New Zimbabwean currency will struggle for traction

Significance After a month of fuel protests and a violent military crackdown, Mangudya on February 20 effectively acknowledged Zimbabwean bond notes and electronic RTGS bank balances as part of a new currency scheme. The authorities' latest attempt to stabilise the parallel foreign exchange market, the RTGS dollar, will trade on a new interbank foreign exchange market on a ‘willing-buyer, willing seller’ basis. Impacts The recent extension of US sanctions will likely delay the prospect of a new IMF funding programme over the short term. The government will struggle to improve its international reputation despite a heightened public relations drive. Recent public protests are likely to have delayed the introduction of a brand-new national currency for now.

2017 ◽  
Vol 44 (5) ◽  
pp. 781-800 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aleksandr V. Gevorkyan

Purpose Offering an example of a small open developing economy, the purpose of this paper is to explore the reasons for relative stability in Armenia’s foreign exchange market. Relying on a single currency and derived cross-currency exchange rates, the paper models short-term effects between exchange market pressure and financial and macroeconomic factors. Design/methodology/approach Following a literature review, the paper sets the macroeconomic context with an initial variance comparison of standard currency pairs and derived cross-currency exchange rates. Then, the core analysis is carried out with a vector error correction model, focusing on short-term cross-dynamics in monthly data. The orthogonal impulse response function analyses help solidify and further inform relevant conclusions. Findings Three broad factors influence Armenia’s foreign exchange market: external push factors; domestic banking sector competition, and foreign currency risk perceptions; and domestic macroeconomic and dual, cross-pair, exchange rate target priorities. The central bank’s implicit management of the foreign exchange market’s expectations, pull factor, is consistent with trader market power’s contribution to lower volatility. Yet, the risk of financial and real-sector decoupling remains. Originality/value The results are relevant for emerging markets attempting to leverage the global liquidity and low interest rates, while being exposed to external pressures in the post-crisis environment, in which international reserves may be scarce while currency stability is an implied priority. This study can be further adapted to a more comprehensive structural short-term analysis of currency determination or similar dynamics in other small open economies.


2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-17
Author(s):  
Guogang Wang ◽  
Nan Lin

PurposeThe development of China's foreign exchange market and the reform of Chinese yuan (hereinafter “CNY”) exchange rate are closely linked with each other. Their respective journey through the past 70 years can both be divided into three historical periods; as follows: China's foreign exchange market underwent a difficult exploration period, a formation and development period and an innovative development period; in the meanwhile, the formation mechanism of CNY exchange rate also witnessed three periods marked successively by a single exchange rate system with administrative pricing, an explorative formation mechanism of CNY exchange rate and a reformed, marketized CNY exchange rate mechanism.Design/methodology/approachIn the present world, the development of almost every country is closely linked to the international community, which is the result of the heterogeneity in system, market, humanity and history, in addition to the differences in natural resource endowments and the diversity in technology, administration, information, experience and diplomacy. International economic exchanges require foreign exchange, which gives rise to the existence and development of the foreign exchange market.FindingsThe 70-year history of China's foreign exchange market has proven the need to continue safeguarding national sovereignty and interests of the people, stick to the general direction of serving economic development, adhere to the strategy of steadily and orderly promoting the construction of the foreign exchange market, keep on making innovation in monetary policy operation and unbendingly stay away from any systemic financial risks.Originality/valueDuring the 70-year history of the new China, as an indispensable economic resource in China's economic development, the foreign exchange mechanism bolstered each stage of economic development and was always an important manifestation of China's economic sovereignty. It is argued that during the 30-year planned economy that preceded reform and opening-up, China pursued a closed-door policy with few international economic exchanges. The subtext of such argument is that China did not have (or hardly had much of) a foreign exchange mechanism during this period, which is clearly in conflict with historical evidence. In fact, although China did not have an open foreign exchange market before the reform and opening-up, it had a clear foreign exchange management system and exchange rate system.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
James Temitope Dada

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine the effect of asymmetric structure inherent in exchange rate volatility on trade in sub-Saharan African countries from 2005 to 2017.Design/methodology/approach17 countries in sub-Saharan African Countries are used for the study. Exchange rate volatility is generated using generalised autoregressive conditional heteroscedacity (1,1), while the asymmetric components of exchange rate volatility are generated using a refined approach of cumulative partial sum developed by Granger and Yoon (2002). Two-step generalised method of moments is used as the estimation technique in order to address the problem of endogeneity, commonly found in panel data.FindingsThe result from the study shows the evidence of exchange rate volatility clustering which is strictly persistent in sub-Saharan African countries. The asymmetric components (positive and negative shocks) of exchange rate volatility have negative and significant effect on trade in the region. Meanwhile, the effect of negative exchange rate volatility is higher on trade when compared with the positive exchange rate volatility. Furthermore, real exchange rate has negative and significant effect on trade in sub-Saharan African countries.Research limitations/implicationsThe outcomes of this study are important for participants in foreign exchange market. As investors in foreign exchange market react more to the negative news than positive news, investors need to diversify their risk. Also, regulators in the market need to formulate appropriate macroeconomic policies that will stabilize exchange rate in the region.Originality/valueThis study deviates from extant studies in the literature by incorporating asymmetric structure into the exchange rate trade nexus using a refined approach.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed A. El-Masry ◽  
Osama M. Badr

PurposeThis paper examines the causal relationship between stock market performance and foreign exchange market in Egypt over the period 2009–2016. The study period is divided into two sub-periods: pre- and post-January 25th Egyptian revolution (ER). The reason is to examine how this revolution affects the causal relationship between the two markets' performance.Design/methodology/approachIn this study, the daily basis data are used to enable good and effective observation changes in the foreign exchange rate and stock market performance over time. Stock market indexes and stock market capitalization are used as proxies for stock market performance. Further, the Egyptian pound to US$ exchange rate is used as a measure for foreign exchange market performance. The study analysis is done in stages. The first is to check the variables' stationarity for the pre- and post-revaluation. The second is to examine the cointegration among the variables. The third is to run vector autoregression (VAR) estimates, after which VAR Granger causality tests are employed.FindingsThe results show that the data are not stationary at their levels but stationary in their first difference level while there is no cointegration in the long-run among the variables in both sub-periods. Further, findings indicate that, in the pre-January 25th revolution period, there is a significant causal relationship between the foreign exchange market and stock market indexes and a significant causal relationship between market capitalization (CAP) and exchange rate at the 1% level. However, in the post-January 25th revolution period, the study does not find a significant causal relationship between foreign exchange market and stock market indexes and capitalization.Research limitations/implicationsAs this study focuses on the causal relationship between foreign exchange and stock markets before and after the 25th January Revolution, other macroeconomic variables such as consumer price index, interest rate and GDP were excluded for the comparison purposes with other studies. Further research is suggested to include them in the analysis to find out its effect on the performance of stock market and foreign exchange market.Practical implicationsThe existence of long-run bidirectional causality means that portfolio managers and hedgers may have improved their understanding regarding the dynamic relationship between foreign exchange market and stock market performance as this may help them to plan and implement suitable hedging strategies to guard against currency risk in future crises or events. Investors, fund and portfolio managers and policymakers should give much attention to these event-specific interactions when they make capital budgeting decisions and implement regulation policies. Furthermore, our results may allow portfolio managers, investors and policymakers to assess the importance of informational efficiency for both markets.Originality/valueThis paper is an original contribution to the literature that concerns the causal relationship between stock market and foreign exchange market in the period of political instability and social unrest such as the January 25th Revolution in one of the emerging markets, namely Egypt.


Subject The Central Bank's 2015 monetary programme. Significance The Central Bank's (BCRA) 2015 monetary programme indicates that the main features of the current monetary policy framework -- characterised by an expansionary bias, foreign exchange controls and close monitoring of the informal exchange market -- will continue this year. Impacts The government will prioritise exchange rate stability, at the expense of economic activity. The BCRA will continue using the official exchange rate as a nominal anchor. Foreign exchange controls may be extended to discourage devaluation expectations and to protect international reserves.


2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 01-09
Author(s):  
Ali Farhan Chaudhry

The current study examines short-term abnormal returns of eight major currencies including EUR/USD, GBP/USD, USD/AUD, USD/CAD, USD/CHF, USD/CNY, USD/JPY, and USD/SEK in response to the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic using event study approach in three different scenarios. Firstly, short-term abnormal returns of major currencies are estimated on the day of World Health Organization’s (WHO) announcement declaring COVID-19 as a pandemic. Secondly, they are estimated on the day of the announcement of the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the respective country. Thirdly, they are estimated on the day of the announcement of the first death from COVID-19 in each country. The results provided evidence that major currency investors earned positive returns in these three different scenarios. The implications of the current study are more important than anticipated. Government policymakers, foreign exchange market regulators, and foreign exchange market participants can anticipate short-term returns while establishing foreign exchange policies, designing rules and regulations, and finalizing trading and hedging strategies, respectively, in situations such as the current COVID-19 pandemic.  Received Date: September 20, 20202      Last Received:   October 23, 2020     Acceptance: November 13, 2020


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Janusz Brzeszczyński ◽  
Jerzy Gajdka ◽  
Tomasz Schabek ◽  
Ali M Kutan

PurposeThis study contributes to the pool of knowledge about the impact of monetary policy communication of central banks on financial instruments' prices and assets' value in emerging markets.Design/methodology/approachEmpirical analysis is executed using the National Bank of Poland (NBP) announcements about its monetary policy covering the data from the broad financial market in its three main segments: stock market, foreign exchange market and bonds market. The reactions are measured relative to the changes in the NBP announcements and also with respect to investors' expectations. Autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity (ARCH) models with dummy variables are used as the main methodological tool.FindingsBonds market and foreign exchange market are the most sensitive market segments, while interest rate and money supply are the most influential types of announcements. The changes of the revealed new macroeconomic figures had more impact on assets' prices movements than the deviations from their expectations. Moreover, greater diversity of the Monetary Policy Council (MPC) members' opinions on the voted motions, captured in the MPC voting reports, is associated with more cases of statistically significant NBP communication events.Practical implicationsThe findings have direct relevance for fund managers, portfolio analysts, investors and also for financial market regulators.Originality/valueThe results provide novel evidence about how the emerging financial market responds to monetary policy announcements. They help understand the nature of the impact of public information on financial assets' valuation and on movements of their prices, analysed comprehensively in three market segments, in the emerging market environment.


Significance In his first month in office, President Mauricio Macri made substantial progress in removing controls implemented by the former administration. The new government liberalised the foreign exchange market, increasingly constrained over the last four years, and international trade, with the lifting of most export taxes and the removal of controversial non-automatic import licences. Impacts Policy changes will not bring rapid improvement, with little recovery this year or next. This will raise social conflict in the short term, putting governability at risk. Medium-term price stabilisation, in the framework of a managed float and an inflation target regime, may drive a rebound.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jingshan Liu

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of uncertainty, namely, macroeconomic uncertainty (MU) and financial uncertainty (FU) on foreign exchange market stability, specifically on foreign exchange market pressure (EMP) and jump risk (RJV).Design/methodology/approachThe latent threshold time-varying parameter VAR (LT-TVP-VAR) econometric approach is used in estimations to solve structural breaks.FindingsThe relationship of uncertainties and China's foreign exchange market stability is latent threshold nonlinear dynamic time-varying. In China's renminbi (RMB) appreciation stage, both MU and FU weaken the appreciation pressure of RMB. Moreover, MU and FU significantly increase the RJV, while MU significantly affects the RJV of the foreign exchange market. In the RMB depreciation stage, both MU and FU strengthen the EMP.Research limitations/implicationsFindings based on data in China's foreign exchange market can be considered for other global markets in future research.Practical implicationsAn increase in MU and FU has a negative effect on foreign exchange stability. Regulators can prevent the economic system uncertainty shocks on foreign exchange market stability through observation and judgment of MU and FU, which helps prevent and relieve financial risks. Investors can reduce foreign exchange risk as the exchange rate rebounds after hedging behavior during high uncertainty periods.Originality/valueThe effect of MU on the foreign exchange market stability is greater than that of FU, regardless of whether EMP or RJV occurs in the foreign exchange market.


2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (01) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nazia Jamal

Foreign exchange market in India started three decades ago when in 1978 the government allowed banks to trade foreign exchange with one another. Today over 70% of the trading in foreign exchange continues to take place in the inter-bank market. The market consists of over 90 Authorized Dealers (mostly banks) who transact currency among themselves and come out “square” or without exposure at the end of the trading day. Trading is regulated by the Foreign Exchange Dealers Association of India (FEDAI), a self-regulatory association of dealers. Since 2001, clearing and settlement functions in the foreign exchange market are largely carried out by the Clearing Corporation of India Limited (CCIL) that handles transactions of approximately 3.5 billion US dollars a day, about 80% of the total transactions. This paper is divided in to four sections section one deals with the introduction of the study along with the exchange rate systems, section two tries to explain the trends in the Indian foreign exchange market whereas section three explains the features of the different components of the foreign exchange markets, section four assess and analyse the regulations and the role played by the forward market commission in Indi till its merger. The Financial Sector Legislative Reforms Commission (FSLRC) had earlier stressed on the need to move away from sector-wise regulation. It proposed a system in which RBI would regulate the banking and payments system, and a Unified Financial Agency (UFA) would subsume all other financial sector regulators such as SEBI, IRDA, PFRDA and FMC, to regulate the rest of the financial markets, which results in the merger of the FMC with SEBI. Hence section four focuses on the recent merger of this organisation with SEBI.


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