Getting to Know How Foreign Exchange Markets Work
December 27th, 2009 by Damian Papworth
The exchange of different world currencies is what takes place in the Foreign Exchange markets. Sometimes referred to as the FX Markets or Forex Markets, they account for the highest volume of trading when compared to any other market. Nearly $4 trillion dollars changes hands daily on the Forex Markets.
Anyone who has ever changed money in a foreign country has gotten a taste of this system on its most basic level. Over the course of an extended visit in a foreign country, a traveler is sure to notice the rises and falls in the exchange rate.
Looking closer at the process in a newspaper’s financial section, an observer might notice the “bid” prices versus the “ask” prices. Basically, a bank will set the “ask” price, which is the rate it will offer to buyers. This rate will be higher than the one someone selling back to the bank would receive (the “bid” price). The difference between these two prices is known as the “spread” and is the way a bank will profit from the Foreign Exchange Markets.
The different strategies employed by investors in Forex Markets are fascinating. Some investors will look for longer terms of trends in the market, a steady devaluation or a rise in the currency’s strength. At the same time, short-term speculation is highly common and can lead to substantial profits if an investor can read the trend correctly.
Forex markets are not a common item in the typical private investment portfolio. Because the control is in the hands of the banks which set the spread between the bid and ask price, these banks get a price available only to the top players in the financial world. In fact, with all of the trading which takes place on a daily basis, nearly 80% is done by the world’s top ten in the banking industry. Deutsche Bank leads the way, with outfits like Barclay’s and JP Morgan close behind.
Speculation is behind much of the trading in the Foreign Exchange Market and for this reason it is a popular place for hedge funds to do business on a daily basis. The aggressive investment strategy typical of hedge funds is effective in Forex trading because it can outweigh other factors affecting the rates, such as government intervention on behalf of a plunging currency.
The factors which have an effect on a currency’s strength around the world are numerous: government budget deficits, as well as trade deficits, are key indicators, along with inflation levels, overall GDP movement, unemployment levels and government credit rating. In addition, political factors may also have an effect on the strength of a nation’s currency, as when a nation’s citizens begin to sell local currency off rapidly in favor of an international alternative.
An interesting feature of the FX is the fact that they never close between Monday and Friday. After the close of business in New York, traders can continue on in Europe and finally Asia before New York markets open once again in the morning.
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