Thursday, July 17, 2008

Foreign Exchange Market


FOREX (Foreign Exchange) is the largest financial market in the world, and includes trading between large banks, (Central banks, Commercial Banks, Investments Banks) currency speculators, multinational corporations, governments, and other financial markets and institutions.
The average daily trade in the global FOREX and related markets currently is over US$ 3 trillion where all the transactions achieved over the counter (OTC) that there is no specific place for trading.It began with gold exchange between countries.
As a country's economy strengthened, its imports would increase until the country ran down its gold reserves, which were required to support its currency. As a result, the money supply would diminish, interest rates escalate and economic activity slowed to the point of recession.
Ultimately, prices of commodities would hit bottom, appearing attractive to other nations, who would rush in and amid a buying frenzy inject the economy with gold until it increased its money supply, driving down interest rates and restoring wealth into the economy. Such boom-bust patterns abounded throughout the gold standard until World War I temporarily discontinued trade flows and the free movement of gold.


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