Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

SpotFX- Term Of The Day (Friday, 24 May 2013)

 

Inconvertible Currency

 

A situation where one currency cannot be exchanged for another currency because of foreign exchange regulations or physical barriers. Inconvertible currencies may be restricted from trade due to extremely high volatility or political sanctions.

 

Investopedia explains ‘Inconvertible Currency’

Labeling a currency as inconvertible allows regulators to protect investors from storing funds in an unsafe investment. For example, if a nation were to begin experiencing hyperinflation, where the value of a unit of currency rapidly depreciates, its currency could be deemed inconvertible. This would prevent investors from converting funds into the unstable currency.

 

SpotFX- Term Of The Day (Thursday, 23 May 2013)

 

Interbank Market

 

The financial system and trading of currencies among banks and financial institutions, excluding retail investors and smaller trading parties. While some interbank trading is performed by banks on behalf of large customers, most interbank trading takes place from the banks’ own accounts.

 

Investopedia explains ‘Interbank Market’

The interbank market for forex serves commercial turnover of currency investments as well as a large amount of speculative, short-term currency trading. According to data compiled in 2004 by the Bank for International Settlements, approximately 50% of all forex transactions are strictly interbank trades.

 

SpotFX- Term Of The Day (Wednesday, 22 May 2013)

 

Handle

 

The whole number part of a price quote. In a quote the handle could be $56, while the price quote for stock might be $56.25. The quote’s handle eliminates the part of the price quote that is a decimal. In foreign exchange markets, the handle refers to the part of the price quote that appears in both the bid and the offer for the currency. For example, if the EUR/USD currency pair has a bid of 1.4183 and an ask of 1.4185, the handle would be 1.41 – the part of the quote that is equal to both the bid and the ask. Also called big figure.

 

Investopedia explains ‘Handle’

Traders often refer to only the handle of a price quote since it is assumed that other market participants know the stem of the quote. In the foreign exchange markets, the minimum price movement is called a pip. Since many of the foreign exchange instruments are quoted out four or five decimal places, it is considered simpler to refer to the last two places when discussing the bids and asks, rather than include the handle, which tends to be known by the participants.

 

SpotFX- Term Of The Day (Tuesday, 21 May 2013)

 

Greenback

 

A slang term for U.S. paper dollars. Greenbacks got their name from their color, however, in the mid-1800s, “greenback” was a negative term. During this time, the Continental Congress did not have taxing authority. As a result, the greenbacks did not have a secure financial backing and banks were reluctant to give customers the full value of the dollar.

Investopedia explains ‘Greenback’

It took half a century to get all the foreign coins and competing state currencies out of circulation, but by the early 1800s, the U.S. was ready to try the paper money experiment again. Bank notes had been in circulation for a while, but because banks issued more notes than they had coin to cover, these notes often traded at less than face value. 

In the 1860s, the U.S. created over $400 million in legal tender to finance its war against itself. These were called greenbacks simply because the backs were printed in green. The government backed this currency and stated that it could be used to pay back public and private debts. The value fluctuated according to the North’s success or failure at certain stages in the war. Confederate dollars, also issued during the 1800s, followed the fate of the confederacy and were worthless by the end of the war.