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How to Eliminate Foreign Exchange Risk

Posted by at 12:26 AM Read our previous post

1. Compile the details of your future transaction. If you run a business in the U.S. and you plan to receive a payment worth $1 million U.S. dollars on a future date, you will need to be able to provide information about the foreign current and the transaction date to a bank or currency exchange company. The more information you have, the better off you will be when you make the deal.
2. Meet with a bank or foreign exchange company and receive a quote. Be sure to check forward rates, which are freely available in financial publications such as 'The Wall Street Journal' and 'Financial Times' or online, and find the future rate for the currency exchange you are interested in. Rates are published for spot exchanges at 30-day, 60-day and 90-day future transactions. Companies that engage in and facilitate currency exchange can build a contract for your specific needs, but make sure it is not priced much higher than the market future rate.
3. Build a contract for your needs. Each currency exchange transaction is different, but there are certain constants that exist across deals. The exchange transaction is intended to protect your earnings in your currency, so make sure you are quoted correctly for an exchange into the currency you ultimately want to be left with. Forward transactions guarantee you a fixed transaction at a future date. Even if the rate changes in your favor, you are contracted to complete the transaction. A swap is between two companies attempting to eliminate risk. Similar to a forward, you are locked in by the contract. An option allows you to exchange at a specific price in the future, but can expire if rates change in your favor. There is a fee for options if they are exercised or if they expire.

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