The foreign exchange market model (article) | Khan Academy (2024)

Understanding and creating graphs are critical skills in macroeconomics. In this article, you’ll get a quick review of the foreign exchange market model, including:

  1. what it’s used to illustrate
  2. key elements of the model
  3. some examples of questions that can be answered using that model.

What the foreign exchange model illustrates

Exchange rates are determined by the interaction of people who want to trade in their currency (the supply of a currency) with other people who want to obtain that currency (the demand for a currency). The foreign exchange model is a variation on a market model.

Key Features of the foreign exchange model

  • A horizontal axis labeled with the quantity of the currency that is being exchanged. For example, if it’s the foreign exchange market for the Euro, the correct label would be Qeuro
  • A vertical axis labeled with the exchange rate of a currency. Remember that a currency is always priced in terms of some other currency.

A downward sloping demand for the currency, labeled "Deuro” and an upward sloping supply of the currency, labeled "Seuro"

  • An equilibrium exchange rate, labeled "ER"

Helpful reminders for the foreign exchange model

Make it clear what market you are in by using the correct labels. It can be easy to confuse the money market with the currency market, since many people think of currency as money. But the money market is about willingness to hold money, not willingness to exchange money.

An example of a use of the foreign exchange model: showing the impact of deficits on exchange rates

Recall that when a government runs a budget deficit, the real interest rate will increase. A higher real interest rate will encourage savers in other countries to buy financial assets in that country. To do so, foreign savers will need to buy that country’s currency in order to buy those financial assets. As a result, the demand for the currency, and the exchange rate, increases.

For example, suppose countries in Europe ran a budget deficit, increasing real interest rates in Europe. As a result, people in Mexico would want to buy financial assets in Europe and would need euros in order to do so. As a result, the demand for the euro increases and the euro appreciates, as shown in the graph below:

The foreign exchange market model (article) | Khan Academy (2024)

FAQs

What is foreign exchange rate answers? ›

An exchange rate is a relative price of one currency expressed in terms of another currency (or group of currencies). For economies like Australia that actively engage in international trade, the exchange rate is an important economic variable.

What is the model of the foreign exchange market? ›

What the foreign exchange model illustrates. Exchange rates are determined by the interaction of people who want to trade in their currency (the supply of a currency) with other people who want to obtain that currency (the demand for a currency). The foreign exchange model is a variation on a market model.

What is the primary purpose of the foreign exchange market ________? ›

This determines how much of country A's currency country B can buy, and vice versa. Establishing this relationship (price) for the global markets is the main function of the foreign exchange market.

What is the foreign exchange market summary? ›

The foreign exchange market (forex, FX (pronounced "fix"), or currency market) is a global decentralized or over-the-counter (OTC) market for the trading of currencies. This market determines foreign exchange rates for every currency.

What is foreign exchange rate for dummies? ›

The exchange rate gives the relative value of one currency against another currency. An exchange rate GBP/USD of two, for example, indicates that one pound will buy two U.S. dollars. The U.S. dollar is the most commonly used reference currency, which means other currencies are usually quoted against the U.S. dollar.

What is foreign exchange in simple words? ›

Foreign exchange refers to exchanging the currency of one country for another at prevailing exchange rates. Let us take a close look at the meaning of foreign exchange. Different countries have different currencies. Foreign exchange converts the currency of one country into another.

What are the 3 types of foreign exchange market? ›

Three are three key types of forex markets: spot, forward, and futures.

What is the importance of the foreign exchange market? ›

The main object of foreign exchange market is to buy and sell currencies. Even though there are many other uses for the forex market, its main purpose is still to make money by trading one currency for another. Forex traders can do this by buying a currency at a low price and then selling it at a high price.

What are the four main functions of the foreign exchange market? ›

Functions of foreign exchange market

The foreign exchange market is important to international trade and economies around the world. The main functions of a foreign exchange market include: enabling currency exchanges, providing investment opportunities, reducing foreign exchange risk.

What are the major purposes of the foreign exchange markets quizlet? ›

The foreign exchange market serves two main functions. These are: convert the currency of one country into the currency of another and provide some insurance against foreign exchange risk.

What is the foreign exchange market quizlet? ›

A market for converting the currency of one country into that of another country.

What is meant by the foreign exchange market quizlet? ›

The foreign exchange market refers to the organizational setting within which individuals, firms, and banks buy and sell foreign currencies.

How does foreign exchange affect the economy? ›

The exchange rate affects the real economy most directly through changes in the demand for exports and imports. A real depreciation of the domestic currency makes exports more competitive abroad and imports less competitive domestically, thereby increasing demand for domestically produced goods.

What is a foreign exchange rate quizlet? ›

The foreign exchange rate is the rate at which foreign currencies are bought and sold. Exchange rate is the price of the currency of a country in terms of the currency of another country.

What is foreign exchange and why is it important? ›

The main object of foreign exchange market is to buy and sell currencies. Even though there are many other uses for the forex market, its main purpose is still to make money by trading one currency for another. Forex traders can do this by buying a currency at a low price and then selling it at a high price.

What is the foreign exchange rate and how is it determined? ›

The foreign exchange rate is determined by floating and pegged (fixed) rates. The floating rate is the one that is determined by the demand and supply. The fixed foreign exchange rate is determined by the central government of the country.

Why are foreign exchange rates? ›

What drives exchange rates? Exchange rates are constantly moving, based on supply and demand. Whether one currency is in higher demand than another, depends on the perceived value of owning it, either to pay for goods and services, or as an investment.

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