1
TERMINOLOGIES Foreign Exchange rate Foreign exchange rate is the rate at which one currency is exchanged for other. It is the price of one currency in term of other The exchange rate between dollar and pound refers to numbers of dollars required to purchased one pound For example if $2.50=£1 It means that value of £0.40 pound =$1 2
Foreign Exchange: The exchange rate of $2.50=£1 or £0.40=$1 will be eliminated in world market by arbitrage What is arbitrage: it refers to the purchase of foreign currency in one market where its price is low and sell it in another market where it price is high The effect of arbitrage is to remove differences in exchange rate, so that single exchange rate prevail in world market If exchange rate is $2.48 in London exchange market and $2.50 in new York exchange market
Foreign Exchange: Arbitrageurs will buy pounds in London and sell them in new York for earning profit As a result the price of ponds in term of dollars in London market rises and falls in the new York market This process will end the arbitrage practice
Determination of equilibrium exchange rate The exchange rate in a free market is determined by the demand and supply of foreign exchange Equilibrium exchange rate is a rate at which demand for foreign exchange is equal to supply of foreign exchange It is the rate which clears the foreign exchange market Two method for clearing the market A) Demand and supply of dollars with price of dollars in pounds B) Demand and supply of pounds with price of pounds in dollars…………both method yields same result
Determination of equilibrium exchange rate (cont…) 1) Demand for foreign exchange The demand for foreign exchange (pounds) is a derived from demand from pounds It arises from import of British goods and services into U.S and from capital movements from the U.S to Britain Demand for pounds implies supply of dollars When U.S businessmen buy British goods and services and make capital transfers to Britain they create demand for British pounds in exchange for U.S dollars
Determination of equilibrium exchange rate (cont…) Demand curve for pounds DD is sloping downward from left to right It means that lower the exchange rate on pounds( pounds became cheaper) (dollars price of pound) the larger will be demand for pounds in foreign market This means that British exports of goods and services cheaper in term of dollars The opposite happens if exchange rate on pounds (dollars price of pound) is higher It will make British goods and services dearer
Determination of equilibrium exchange rate (cont…) Supply of foreign exchange Supply of foreign exchange in our case is the supply of pounds It arises from U.S exports of goods and services to Britain and capital movement from U.S to Britain British holders of pounds wish to make payment in $, thus supply of pounds in market will increase Supply curve for pounds SS is an upward sloping curve The relation between exchange rate on pounds (dollar price of pounds) and supply of pounds is positive If exchange rate on pounds increases U.S goods and services become cheaper in Britain,they would purchase more and as a result supply of pounds in a market increase
Determination of equilibrium exchange rate (cont…) S S D pounds Exchange rate Dollar price of pounds R Q R2R2 R1R1 0
Determination of equilibrium exchange rate (cont…) Given the demand and supply curve for foreign exchange, the equilibrium exchange rate is determined where demand for pounds intersects supply of pounds Equilibrium exchange rate is “R” and OQ shows equilibrium demand and supply of foreign exchange rate If exchange rate is higher than equilibrium exchange rate it means that supply of pounds is greater than demand for pounds The price of pounds will fall and ultimately equilibrium exchange rate will reach and economy will come back to equilibrium point i.e point “E”
Determination of equilibrium exchange rate (cont…) An exchange rate lower than equilibrium rate mean demand for foreign exchange rate is greater than supply of foreign exchange rate This leads to increase the price of pounds in foreign exchange market so exchange rate will tends to increase and equilibrium rate will re-established in market Economy come back to equilibrium point i.e. point “E”
Theories of Foreign Exchange 1:The Mint Parity theory 2: The purchasing Power Parity Theory 3: The Balance of Payments theory 12
The Mint Parity Theory This theory is associated with the working of the International Gold Standard. (gold standard operated between 1880—1914 ) Under this system, the currency in use was made of gold or convertible into gold at a fix rate. The value of one currency unit was defined in terms of certain weight of gold, that is, how many grains of gold is equal to one dollar or one pound etc. The central bank of a country was ready to buy and sell gold at specific price The rate at which the standard currency of a country was convertible into gold was called the Mint Price of gold. This theory is associated with the working of the International Gold Standard. (gold standard operated between 1880—1914 ) Under this system, the currency in use was made of gold or convertible into gold at a fix rate. The value of one currency unit was defined in terms of certain weight of gold, that is, how many grains of gold is equal to one dollar or one pound etc. The central bank of a country was ready to buy and sell gold at specific price The rate at which the standard currency of a country was convertible into gold was called the Mint Price of gold. 13
Explanation of the Theory The official British price of gold in British was £ 6 per once and in the US price of gold $36 per once, so they were the mint price of gold in respective countries. The exchange rate between $ and £ would be fixed at $36/£6= $6 This rate was called the mint parity or mint par of exchange because it was based on the mint price of gold Thus under the gold standard, the normal rate of exchange was equal to the ratio of their mint par values R= $/ £ 14
Explanation of Mint Parity Theory (cont…) But the actual exchange rate could vary above and below the mint parity due to cost of shipping the gold between countries Suppose U.S has deficit in its BOP with Britain This deficit in BOP will be paid by U.S importer in term of gold Suppose the shipping cost of gold from U.S to U.K is 3 cents So U.S importer will have to pay $6.03 for one pound This is actual exchange rate
Assumption of the Mint parity Theory 1.It buys and sells gold in any amount at that price. 2.Supply of money consists of gold or paper currency which is backed by gold. 3.There is movement of gold between countries 4.Capital is moveable within countries. 5.Price directly varies with money supply 1.It buys and sells gold in any amount at that price. 2.Supply of money consists of gold or paper currency which is backed by gold. 3.There is movement of gold between countries 4.Capital is moveable within countries. 5.Price directly varies with money supply 16
Criticisms on Mint Parity Theory 1.The international gold standard does not exist now ever since after The theory is based on the free buying and selling of gold and its movement between countries, while Govt. do not allow such sales or purchases and movement 3.The theory is fails to explain the determination of exchange rates as most countries are on inconvertible paper currencies conclusion The mint parity theory has been discarded since the gold standard broke down now. There are neither free movements of gold nor gold parities 1.The international gold standard does not exist now ever since after The theory is based on the free buying and selling of gold and its movement between countries, while Govt. do not allow such sales or purchases and movement 3.The theory is fails to explain the determination of exchange rates as most countries are on inconvertible paper currencies conclusion The mint parity theory has been discarded since the gold standard broke down now. There are neither free movements of gold nor gold parities 17
The Purchasing Power Parity Theory (PPP) The PPP theory was developed by Swedish economists Gustav Cassel in 1920 to determine the exchange rate between countries on inconvertible paper currencies. This theory states that, the rate of exchange between two countries is determined by purchasing power in two different countries PPP have two versions: 1.The absolute purchasing power parity theory 2.The relative purchasing power parity theory The PPP theory was developed by Swedish economists Gustav Cassel in 1920 to determine the exchange rate between countries on inconvertible paper currencies. This theory states that, the rate of exchange between two countries is determined by purchasing power in two different countries PPP have two versions: 1.The absolute purchasing power parity theory 2.The relative purchasing power parity theory 18
PPP Theory 19
1) Absolute Purchasing power parity The absolute version states that the exchange rates between two countries is equal to the ratio of the price level in the two countries. The formula is, R AB = P A /P B where R AB is the exchange rate between two countries A and B and P A and P B refers to general price level in two countries The absolute version states that the exchange rates between two countries is equal to the ratio of the price level in the two countries. The formula is, R AB = P A /P B where R AB is the exchange rate between two countries A and B and P A and P B refers to general price level in two countries 20
Absolute Purchasing power parity (cont..) For example if price of one bushel of wheat is $1 in U.S and £1 in U.K then exchange rate between $ and £ is equal to 1 According to the law of one price, a given commodity should have same price So purchasing power of two currencies is at parity in both countries If the price of one bushel of wheat in term of $ were $0.50 in U.S and £1.50 in U.K …firm would purchase wheat in U.S and resell it in U.K at profit
Absolute Purchasing power parity (cont..) This commodity arbitrage would cause the price of wheat to fall in U.K and rise in U.S until the prices were equal to $1per bushel in both economies Criticisms This version is not use because it ignore the transportation cost and other factors.
2) The Second Version ( Relative purchasing parity) According to this version the change in the exchange rate over a specific period of time should be proportional to the relative change in price level in the two nations over the same period of time The formula used for determination of exchange rate is R 1 = P 1 a/P 0. R 0 where R 1 shows exchange rate in period 1, and R 0 shows exchange rate in base period for example if general price level does not change in foreign nation from the base period to period 1 Where as general price level in the home nation increase by 50% According to this version the change in the exchange rate over a specific period of time should be proportional to the relative change in price level in the two nations over the same period of time The formula used for determination of exchange rate is R 1 = P 1 a/P 0. R 0 where R 1 shows exchange rate in period 1, and R 0 shows exchange rate in base period for example if general price level does not change in foreign nation from the base period to period 1 Where as general price level in the home nation increase by 50% 23 P 1 b/P 0
The Second Version ( Relative purchasing parity) So according to PPP theory the exchange rate (price of a unit of foreign currency in term of domestic currency) should be 50% higher in period 1 as compared to the base period (home currency depreciated by 50%) This theory can be explain with the help of other example. Suppose India and England are on inconvertible paper standard and by spending Rs.60, the bundle of goods can be purchased in India as can be bought by spending £ 1 in England. Thus, according to PPP, the rate of exchange will be Rs. 60= £ 1 Suppose domestic price index increase by 300 and foreign price index rises to 200 the new exchange rate will be Rs 60 =£1.5
Explanation (PPP) The exchange rate would be a proper reflection of the purchasing power in each country if the relative values bought the same amount of goods in each country. The exchange rate would be a proper reflection of the purchasing power in each country if the relative values bought the same amount of goods in each country. 25
BOP theory for Determination of exchange rate According to this theory,exchange rate of a currency is depends one on its BOP position A favorable BOP raise the exchange rate And unfavorable BOP reduces the exchange rate Thus according to this theory exchange rate is determined by the demand and supply of foreign exchange Demand for foreign exchange arises from the debit side of the balance sheet Supply of foreign exchange arises from credit side of balance sheet
BOP theory for Determination of exchange rate (Cont…) When BOP is unfavorable it means that demand for foreign currency is more than its supply It means that external value of domestic currency in relation to foreign currency fall Consequently exchange rate to fall…..how ? Suppose RS 60=$1, external value of domestic currency is.017 Due to unfavorable BOP Rs90=$1 so external value of domestic currency is ……….011 On other hand if BOP is favorable it means that supply of foreign is greater than demand It means that external value of domestic currency in relation to foreign currency rise
BOP theory for Determination of exchange rate (Cont…) Consequently exchange rate to rise Suppose RS 60=$1, so external value of domestic currency is.017 Due to favorable BOP Rs 40=$1 so external value of domestic currency is ……….025 In conclusion, in foreign exchange determination BOP is important
BOP theory for Determination of exchange rate (Cont…) S S D Exchange rate price of $ in Rupee R Q R2R2 R1R1 0 Dollars