Central Banks
INR – everything is relative
The INR’s over-extended valuation against the Reserve Bank of India’s REER implicit policy anchor continues. This over-extension is looking anomalous against the continued backdrop of Asian FX selling. Claudio Piron, Asian FX strategist at JP Morgan in…
Asia shies away from dollar bloc
Basel – Asian currencies are not trading as a dollar bloc, said the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) in its quarterly review last week.
A broader view than the yuan
While much attention is focused on a likely shift in the value of China’s currency, Ashish Advani (right), director of risk solutions at Travelex in Toronto, points to a way of hedging against the more imminent risk of free-floating Asian currency…
Cutting the cost of dollar calls
With the USD having hit its lowest levels since the first half of January, Steven Englander, chief FX strategist for the Americas at Barclays Capital, suggests a cost-effective way to position for a dollar rebound
Asian ERM debate returns to the fore
HONG KONG -- Calls for an Asian currency regime mirroring the European exchange rate mechanism (ERM) are coming to the fore, as the region’s authorities face mounting pressure to alter their exchange rate policies.
Euro gains status as reserve
FRANFURT – Buying by some of Eastern Europe’s and Africa’s central banks is buoying the euro as the central bankers come to the realisation the currency is here to stay, according to a leading forex fund manager.
Euro role grows, says ECB
The euro is increasingly being used as an international currency and its place in the global markets is becoming ever more important, a European Central Bank (ECB) official told delegates at the FX Week congress in London last week.
Concerted intervention ruled out
FRANKFURT – Despite increasingly vigorous comments from European politicians arguing in favour of stemming the onward rise of the euro, concerted intervention from Europe and the US is extremely unlikely.
Bush win prompts dollar sell-off
NEW YORK – The re-election of President George W. Bush last week prompted a dollar sell-off, sending the euro to an all-time high just below 1.30 by close of trading on Friday (November 5).
China rate hikes boost FX volatility
CHINA – Volatility in global FX has surged amid speculation that the first rate hike by the People's Bank of China (PBOC) in almost a decade could spark a sooner-than-expected yuan revaluation, according to analysts.
Chinese currency to rise by 25% against dollar
LONDON – China's currency is up to one quarter below its true value and a significant adjustment on the forex market is inevitable.
Making the most of upcoming volatility
For the currency overlay manager looking to take advantage of a burst of market volatility at the start of the fourth quarter, Simon Derrick, head of Bank of New York's currency strategy team, describes a simple, low-cost way for them to express their…
Hedging when the market moves against you
A nine month sliding forward structure can help your company achieve attractive FX hedging rates when the market has moved substantially beyond your budget rates, says Adam Gilmour, head of FX options sales in Citigroup's emerging markets sales and…
Return of the voice broker
Cantor Fitzgerald revives voice broking market with spin-off firm. NEW YORK - Cantor Fitzgerald reversed a trend of consolidation in the broking market last week by spinning off a new firm to focus exclusively on voice broking.
Russian peg change to drive rouble trading
MOSCOW – A touted move from a dollar peg to a dollar-euro basket will be the key driver for trading in the rouble in coming months.
Banks draw EU25 battle plans
LONDON – Euro convergence may yet be years away for the 10 new member states joining the European Union (EU) this weekend, but far-sighted banks and brokers are already drawing up their FX battle plans for the new Europe.
MAS move could pre-empt peg changes
SINGAPORE -- The Monetary Authority of Singapore’s surprise move last week towards a "policy of modest and gradual appreciation" for the Singapore dollar may be a pre-emptive move to counter Asian peg revaluations.
Richmond launches currency fund for Asia
HONG KONG -- Richmond Asset Management is set to launch a new fund in Hong Kong this month, to capitalise on increased opportunities to profit from currency strengthening, officials said last week. The Bermuda-based Currency Optimiser fund will be…
Volatility and leverage key for Euro importer
Trading volatility allows a European importer to improve its dollar buying rate and mitigate Asian strengthening says Silash Ruparell in European FX sales at Lehman Brothers in London
Near-term ringgit peg change unlikely
KUALA LUMPUR -- Despite recent reported comments from Malaysia’s second finance minister, Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop, Malaysia is unlikely to change the ringgit’s current peg to the US dollar -- at least until the country’s general election is over.
Market to test central banks post-G7
LONDON -- The G7 communiqué released after the Boca Raton meeting on February 7 will lead to the market testing the resolve of central banks to limit FX moves, analysts agreed last week.
SPECIAL REPORT: CHINA Opportunity China: banks reveal plans
SHANGHAI -- Top forex banks are stepping up their strategies to win lucrative FX business in China as it gradually liberalises its economy. Major international players are taking steps such as increasing staffing levels in the Asia-Pacific, or carrying…
Five-year-old euro comes of age
FRANKFURT -- When the euro was first introduced, many were sceptical about its potential for success and concerned about its impact on the FX market as a whole. But as it celebrated its five-year anniversary this month, the euro’s status is gradually…