Main Participants In Foreign Exchange Markets

There are four levels of participants in the foreign exchange market.

At the first level, are tourists, importers, exporters, investors, and so on. These are the immediate users and suppliers of foreign currencies. At the second level, are the commercial banks, which act as clearing houses between users and earners of foreign exchange. At the third level, are foreign exchange brokers through whom the nation’s commercial banks even out their foreign exchange inflows and outflows among themselves. Finally at the fourth and the highest level is the nation’s central bank, which acts as the lender or buyer of last resort when the nation’s total foreign exchange earnings and expenditure are unequal. The central then either draws down its foreign reserves or adds to them.

CUSTOMERS:

            The customers who are engaged in foreign trade participate in foreign exchange markets by availing of the services of banks. Exporters require converting the dollars into rupee and importers require converting rupee into the dollars as they have to pay in dollars for the goods / services they have imported. Similar types of services may be required for setting any international obligation i.e., payment of technical know-how fees or repayment of foreign debt, etc.

COMMERCIAL BANKS

            They are most active players in the forex market. Commercial banks dealing with international transactions offer services for conversation of one currency into another. These banks are specialised in international trade and other transactions. They have wide network of branches. Generally, commercial banks act as intermediary between exporter and importer who are situated in different countries. Typically banks buy foreign exchange from exporters and sells foreign exchange to the importers of the goods. Similarly, the banks for executing the orders of other customers, who are engaged in international transaction, not necessarily on the account of trade alone, buy and sell foreign exchange. As every time the foreign exchange bought and sold may not be equal banks are left with the overbought or oversold position. If a bank buys more foreign exchange than what it sells, it is said to be in ‘overbought/plus/long position’. In case bank sells more foreign exchange than what it buys, it is said to be in ‘oversold/minus/short position’. The bank, with open position, in order to avoid risk on account of exchange rate movement, covers its position in the market. If the bank is having oversold position it will buy from the market and if it has overbought position it will sell in the market. This action of bank may trigger a spate of buying and selling of foreign exchange in the market. Commercial banks have following objectives for being active in the foreign exchange market:

o   They render better service by offering competitive rates to their customers engaged in international trade.

o   They are in a better position to manage risks arising out of exchange rate fluctuations.

o   Foreign exchange business is a profitable activity and thus such banks are in a position to generate more profits for themselves.

o   They can manage their integrated treasury in a more efficient manner. 

CENTRAL BANKS

            In most of the countries central bank have been charged with the responsibility of maintaining the external value of the domestic currency. If the country is following a fixed exchange rate system, the central bank has to take necessary steps to maintain the parity, i.e., the rate so fixed. Even under floating exchange rate system, the central bank has to ensure orderliness in the movement of exchange rates. Generally this is achieved by the intervention of the bank. Sometimes this becomes a concerted effort of central banks of more than one country.

            Apart from this central banks deal in the foreign exchange market for the following purposes:

o   Exchange rate management:

            Though sometimes this is achieved through intervention, yet where a central bank is required to maintain external rate of domestic currency at a level or in a band so fixed, they deal in the market to achieve the desired objective

o   Reserve management:

            Central bank of the country is mainly concerned with the investment of the countries foreign exchange reserve in a stable proportions in range of currencies and in a range of assets in each currency. These proportions are, inter alias, influenced by the structure of official external assets/liabilities. For this bank has involved certain amount of switching between currencies.

            Central banks are conservative in their approach and they do not deal in foreign exchange markets for making profits. However, there have been some aggressive central banks but market has punished them very badly for their adventurism. In the recent past Malaysian Central bank, Bank Negara lost billions of dollars in foreign exchange transactions.

o   Intervention by Central Bank

            It is truly said that foreign exchange is as good as any other commodity. If a country is following floating rate system and there are no controls on capital transfers, then the exchange rate will be influenced by the economic law of demand and supply. If supply of foreign exchange is more than demand during a particular period then the foreign exchange will become cheaper. On the contrary, if the supply is less than the demand during the particular period then the foreign exchange will become costlier. The exporters of goods and services mainly supply foreign exchange to the market. If there are no control over foreign investors are also suppliers of foreign exchange.

            During a particular period if demand for foreign exchange increases than the supply, it will raise the price of foreign exchange, in terms of domestic currency, to an unrealistic level. This will no doubt make the imports costlier and thus protect the domestic industry but this also gives boost to the exports. However, in the short run it can disturb the equilibrium and orderliness of the foreign exchange markets. The central bank will then step forward to supply foreign exchange to meet the demand for the same. This will smoothen the market. The central bank achieves this by selling the foreign exchange and buying or absorbing domestic currency. Thus demand for domestic currency which, coupled with supply of foreign exchange, will maintain the price of foreign currency at desired level. This is called ‘intervention by central bank’.

            If a country, as a matter of policy, follows fixed exchange rate system, the central bank is required to maintain exchange rate generally within a well-defined narrow band. Whenever the value of the domestic currency approaches upper or lower limit of such a band, the central bank intervenes to counteract the forces of demand and supply through intervention.

            In India, the central bank of the country, the Reserve Bank of India, has been enjoined upon to maintain the external value of rupee. Until March 1, 1993, under section 40 of the Reserve Bank of India act, 1934, Reserve Bank was obliged to buy from and sell to authorised persons i.e., AD’s foreign exchange. However, since March 1, 1993, under Modified Liberalised Exchange Rate Management System (Modified LERMS), Reserve Bank is not obliged to sell foreign exchange. Also, it will purchase foreign exchange at market rates. Again, with a view to maintain external value of rupee, Reserve Bank has given the right to intervene in the foreign exchange markets.

EXCHANGE BROKERS

Forex brokers play a very important role in the foreign exchange markets. However the extent to which services of forex brokers are utilized depends on the tradition and practice prevailing at a particular forex market centre. In India dealing is done in interbank market through forex brokers. In India as per FEDAI guidelines the AD’s are free to deal directly among themselves without going through brokers. The forex brokers are not allowed to deal on their own account all over the world and also in India.

o   How Exchange Brokers Work?

Banks seeking to trade display their bid and offer rates on their respective pages of Reuters screen, but these prices are indicative only. On inquiry from brokers they quote firm prices on telephone. In this way, the brokers can locate the most competitive buying and selling prices, and these prices are immediately broadcast to a large number of banks by means of hotlines/loudspeakers in the banks dealing room/contacts many dealing banks through calling assistants employed by the broking firm. If any bank wants to respond to these prices thus made available, the counter party bank does this by clinching the deal. Brokers do not disclose counter party bank’s name until the buying and selling banks have concluded the deal. Once the deal is struck the broker exchange the names of the bank who has bought and who has sold. The brokers charge commission for the services rendered.

            In India broker’s commission is fixed by FEDAI.

SPECULATORS

            Speculators play a very active role in the foreign exchange markets. In fact major chunk of the foreign exchange dealings in forex markets in on account of speculators and speculative activities.

            The speculators are the major players in the forex markets.

            Banks dealing are the major speculators in the forex markets with a view to make profit on account of favourable movement in exchange rate, take position i.e., if they feel the rate of particular currency is likely to go up in short term. They buy that currency and sell it as soon as they are able to make a quick profit.

            Corporations particularly Multinational Corporations and Transnational Corporations having business operations beyond their national frontiers and on account of their cash flows. Being large and in multi-currencies get into foreign exchange exposures. With a view to take advantage of foreign rate movement in their favour they either delay covering exposures or does not cover until cash flow materialize. Sometimes they take position so as to take advantage of the exchange rate movement in their favour and for undertaking this activity, they have state of the art dealing rooms. In India, some of the big corporate are as the exchange control have been loosened, booking and cancelling forward contracts, and a times the same borders on speculative activity.

            Governments narrow or invest in foreign securities and delay coverage of the exposure on account of such deals.

            Individual like share dealings also undertake the activity of buying and selling of foreign exchange for booking short-term profits. They also buy foreign currency stocks, bonds and other assets without covering the foreign exchange exposure risk. This also results in speculations.

            Corporate entities take positions in commodities whose prices are expressed in foreign currency. This also adds to speculative activity.

            The speculators or traders in the forex market cause significant swings in foreign exchange rates. These swings, particular sudden swings, do not do any good either to the national or international trade and can be detrimental not only to national economy but global business also. However, to be far to the speculators, they provide the much need liquidity and depth to foreign exchange markets. This is necessary to keep bid-offer which spreads to the minimum. Similarly, liquidity also helps in executing large or unique orders without causing any ripples in the foreign exchange markets. One of the views held is that speculative activity provides much needed efficiency to foreign exchange markets. Therefore we can say that speculation is necessary evil in forex markets.