April 2020 Newsletter Explore our April newsletter and discover the latest blog posts and insights from FX Initiative on currency risk management. We help finance, accounting, treasury, and sales professionals stay up to date with new training content, CPE webinars, and helpful tips & resources. Scale the learning curve quickly and easily with our foreign exchange risk management training, which provides 24/7 365 access to our complete suite of foreign exchange (FX) continuing professional education (CPE), examples and events at FXCPE.com. Start Training > View Newsletter April 7, 2020By FX Initiative General accounting, CPE, currency, development, education, examples, exchange, finance, foreign, forex, fxcpe, fxinitiative, hedging, insights, learning, management, model, newsletter, professional, risk, sales, simulation, strategy, training, treasury, updates, videos 0 0 Comment
FX Strategy Simulation - Option Contracts FX Strategy Simulation - Option Contracts: To illustrate the concept of option contracts, this FX strategy simulation uses the Foreign Exchange Derivative Speculator to model the economic and accounting aspects of a put and a call option. These examples demonstrate the economics and accounting of option contracts, and show how variables such as the option strike rate and implied volatility impact the premium or cost of the option at inception. Additionally, the asymmetrical payoff profile of an option is highlighted using the economic chart, and the accounting is clarified using journal entries and t-accounts. From a cash flow perspective, emphasis is placed on the fact that options can finish "in the money" where a cash payment is received at maturity, or "out of the money" with a zero fair value where no further payment is required to settle the contract. Overall, the three key distinguishing characteristics of vanilla option contracts, compared to forwards and option combinations, are (1) that a premium is paid upfront, (2) there is an asymmetrical payoff profile relative to the spot foreign exchange rate, and (3) there is no obligation to make a payment at maturity. For additional information and examples, explore our on-demand self-study CPE course titled FX Spot & Derivatives. To learn more, start your FX risk management training today, which provides 24/7 365 access to our complete suite of foreign exchange (FX) continuing professional education (CPE), examples & events at FXCPE.com. Start FX Training March 31, 2020By FX Initiative Examples, FX Derivative Speculator accounting, call, contract, CPE, currency, derivative, economics, education, example, finance, forex, fxcpe, fxinitiative, gain, hedging, inthemoney, learning, loss, management, option, outofthemoney, premium, pricing, put, rate, risk, simulation, strategy, strike, training, treasury, vanilla, volatility 0 0 Comment
4 Step FX Risk Management Policy A Foreign Exchange (FX) Risk Management Policy is a formal written document that serves as a framework for mitigating and optimizing a company’s FX risk profile. In practice, FX risk management policies can vary widely across organizations depending on their size and structure. Getting started or improving already existing policies can be a challenge without knowing best practices and seeing examples. Therefore, this FX Risk Policy Drafter was designed to help you create a comprehensive Foreign Exchange Risk Management Policy in 4 simple steps. Enter the company name, home country, functional currency, effective date, and review period. Establish internal controls by appointing at least three personnel to the segregated duties of trading, accounting and record keeping. Define materiality thresholds by specifying minimum transaction amounts and hedge coverage levels. Specify the derivative hedging instruments authorized for use and minimum acceptable counterparty credit ratings. Upon completing these 4 steps, 9 sections of the Foreign Exchange Risk Management Policy are drafted and include (1) Function, (2) Definitions, (3) Policy Guidelines, (4) Roles and Responsibilities, (5) Reporting (6) Internal Controls (7) Counterparty Guidelines (8) Policy Review and (9) Policy Approval. Upon reviewing these 9 sections, you will clearly see how the inputs in Steps 1 through 4 are used, and how the program as a whole serves to mitigate currency risk exposures inherent in a company’s business model by specifying how the company’s currency risk management goals will be carried out. You can use this tool to improve or enhance your already existing policy or to lay out a new formal Foreign Exchange Risk Management Policy with clear parameters and guidelines for managing currency risk across the enterprise. Not only does this tool offer a well written policy you can use to tailor your own policy after, it also provides the level of detail to make implementation feasible. Take advantage of this Foreign Exchange Risk Policy Drafter as your own writing tool to help create an optimal foreign exchange risk management policy for your organization. To learn more about about corporate currency risk management best practices, start your FX risk management training today, which provides 24/7 365 access to our complete suite of foreign exchange (FX) continuing professional education (CPE), examples & events at FXCPE.com. Start FX Training March 10, 2020By FX Initiative FX Risk Policy Drafter, General accounting, appetite, approval, coverage, CPE, currency, derivative, economics, education, finances, forex, fxcpe, fxinitiative, guidelines, hedge, learning, levels, management, operations, personnel, plans, policy, prarmeters, procedures, resources, risk, rules, thresholds, tolerance, traning, treasury 0 0 Comment
FX Risk Management Maturity Model Foreign exchange (FX) risk management involves identifying, analyzing, and prioritizing various foreign currency exposures, and developing and implementing a coordinated and systematic plan that utilizes company resources efficiently and effectively to mitigate FX risk. The degree to which companies implement adequate foreign exchange risk management practices can vary substantially, from not managing the risk at all to engaging in robust hedging activities, and as a result, the impact on the bottom line can vary widely across organizations. This FX Risk Management Maturity Model outlines the 5 stages of a comprehensive currency risk management program. The process involves performing a FX risk assessment, developing a FX risk management policy, and implementing progressive FX hedging strategies. 5 Stage FX Risk Management Maturity Model FX Risk Assessment: Exposure Identification & Measurement FX Risk Management Policy: Hedging Guidelines & Procedures Balance Sheet Hedging: Booked Receivables & Payables Cash Flow Hedging: Forecasted Revenues & Expenses Net Investment Hedging: Subsidiary Earnings & Equity The design and implementation of a FX risk management program must take into account the specific goals and objectives of the firm, the organizational structure and operations, the line of products and/or services, and any other variable that may be material and of relevance. For firms that are new to foreign exchange risk management, emphasis should be placed on progress over perfection. Initial risk management plans are never perfect, and should be viewed as a process that is responsive to change and capable of continuous enhancement. To learn more about FX risk assessments, policies, and hedging strategies, start your FX risk management training today, which provides 24/7 365 access to our complete suite of foreign exchange (FX) continuing professional education (CPE), examples & events at FXCPE.com. Start FX Training February 25, 2020By FX Initiative General accounting, assessment, balancesheet, best, cashflow, corporate, CPE, currency, economics, education, events, examples, exchange, expense, finance, foreign, forex, fxcpe, fxinitiative, hedging, learning, management, maturity, model, netinvestment, payable, policy, practices, receivable, revenue, risk, stages, subsidiary, training, treasury 0 0 Comment
Mapping Currencies Across Countries Mapping Currencies Across Countries: It is evident that no one single world currency exists. There are over 180 currencies recognized as legal tender in circulation throughout the world. The most widely used list of currencies is known as ISO 4217, which is a standard published by the International Organization for Standardization or the ISO. The ISO is an international standard-setting body composed of representatives from various national standards organizations, and the ISO 4217 currency codes shown in this interactive map are used in banking and business globally. While many of us are familiar with the “Major” currencies, which include the euro, British pound sterling, Australian dollar, New Zealand dollar, United States dollar, Canadian dollar, Swiss franc, and Japanese yen, there are so many more currencies to explore. This interactive map helps you explore the world through the lens of currency. All 180 currencies in circulation are mapped using geographic coordinates and ISO 4217 currency codes. Simply click on the dots on the map to reveal the ISO 4217 currency code, currency name, country. To learn more about conquering currency risk, start your FX risk management training today, which provides 24/7 365 access to our complete suite of foreign exchange (FX) continuing professional education (CPE), examples & events at FXCPE.com. Start FX Training February 18, 2020By FX Initiative Examples, General CAD, Continuing Professional Education, CPE, Currency, Dollar, EUR, Euro, Forex, FX Initiative, GBP, ISO 4217, JPY, Pound, USD, Accounting, Business, Economics, Education, Finance, FX, Global, Hedging, International, Learning, Majors, Management, Risk, Trade, Training, Yen 0 0 Comment
February 2020 Newsletter Explore our February newsletter and discover the latest blog posts and insights from FX Initiative on currency risk management. We help finance, accounting, treasury, and sales professionals stay up to date with new training content, CPE webinars, and helpful tips & resources. Scale the learning curve quickly and easily with our foreign exchange risk management training, which provides 24/7 365 access to our complete suite of foreign exchange (FX) continuing professional education (CPE), examples and events at FXCPE.com. Start Training > View Newsletter February 4, 2020By FX Initiative General accounting, code, compliance, CPE, currency, development, economics, education, examples, finance, forex, fxcpe, FXGC, fxinitiative, global, insights, learning, management, mastery, newsletter, OEM, professional, risk, sales, training, treasury, updates, videos, whitelabel 0 0 Comment
Happy New Year from FX Initiative Happy New Year from FX Initiative! Thank you for a great 2019, and we wish you a safe and successful 2020! December 31, 2019By FX Initiative General 2020, Accounting, Business, CPE, Currency, Development, Economics, Education, Finance, Forex, Goals, Hedging, International, Learning, Management, NewYear, Payments, Professional, Resolutions, Risk, Training, Treasury 0 0 Comment
FX Initiative Year-End Feedback FX Initiative Year-End Feedback: Help us enhance your experience using FX Initiative in 2020 and beyond! Thank you for supporting our mission throughout 2019 to teach FX risk management best practices. Please share what you like about our FX training and how we can do better. Take our short survey here: https://www.fxcpe.com/feedback > December 17, 2019By FX Initiative General accounting, collaborate, CPE, currency, development, education, feedback, finance, forex, fxcpe, fxinitiative, learning, management, professional, risk, share, survey, training, treasury 0 0 Comment
2019 FX Initiative Year-In-Review As 2019 winds down, FX Initiative looks back at a year full of foreign exchange (FX) risk management learning opportunities. From paid training programs to free content on our blog, our mission throughout the year has been to deliver timely and relevant content to help your global company conquer currency risk management. To put our FX training resources in perspective, we created a convenient list of our articles, videos, courses, tools, and webinars for easy reference. Over the holidays and into the new year, now is a great time to sharpen your FX skills, contribute to your professional development, and add to your firm’s performance and profitability. Articles Learn Where to Look for FX Risk Find Out 4 Ways Firms Manage FX Risk Explore How To Forecast FX Rates Identify Internal Controls for FX Risk Management Discover the Different Types of FX Derivatives How to Test FX Transactions & Hedge Strategies Identify The Top Two FX Hedge Objectives Learn the Language of FX Risk Management FX Strategies for Foreign Subsidiaries Practice Pricing FX Derivatives Learn FX Balance Sheet Hedging Basics Cash Flow Hedge Considerations FX Forward Contract Fundamentals FX Risk Management In Focus FX Net Investment Hedging Nuances FX Risk Policy Best Practices Professional Development Planning & Profitability Videos Clarifying Currency Quoting Conventions Tracking FX Transaction Types Prioritizing FX Risk Policies & Procedures Exploring FX Economic Risk Recognizing FX Revenues & Receivables Features of FX Forward Contracts Simplifying FX Spot Transactions FX Pricing & Booking Best Practices Time Zones & FX Trading Trends An Overview of FX Options The 5 Stage FX Trade Lifecycle Summarizing FX Supply & Demand Fine-tuning FX Forecasting Pricing FX Put & Call Options Preparing FX Risk Policies Centralizing FX Treasury Capabilities Highlighting FX Hedge Objectives Analyzing FX Accounting Approaches Applying FX Accounting Booking Rates Comparing Corporate Currency Risk Management Documenting FX Cash Flow Hedges Categorizing FX Risk Exposures Courses FX Market Overview FX Risk Exposures FX Risk Management FX Spot & Derivatives Hedging FX Transactions Hedging FX Subsidiaries Tools FX Terms Glossary Currency Code Locator FX Risk Policy Drafter FX Derivative Speculator FX Transaction Simulator FX Subsidiary Consolidator Webinars FX Risk Management FX Risk Policy FX Forward Contracts Balance Sheet Hedging Cash Flow Hedging Net Investment Hedging We look forward to sharing more FX updates and insights with you in 2020 and beyond! Thank you for trusting FX Initiative as your global foreign exchange (FX) continuing professional education (CPE) provider of on-demand training, online tools, and webinar topics on currency risk management for corporate finance, accounting, and treasury professionals. Whether you are new to foreign exchange or a seasoned professional, continue following FX Initiative for your FX risk management formula. To learn more, start your FX risk management training today, which provides 24/7 365 access to our complete suite of foreign exchange (FX) continuing professional education (CPE), examples & events at FXCPE.com. Start FX Training December 10, 2019By FX Initiative General accounting, articles, assess, courses, CPE, currency, education, finance, forex, formula, fxcpe, fxinitiative, goals, hedging, learning, management, progress, reflect, refresh, renew, review, risk, tools, traning, treasury, videos, webinars 0 0 Comment
December 2019 Newsletter Explore our December newsletter and discover the latest blog posts and insights from FX Initiative. We help finance, accounting, treasury, and sales professionals stay up to date with new training content, CPE webinars, and helpful tips & resources. Get started with our foreign exchange risk management training, which provides 24/7 365 access to our complete suite of foreign exchange (FX) continuing professional education (CPE), examples and events at FXCPE.com. Start Training > View Newsletter December 3, 2019By FX Initiative General accounting, annual, balancesheet, compare, contrast, CPE, currency, development, disclosures, documentation, economics, education, examples, finance, foreignexchange, forex, fxcpe, fxinitiative, hedging, incomestatement, insights, learning, management, newsletter, professional, reports, risk, training, treasury, updates, videos 0 0 Comment