Foreign Exchange Rates
Overview
When you travel abroad and swap your money for foreign cash, you meet the exchange rate: the price of one currency in terms of another. That price is set in a vast global market, and when it moves it changes the cost of every import and export, touching everyone from tourists to giant exporters.
In this lesson you will learn what drives the demand for and supply of a currency, how a floating exchange rate is determined, what makes it rise (appreciate) or fall (depreciate), and how those changes affect the prices and quantities of exports and imports. You will use a demand and supply diagram to bring it all together.
Objectives
- trade in goods and services
- speculation
- government intervention in currency markets
- payment of profit, interest and dividends between countries
- workers’ remittances
- investment in capital goods between countries
- definitions of floating exchange rate, appreciation and depreciation
- the demand for and supply of a currency
- the determination of the equilibrium foreign exchange rate
- causes of foreign exchange rate fluctuations - changes in demand for exports and imports - changes in the interest rate - speculation
- effects of changes in foreign exchange rates on prices and demand for exports and imports
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Flashcards
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Lesson Note
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Lesson Evaluation
Congratulations on completing the lesson on Foreign Exchange Rates. Now that youve explored the key concepts and ideas, its time to put your knowledge to the test. This section offers a variety of practice questions designed to reinforce your understanding and help you gauge your grasp of the material.
You will encounter a mix of question types, including multiple-choice questions, short answer questions, and essay questions. Each question is thoughtfully crafted to assess different aspects of your knowledge and critical thinking skills.
Use this evaluation section as an opportunity to reinforce your understanding of the topic and to identify any areas where you may need additional study. Don't be discouraged by any challenges you encounter; instead, view them as opportunities for growth and improvement.
- An exchange rate is the: A. interest rate on foreign loans B. price of one currency in terms of another C. tax on imports D. cost of exports Answer: B
- A floating exchange rate is determined by: A. the government alone B. a fixed peg C. the demand for and supply of the currency D. import taxes Answer: C
- When a currency appreciates, its value: A. falls B. rises C. stays the same D. becomes zero Answer: B
- Using SPICED, a stronger currency makes: A. exports cheaper and imports dearer B. imports cheaper and exports dearer C. both cheaper D. both dearer Answer: B
- A rise in a country's interest rate is likely to cause its currency to: A. depreciate B. appreciate C. stay fixed D. disappear Answer: B
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Recommended Books
Further learning from open sources
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Textbook section
Demand and Supply Shifts in Foreign Exchange Markets
Explain supply and demand for exchange rates
"Principles of Economics 2e: Demand and Supply Shifts in Foreign Exchange Markets" by OpenStax, OpenStax, Rice University, licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Source: https://openstax.org/books/principles-economics-2e/pages/29-2-demand-and-supply-shifts-in-foreign-exchange-markets. Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/principles-economics-2e/pages/1-introduction
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Textbook section
How the Foreign Exchange Market Works
Define "foreign exchange market"
"Principles of Economics 2e: How the Foreign Exchange Market Works" by OpenStax, OpenStax, Rice University, licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Source: https://openstax.org/books/principles-economics-2e/pages/29-1-how-the-foreign-exchange-market-works. Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/principles-economics-2e/pages/1-introduction
Published by other organisations under open licences, credited as they ask. Links open their websites.
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