Lesson 30 INTERNATIONAL FINANCE
I. Read and memorize the following words, word- combinations and word-groups:
slope — нахил
e.g. The demand for foreign exchange is likely to have downward slope, while the supply of foreign exchange will have the usual upward slope.
exchange rate — валютний курс
e.g. An exchange rate is simply the price of one currency
in terms of another.
demand for foreign exchange — попит на іноземну ва
люту supply of foreign exchange — пропозиція іноземної ва
люти
e.g. We should recognize that the demand for foreign exchange is likely to have the familiar downward slope, while the supply of foreign exchange will have the usual upward slope.
appreciation of currency — підвищення валютного кур
су, ревальвація валюти
e.g. The other side of depreciation is appreciation, an
increase in value of one currency as expressed in another country's currency.
foreign-exchange market — ринок іноземної валюти
e.g. Places where foreign currencies are bought and sold
are foreign-exchange markets.
gold standard — золотий стандарт
e.g. Under a gold standard each country determines that its currency is worth so much gold.
balance-of-payments deficit — дефіцит платіжного ба
лансу
e.g. A balance-of-payment deficit is an excess demand for
foreign currency at current exchange rates.
balance-of-payments surplus — активне сальдо платіжного
балансу
e.g. Balance-of-payments surplus is an excess demand for
domestic currency at current exchange rates.
gold reserve — золотий запас
e.g. Stocks of gold held by a government to purchase foreign exchange are gold reserves.
flexible exchange rate — гнучкий валютний курс
e.g. With flexible exchange rates, the quantity of foreign exchange demanded always equals the quantity supplied, and
there is no imbalance.
changes in product availability — коливання в забезпе
ченні ринку товарами relative interest — rate changes — відносні коливання
відсоткової ставки за вкладом
e.g. The important sources of exchange rate changes are: relative income changes, relative price changes, changes in product availability, relative interest — rate changes.
II. Give English equivalents of the following:
національна валюта попит на іноземну валюту
вартість валюти надмірний попит на іноземну валюту
підвищення валютно дефіцит платіжного балансу
го курсу ліквідувати коливання валютного
гнучкий валютний курс курсу
III. Fill in the blanks with appropriate words;
| 1. Depreciation of currency refers to the fact that one currency has become ... in terms of another one. 2. Appreciation is ... in value of one currency as expressed in another country's cu rrency. 3. One way to eliminate fluctuations in exchange rates is to ... their value. | narrowing foreign current fix an increase cheaper gold standard |
4. To fix exchange rate, each country may define the worth of its currency in terms of... .
5. A balance-of-payments deficit is an excess demand for ... at current exchange rates.
6. Government may buy and sell foreign exchange for the purpose of ... exchange- rate movements.
IV. Read and translate the text;
International trade would be inefficient without foreign exchange markets. We are able to exchange dollars for any national currency we may desire. Thus an exchange rate is simply the price of one currency in terms of another.
We should recognize that the demand for foreign exchange is likely to have familiar downward slope, while the supply of foreign exchange will have the usual upward slope.
Exchange-rate changes have their own terminology. Depreciation of a currency refers to the fact that one currency has become cheaper in terms of another currency.
The other side of depreciation is appreciation, an increase in value of one currency as expressed in another country's currency. Whenever one currency depreciates, another currency must appreciate.
Exchange rates change for the same reasons that any market price changes. Among the important sources are — Relative income changes, — Relative price changes.
— Changes in product availability.
— Relative interest-rate changes.
— Speculation,
All of these kinds of changes are taking place every minute of every day, thus keeping foreign-exchange markets active.
Places where foreign currencies are bought and sold are foreign-exchange markets.
Significant changes occur in currency values, however, only when several of these forces move in the same direction at the same time.
One way to eliminate fluctuations in exchange rates is to fix their value. To fix exchange rates, each country may simply proclaim that its currency is «worth» so much in relation to that of other countries. The easiest way to do this is for each country to define the worth of its currency in terms of some common standard. The standard that has been most popular is gold. Under a gold standard, each country determines that its currency is worth so much gold.
In 1944 the value of the U.S. dollar was defined as being equal to 0.0294 ounces of gold, while the British pound was defined as being worth 0.0623 ounces of gold. This exchange rate between British pounds and U.S. dollars was fixed at 1 pound = $2.80.
The excess demand for pounds implies a balance-of-payments deficit for United States: more dollars are flowing out of the country than into it. A balance-of-payments deficit is an excess demand for foreign currency at current exchange rates. The same disequilibrium represents a balance-of-payments surplus for Britain, because its outward flow of pounds is less than its incoming flow. Balance-of-payments surplus is an excess demand for domestic currency at current exchange rates. With flexible exchange rates, the quantity of foreign exchange demanded always equals the quantiting supplied, and there is no imbalance.
Government may buy and sell foreign exchange for the purpose of narrowing rather than eliminating exchange-rate movements. Such limited intervention in foreign-exchange markets is referred to as managed exchange rates, or, more popularly «dirty floats».
V. Answer the following questions:
1. What makes international trade so easy?
2. What is an exchange rate?
3. Give examples of exchange-rate terminology.
4. What are the reasons for the exchange rate changes.
5. What Is the only way to eliminate fluctuations in exchange rate?
6. In what terms does each country define the worth of itscurrency?
7. What does the excess demand for any currency imply?
VI. Define the terms:
exchange rate demand for foreign exchange
| depreciation | supply of foreign exchange |
| gold reserves | foreign-exchange markets |
| appreciation | balance-of-payments deficit |
| gold standard | balance-of-payments surplus |
VII. Translate into English:
1. Якби Японія вжила заходів до стимулювання внутрішньої економіки, то споживачі витрачали б менше грошей на імпорт, корпорації вкладали 6 капітал в японські підпри-
ємства, а не в американські. 2. Зменшення попиту на 1 до
лар прискорить падіння його курсу порівняно з японською єною. 3. Як результат ціни на американські товари в Японії. падають, а ціни на японські товари в Америці зростають. 4. Валютний курс — це головний механізм перерахунку вартості однієї національної валюти відносно іншої. 5. Валютний курс $1 = DM1.6 означає, що 1 долар коштує 1.6 німецьких марок і його можна купити на ринку іноземної валюти за такою ціною. 6. У 1987 році Сполучені Штати Америки разом із головними торговими партнерами витратили близько $100 мільйонів, щоб запобігти падінню долара. 7. Протягом усього цього періоду відбуваються постійні дискусії щодо «справжньої» вартості долара І щодо того, яка країна має вживати заходів для забезпечення цієї вартості. 8. Зміни у курсі валют не завжди є бажаним явищем. Виробники товарів
на експорт не хотіли б, щоб вартість валюти зростала (підвищення вартості); імпортерам і туристам не подобається, коли вартість валюти знижується (падіння вартості).
VIII. Read and dramatize the following dialogue:
A.: The demand for foreign currency originates in many ways. First and foremost, there is a demand for imported products.
B.: In fact, to acquire French wines, German cars or Japanese stereo equipment we need foreign money.
A.: Yes, I quite agree with you. Foreign travel by Americans also generates a demand for foreign currency.
B.: Certainly, when you are travelling, you need foreign currency to pay for transportation, hotel rooms, food and anything else you wish to buy and can afford. Even if you use U.S. dollars or traveler's checks on occasion, the recipients of such money will exchange them for local money.
A.: One can't but mention that U.S. corporations demand foreign exchange too. General Motors builds cars in Germany, Coca-Cola produces Coke in China, Exxon produces
and refines oil all over the world. In nearly every such case, the US firm must first build or buy some plant and equipment, using another country's factors of production. This activity requires foreign currency and thus becomes another component of our demand for foreign currency.
B.: And what about investment opportunities? It's of common knowledge that foreign producers often make direct investments in the United States.
A.: For instance Shell and BP gas stations are a familiar example of direct foreign investment, as are foreign auto plants such as Honda in Ohio and Volvo in Virginia. In making such investments, foreign firms must first demand US currency that can be used to buy US factors of production.
B.: And sooner or later, the foreign firms will want to take some of their profits back to their own banks and stock-holders.
A.: Yes, in doing so, they create a demand for foreign currency as they convert the dollars they have earned in the United States into the currencies their stockholders and creditors can spend at home.
B.: Foreigners have the same demand for U.S. dollars that we have for foreign currencies. In other words, demands for U.S. dollars represent a supply of foreign currencies. That is to say, foreigners offer to exchange (supply) foreign
currency when they desire (demand) U.S. dollars.
IX. Make up your own dialogue using the following expressions:
foreign-exchange markets to exchange currency the demand for foreign currency the supply of foreign exchange
exchange rate domestic prices
to eliminate fluctuations to fix exchange rates
gold standard flexible exchange rates
X. Change the following complex sentences into simple ones using the Absolute Participle Complex:
M o d e l : As the weather was fine, we went for a walk.
The weather being fine, we went for a walk.
1. As the problem was complicated, we decided to meet again on the following day. 2. As there was one way to eliminate fluctuations in exchange rates, each country had to define the «worth» of its currency. 3. As the US dollar was equal to 0.0294 ounces of gold, the British pound was defined as being worth 0.0823 ounces of gold, 4. As the exchange rate was flexible, the quantity of foreign exchange demanded equalled the quantity supplied. 5. As it was a balance-of-payment deficit, there was an
excess demand for foreign currency at current exchange rates.
XI. Read and translate these sentenses. Pay attention to the use of the Absolute Participle Complex:
1. It being Saturday, everyone went out of town. 2. Time permitting we shall meet tomorrow. 3. The conference over, the delegation returned to the country. 4. His voice trembling, he tried to explain everything. 5. Weather permitting, we'll spend our weekend in the forest.
XII. Translate into English using the Absolute Participle Complex:
1. Якщо курс валюти однієї країни знизиться, курс валюти іншої країни зросте. 2. Оскільки було складно визначити валютний курс, ми вирішили ретельніше проаналізувати ситуацію. 3. Коли все було вирішено, учасники конференції залишили зал засідань. 4. Через те що телефон був не
справний, я не міг зателефонувати вам.
XIII. Communicative situations:
1. Speak about gold-exchange standard.
2. Speak about the sources that influence exchange rates.