The foreign exchange market, otherwise known as the Forex market, is an increasingly popular form of trading which is driven by several factors. In the past, the Forex was a market primarily reserved for the wealthy; but lower minimums have recently made it more accessible to investors at all financial levels.
It is attractive to investors for a variety of reasons, which include its liquidity, its ease of leverage, and its potential for earning investors high returns. However, in order to capitalize on the investment potential of the Forex market, the investor must first understand the factors which affect the market, in order to make rational, logical, and considered decisions on investments. A key factor which affects the Forex market is interest rates. While the market is concerned with currency prices, the prices themselves are directly affected by interest rates.
In order to understand and capitalize on the current foreign exchange market, the investor must first understand the current conditions of individual interest rates. No single factor has a greater impact on currency prices than interest rates — when interest rates rise, investors seek to capitalize on high returns, so money flows into the country; when interest rates fall, investors pull out in order to protect their investment. Rising interest rates signal to investors that a country s currency is stronger in comparison to other currencies; consequently, investors seek more of that currency in order to increase their returns.
Interest rates, however, are not the sole factor in driving the foreign exchange market. Another key factor in the foreign exchange market is economic forecasting. Experts in economics often attempt to predict what the foreign exchange market will do, particularly in regard to interest rates. These experts watch economic inflation indicators for signs of growth and decline; as well, they scrutinize the speeches and press releases of politicians and influential people, in an attempt to anticipate changes in interest rates. Predictions of interest rate increases and declines can then lead aware investors to anticipate changes in the market and act accordingly.
A third factor in the Forex market is the participation of governments. A government may decide to flood the market with its domestic currency; on the surface, this action may seem foolish, but to the wise investor, it signals an attempt by the government to lower the price of the currency. Conversely, when a government purchases its own currency, it is attempting to raise the price of that currency. This strategy is known as Central Bank intervention, and governments engage in it primarily to assist the country s overall economy. It is this type of action which keeps the foreign exchange market strong and steady, and an attractive investment opportunity for the astute investor.
Interest rates have a strong influence on the foreign exchange market, and help determine the relative strengths of each country s currency in comparison to other currencies in the market at any given time. It is important for potential investors to remember that when the interest rates rise, it is a good thing for investors and domestic currency; when the interest rates fall, it typically signals a downturn in domestic currency and a lull in the market. Should the market stay flat for an extended period of time, it often spurs the government to intervene in the market, which then will commonly revitalize the market. Any investor seeking to understand and invest in the foreign exchange market needs to understand the impact of interest rates in order to make the most beneficial investments.
