The exchange rate is the bedrock of international trade and is a significant factor in the growth of nations. A country’s currency can greatly impact international business – sometimes increasing costs and other times decreasing them. It’s important to keep an eye on foreign exchange rates if you frequently engage in international trade to adjust your prices accordingly. Let’s take a closer look at how exchange rates affect international trade.
Exchange Rates Impact on International Business
When importing or exporting goods, traders must convert their home currency into the currency of the country they’re doing business with. The rate at which this conversion takes place is known as the “exchange rate.” Of course, since currencies are always in flux, the exchange rate is also constantly changing. As a result, traders must know how these changes can affect their business dealings. Here are a few ways that exchange rates can affect international trade:
The cost of goods
As any traveler knows, exchange rates can have a significant impact on the cost of a trip. The same is true for businesses that trade internationally. When the value of a country’s currency decreases, the cost of imported goods also decreases, making them more competitive in the global marketplace. For example, if you’re an importer from the United States buying 1,000 widgets from a Chinese company. The Chinese company sells the widgets for 10,000 yuan, and the current exchange rate is 6.5 yuan to 1 US dollar. This means that the cost of the widgets is $1,538.46.
Now, let’s say that over the course of a month, the value of the US dollar increases relative to the Chinese yuan. The new exchange rate is 7 yuan to 1 US dollar. With this new rate, the cost of those same 1,000 widgets would now be $1,428.57 – that’s a $109.89 decrease! As you can see, a change in currency value can significantly affect international trade.
Conversely, when the value of a currency increases, imported goods become more expensive, and businesses may choose to source their products from other countries.
The price of services
If you’re in the business of selling services, then you know that the price of your services can be affected by the currency exchange rate. For example, if you have a client in another country who pays you in their home currency, a rise in their currency will mean they can pay you more for your services when converting to your home currency. Similarly, a fall in the value of their currency will mean they’ll need to pay you less.
So, to maximize your profits, keeping an eye on currency exchange rates is important. By understanding how they work, you can keep your funds in the client’s currency and wait till you have the best rates before exchanging.
Competitiveness
Exchange rates can greatly impact a country’s competitiveness in today’s global economy. If the value of a country’s currency decreases, its exports will become cheaper and more attractive to foreign buyers. However, if the value of a country’s currency increases, its exports will become more expensive and less competitive. This can lead to big swings in a country’s trade balance and, ultimately, its economic health.
Profit margins
Exchange rates can also have an impact on businesses’ profit margins. For example, if a company sells products denominated in US dollars but pays its suppliers in euros, a fall in the value of the dollar relative to the euro will squeeze its profit margins as it will have to pay more for its inputs but may not be able to charge more for its outputs. Conversely, if the dollar rises, the company’s profit margins will expand as it can pay less for its inputs but charge more for its outputs.
Investment decisions
Foreign investors often take exchange rates into account when making investment decisions. For instance, companies planning to expand into foreign markets will consider expected exchange rate changes to minimize their exposure to currency risk. If the currency of the country they are thinking about investing in is strong, they may be more likely to invest there. However, if the currency is weak, they may decide to invest elsewhere.
Economic performance of a country
Finally, central banks use exchange rates to influence inflation and economic growth. A stronger currency will lower inflation as imported goods become cheaper, while a weaker currency will lead to higher inflation as imported goods become more expensive. Additionally, Central banks use exchange rates to promote economic growth through exports by allowing their currencies to weaken so that their exports become more competitively priced in global markets.
Bottom Line
Exchange rates can greatly impact international trade. By understanding how they work and how they can affect business dealings, traders can make informed decisions about when and how to engage in foreign markets.