A Note on Exports and Hedging Exchange Rate Risks: The Multi‐Country Case

This study examines the behavior of an exporting firm that exports to two foreign countries, each of which has its own currency. Hedging is imperfect in that the firm can only trade one of the two foreign currencies forward. Compared to the case wherein hedging is perfect in that both foreign currencies can be traded forward, the firm is shown to produce less in the home country. Furthermore, the firm is shown to export more (less) to the foreign country whose currency can (cannot) be traded forward. The firm's optimal forward position is an over‐hedge or an under‐hedge, depending on whether the spot exchange rates are positively or negatively correlated in the sense of expectation dependence, respectively. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Jrl Fut Mark 33:1191–1196, 2013     

Cross Hedging with Currency Forward Contracts

This study examines the behavior of a competitive exporting firm that exports to a foreign country and faces multiple sources of exchange rate uncertainty. Although there are no hedging instruments between the home and foreign currencies, there is a third country that has well‐developed currency forward markets to which the firm has access. The firm's optimal cross‐hedging decision is shown to depend both on the degree of incompleteness of the currency forward markets in the third country, and on the correlation structure of the random spot exchange rates. Furthermore, the firm is shown to be more eager to produce and expand its exports to the foreign country when the missing currency forward contracts between the home and foreign currencies can be synthesized by the existing currency forward contracts. In this case of perfect cross hedging, the separation theorem holds but the full‐hedging theorem may or may not hold. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Jrl Fut Mark     

Does Euro or Dollar Pegging Impact the Real Exchange Rate? The Case of Oil and Commodity Currencies

The aim of this paper is to investigate the equilibrium exchange rates for commodity and oil currencies as well as the discrepancies of their observed exchange rates to these equilibriums. To this end, first, we estimate a long‐term relationship between the real effective exchange rate and economic fundamentals, including the commodity terms of trade. The estimation relies on panel cointegration techniques and covers annual data from 1980 to 2007. Our results show that real exchange rates co‐move with commodity prices in the long run and respond to oil price somewhat less than to commodity prices. Second, we assess the degree of misalignment of these currencies, as the gap between their observed exchange rate and the estimated equilibrium exchange rate. We show that these misalignments are not significantly related to the exchange rate regimes adopted by the countries, either pegged or floating. However, for pegged currencies, the size of misalignments significantly depends on the anchor currency, either the euro or the dollar. A comparison of misalignments of pegged commodity and oil currencies across different periods confirms these results: during periods of dollar (euro) overvaluation, currencies pegged to the dollar (euro) tend to be overvalued; the reverse being true when the dollar (euro) is undervalued. Consequently, pegged currencies are often driven away from their equilibria by wild fluctuations in the key currencies, on which they are anchored.     

中国崛起背景下的涉外金融安全问题与对策

中国崛起背景下的涉外金融安全问题,主要表现在三个方面,即资本账户开放的安全问题、外汇储备资产或外汇资产的安全问题、国际支付结算体系的安全问题。导致中国涉外金融安全问题的外部原因是本币不具备储备货币的国际地位,需要从外部获得储备货币,必然缺乏安全;人民币汇率的信用依靠美元等储备货币背书,中国经济崛起也曾经依赖美元顺差;美国可以利用美元账户对资金、资产交易、跨境支付结算等,实施行政处罚、限制、冻结等制裁,乃至剔除出账户系统。内部原因是中国经济崛起,美国要打压和制裁;金融开放如果在汇率制度选择、外汇管制和管控上处理不当,允许储备货币资金完全自由进出而无约束,则必然存在金融危机的可能;国际收支失衡导致涉外金融缺乏安全。解决涉外金融安全问题应从四个方面着手:一是通过货币互换和多元化投资等方式保障外汇(储备)资产安全;二是通过提倡主权货币计价、支付、结算、融资,以及开展相关制度设计等方式建设好交易和支付结算系统;三是把握好资本账户开放;四是做好人民币国际化的基础工作。     

国际贸易结算货币理论及其对我国的启示

随着多边贸易和国际货币多元化的不断发展,国际贸易结算货币的选择对降低汇率风险和交易成本,提高经济效益显得越来越重要。本文按三个发展阶段对国际贸易结算货币理论进行了述评,在此基础上探讨了目前我国对外贸易结算货币的选择及人民币作为国际贸易结算货币的可能性。认为,当前美元仍应是我国对外贸易首选结算货币,但我国应积极扩大人民币在边境贸易中的计价结算,并努力创造条件促使人民币在远洋贸易中计价结算,以降低国际贸易的汇率风险及促进人民币国际化的发展。     

人民币周边化与东盟国家“货币锚”调整的效应分析

人民币的周边化是一个由计价结算手段生成储备货币的过程,其路径应该是先升值至一个外汇市场上可接受的均衡位置,然后再实行由市场定价的浮动汇率制度。本文对2000年1月1日到2010年8月10日东盟主要国家的货币和国际货币及人民币进行了回归,发现自2005年7月21日人民币升值以来,美元在东盟国家"货币锚"的地位在下降,人民币在东盟确立了强势货币的地位,东盟主要国家的"货币锚"调整为人民币、日元和欧元。东盟国家"货币锚"的多样化,对于应对国际金融危机主要国际货币币值的大幅度波动是有利的。而作为这一过程的另外一个方面,人民币必定会成为东盟国家的储备货币,人民币的国际化进程也会得到加快。     

Hedging with mismatched currencies

This article presents a model of a risk-averse multinational firm facing risk exposure to a foreign currency cash flow. Forward markets do not exist between the firm's own currency and the foreign currency, but do exist for a third currency. Because a triangular parity condition holds among these three currencies, the available forward markets, albeit incomplete, provide a useful avenue for the firm to indirectly hedge against its foreign exchange rate risk exposure. This article offers analytical insights into the optimal cross-hedging strategies of the firm. In particular, the results show that separate unbiasedness of the forward markets does not necessarily imply a perfect full hedge that eliminates the entire foreign exchange rate risk exposure of the firm. The optimal cross-hedging strategies depend largely on the firm's marginal utility function and on the correlation of the random spot exchange rates. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Jrl Fut Mark 19:859–875, 1999     

从特别提款权看人民币汇率形成机制改革

根据特别提款权盯住一篮子货币的定值方法及其过去几年的汇率变化,人民币在汇率形成机制改革以后,对美元的浮动幅度会加大,而对欧元和日元的浮动幅度可能会减小.为此企业应该做好汇率风险防范、进行产品创新,适当增加欧元、日元等货币的使用,以化解人民币升值和人民币汇率形成机制改革的不利影响.     

Predicting exchange rate returns

We test whether forward premiums predict spot exchange rate returns for 16 currencies. We apply a recently developed time series predictability test that allows us to model data features including heteroskedasticity in forward premium. We discover return predictability for 75% (12/16) of currencies in our sample. Trading strategies show that investors can make more profits from our proposed forward premium model compared to a random walk model and foreign exchange carry trade model.     

Exports and hedging exchange rate risks: the multi‐country case

This article examines the optimal production, export allocation, and hedging decisions of a risk‐averse international firm that exports to several foreign markets with different currencies. The firm faces multiple exchange rate risks. Optimal decisions are analyzed under two scenarios. In the first, there is a forward market for one currency only. Then, the export allocation to different markets is separable from the firm's preferences and the joint distribution of the exchange rates. In contrast, total production is not separable except for a special case. In the second scenario, there is a forward market for each currency. Then, both production and export allocation are separable. Hedging with forward contracts depends on risk premia and on the joint distribution of the exchange rates. If tradable exchange rate risk is a linear function of untradable exchange rate risk plus noise, there is a conflict between cross hedging and taking a basis risk. If, alternatively, the untradable exchange rate risk is a linear function of the tradable exchange rate risk and noise, there is no such conflict. A speculative position in a biased forward market for one currency can be cross hedged using an unbiased forward market for another currency. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Jrl Fut Mark 20:843–864, 2000.     

How are Exchange Rates Managed? Evidence of an Anchor‐Based Heuristic

Central banks often intervene in the foreign exchange market to obtain desirable exchange rates. How this is done has remained totally opaque although central banks are likely to adopt a satisficing rather than optimizing strategy as they need to intervene frequently in a timely manner under incomplete information. In this paper, we propose a simple exchange rate management rule that spreads the volatilities originated from the anchor currencies among the exchange rates with the domestic currency. We test out this rule on 10 currencies and find the empirical evidence consistent with the proposed anchor‐based heuristic.     

The Influences of Major Currencies in Foreign Exchange Markets: A Regression‐Based Measure and Its Application

Based on the regression explanatory power, we propose a measure of the relative influences of a group of major currencies, including the US dollar, euro, Japanese yen, and UK pound, on the exchange rate behaviors of lesser currencies. Using the measure and 27 sample floating currencies, we empirically examine the cross‐currency and temporal variations in the relative influences of two, three, and four major currencies during the 16‐year post‐euro period of 1999 to 2014.     

Risk premia in forward exchange rates: systematic or unsystematic?

International traders frequently use forward exchange transactions to hedge their cash flows in foreign currencies. A key issue is whether the forward rates are efficiently priced. There is evidence of time-varying risk premia in forward exchange rates. Are these risk premia systematic or unsystematic? This article uses a market model to explain risk, implying that the risk premium in the forward rate varies pari passu with the beta of the return to speculative forward positions. Assuming the unobserved risk premium is proportional to the forward premium allows testing the predicted relations; the data reject the joint hypotheses of the model and systematic risk. In terms of a simple factor model explaining the covariation of the forward premium, the risk premium, and the expected percentage rate of change of the spot exchange rate, the assumption that the forward premium and the risk premium are proportional can be relaxed without changing the empirical results.     

The road to currency internationalization: Global perspectives and chinese experience

This paper studies international currency use in financial transactions. A currency becomes international when it circulates outside of its issuing country, and advances to vehicle currency status if used by non-residents. With currency information from the SWIFT dataset, we estimate a gravity model to explain the geographical distribution of international currency use. A higher level of economic integration and stable macroeconomic conditions increase the international use of major currencies such as USD and EUR. Merchandise trade and portfolio investment are most helpful in increasing the direct use of currency, while foreign direct investment (FDI) has a stronger effect on promoting vehicle use. Merchandise trade improves the intensity of the global use of the Chinese renminbi (RMB), while FDI increases the number of its users. The policy effect on RMB internationalization is significant only in enhancing the intensity of direct use. Furthermore, the global use of RMB is decreasing by distance, implying that its role is more regional. We recommend outward FDI through the Belt and Road Initiative to further promote RMB internationalization.     

Currency substitution,money growth rules,and the interdependence of monetary policy

This paper examines the interdependence of national monetary policies under flexible exchange rates when national currencies are seen as substitutes for one another. It is shown that the efficacy of a constant monetary growth rule as a means of controlling a country's price level depends on the policies of foreign central banks. These results are in contrast to those found under flexible exchange rates and no currency substitution. The role of monetary growth rules in a world of currency substitution is discussed.     

Implications of the introduction of the Euro for the Mediterranean countries

The Mediterranean peripheral countries cannot afford to be passive viewers of the fundamental changes that are taking place in Europe after the introduction of the Euro. The new developments pose formidable challenges and opportunities. It will be argued that no single group of developing countries will be more affected by these changes than the Mediterranean countries given their geographical proximity to the region and their long historical record of extensive and large economic interactions (trade, finance, and migration). This article examines the implications of the introduction of the single currency in Europe on Mediterranean central bank reserves and foreign external liabilities, trade and capital flow, and exchange rate policies. It is shown that since most Mediterranean trade is with the EU, Mediterranean central banks will be necessitated to hold major portions of their foreign exchange reserves in Euros. Also, a Mediterranean currency peg to the Euro, or to a basket of currencies where the Euro is allocated, will be important in reducing financial and trade transaction costs. It will also be hypothesized that Mediterranean foreign debts will eventually have to be converted to Euros. Finally, parallels between this region and the U.S–Caribbean region will be drawn to reinforce the argument that trade and capital dependence will eventually lead to a pegging of the Mediterranean currencies to the Euro. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Currency mismatches and monetary policy: A tale of two equilibria

We develop a model of a small economy whose residents choose whether to borrow in domestic or foreign currency. The central bank, in turn, chooses fixed or flexible exchange rates, taking the currency denomination of debts as given. We characterize the simultaneous determination of portfolios and exchange rate regime. Both floating and fixed rates can occur as equilibrium outcomes. “Fear of floating” may emerge endogenously and in association with a currency mismatch in assets and liabilities. If equilibria with both fixed rates and floating rates coexist, the latter is Pareto superior. Lessons for current “de-dollarization” proposals are discussed.     

浅谈现代饭店业外汇风险管理

我国加入WTO后,旅游事业呈现了蓬勃发展势头。良好的经济形势在给饭店业带来无限商机的同时也带来了外汇收支管理等问题。尤其是现代饭店业面临着外汇交易、外汇借款、汇率折算等风险。应全面掌握国际市场主要货币汇率、收支状况,正确选择外币币种,适当调整商品价格,采用外汇保值条款等手段加强饭店业外汇管理,减少外汇风险,提高饭店经济效益。     

Exchange rate effects of US government shutdowns: Evidence from both developed and emerging markets

We examine the exchange rate effects of US government shutdowns using historical exchange rate data covering 19 episodes of government shutdowns. We find that major currency exchange rates generally tend to appreciate vis-à-vis the US dollar, and foreign exchange volatility tends to increase in response to shutdowns. We show that the effect of shutdowns is felt most one day after a shutdown and the effect dies out for most currencies within five days of a shutdown. These results pass a range of robustness tests which control for day-of-the-week effects, model specifications, and the Global Financial Crisis.     

Will the Renminbi Emerge as an International Reserve Currency?

The global reserve system can be strengthened by increasing the role of alternative currencies. A gradual evolution to a multicurrency system reduces pressure on a single reserve currency issuer from an ever‐growing balance‐of‐payments deficit. It also allows countries to better diversify their foreign exchange holdings. Given the continuing strong economic growth in the China and its growing influence on the world economy, the renminbi will likely emerge as a new international currency. However, this is contingent on the China accepting a more convertible capital account and developing an efficient financial system. Internationalising the renminbi will likely be a gradual and drawn‐out process. Simulations show that, with greater convertibility, the renminbi could gradually become an international currency within Asia and beyond – sharing from 3 to 12 per cent of international reserves by 2035.