【正文】 s intervention by immediately selling 300 futures contracts on British pounds (with a value of about $30 million). Such actions caused even more panic in the futures market. a. Explain why the central bank s intervention caused such panic among currency futures traders with buy positions. ANSWER: Futures prices on pounds rose in tandem with the value of the pound. However, when central banks intervened to support the dollar, the value of the pound declined, and so did values of futures contracts on pounds. So traders with long (buy) positions in these contracts experienced losses because the contract values declined. b. Explain why the floor broker s willingness to sell 300 pound futures contracts at the going market rate aroused such concern. What might this action signal to other brokers? ANSWER: Normally, this order would have been sold in pieces. This action could signal a desperate situation in which many investors sell futures contracts at any price, which places more downward pressure on currency future prices, and could cause a crisis. c. Explain why speculators with short (sell) positions could benefit as a result of the central bank s intervention. ANSWER: The central bank intervention placed downward pressure on the pound and other European currencies. Thus, the values of futures contracts on these currencies declined. Traders that had short positions in futures would benefit because they could now close out their short positions by purchasing the same contracts that they had sold earlier. Since the prices of futures contracts declined, they would purchase the contracts for a lower price than the price at which they initially sold the contracts. d. Some traders with buy positions may have responded immediately to the central bank s intervention by selling futures contracts. Why would some speculators with buy positions leave their positions unchanged or even increase their positions by purchasing more futures contracts in response to the central bank s intervention? ANSWER: Central bank intervention sometimes has only a temporary effect on exchange rates. Thus, the European currencies could strengthen after a temporary effect ca。 then, once the stores are established, some of the cash flows generated by those stores could be used to pay interest on the bonds. 11. Foreign Exchange. You just came back from Canada, where the Canadian dollar was worth $.70. You still have C$200 from your trip and could exchange them for dollars at the airport, but the airport foreign exchange desk will only buy them for $.60. Next week, you will be going to Mexico and will need pesos. The airport foreign exchange desk will sell you pesos for $.10 per peso. You met a tourist at the airport who is from Mexico and is on his way to Canada. He is willing to buy your C$200 for 130 pesos. Should you accept the offer or cash the Canadian dollars in at the airport? Explain. ANSWER: Exchange with the tourist. If you exchange the C$ for pesos at the foreign exchange desk, the crossrate is $.60/$10 = 6. Thus, the C$200 would be exchanged for 120 pesos (puted as 200 6). If you exchange Canadian dollars for pesos with the tourist, you will receive 130 pesos. 15. Exchange Rate Effects on Borrowing. Explain how the appreciation of the Japanese yen against the . dollar would affect the return to a . firm that borrowed Japanese yen and used the proceeds for a . project. 7 ANSWER: If the Japanese yen appreciates over the borrowing period, this implies that the . firm converted yen to . dollars at a lower exchange rate than the rate at which it paid for yen at the time it would repay the loan. Thus, it is adversely affected by the appreciation. Its cost of borrowing will be higher as a result of this appreciation. 20. Interest Rates. Why do interest rates vary among countries? Why are interest rates normally similar for those European countries that use the euro as their currency? Offer a reason why the government interest rate of one country could be slightly higher than that of the government interest rate of another country, even though the euro is the currency used in both countries. ANSWER: Interest rates in each country are based on the supply of funds and demand for funds for a given currency. However, the supply and demand conditions for the euro are dictated by all participating countries in aggregate, and do not vary among participating countries. Yet, the government interest rate in one country that uses the euro could be slightly higher than others that use the euro if it is subject to default risk. The higher interest rate would reflect a risk premium. 21. Forward Contract. The Wolfpack Corporation is a . exporter that invoices its exports to the United Kingdom in British pounds. If it expects that the pound will appreciate against the dollar in the future, should it hedge its exports with a forward contract? Explain. ANSWER: The forward contract can hedge future receivables or payables in foreign currencies to insulate the firm against exchange rate risk. Yet, in this case, the Wolfpack Corporation should not hedge because it would benefit from appreciation of the pound when it converts the pounds to dollars. 8 Chapter 4 3. Inflation Effects on Exchange Rates. Assume that the . inflation rate bees high relative to Canadian inflation. Other things being equal, how should this affect the (a) . demand for Canadian dollars, (b) supply of Canadian dollars for sale, and (c) equilibrium value of the Canadian dollar? ANSWER: Demand for Canadian dollars should increase, supply of Canadian dollars for sale should decrease, and the Canadian dollar’s value should increase. 12. Factors Affecting Exchange Rates. Mexico tends to have much higher inflation than the United States and also much higher interest rates t