg. 158

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Both Willie Reynolds & Paul Dubsky are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Willie Reynolds has sinced written about articles on various topics from Balanced Diet, Forex Guide and Computers and The Internet. Willie Reynolds, on his Forex investing website shares many of the .. Willie Reynolds's top article generates over 2900 views. to your Favourites.

Paul Dubsky has sinced written about articles on various topics from Currency Trading, Investments and French Vacation. Paul Dubsky is director of The company is focused on being able to offer really friendly currency exchang. Paul Dubsky's top article generates over 110000 views. to your Favourites.
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