Simulating Foreign Exchange Strategies In the field of foreign exchange (FX), companies are managing currency risk exposures and hedging strategies more effectively by using business intelligence (BI) tools that provide data analysis and visualization. To support global businesses, FX Initiative offers a unique suite of specialized simulation tools that model common FX risk management strategies and demonstrate best practices for preserving assets on the balance sheet and mitigating FX gains on losses on the income statement. Our FX Transaction Simulator helps treasury professionals gain valuable insight by modeling the economic and accounting impact of specific hedging strategies for underlying foreign exchange exposures such as revenues, expenses, receivables, and payables. Users can simply input their company specific and foreign exchange market variables, and then test a variety of hedging strategies, which include not hedging or hedging with a forward contract, vanilla option or zero cost collar. The resulting output is a highly detailed interactive FX risk analysis that charts the economic payoff of your selected hedging strategy, ranks the alternative hedging strategies, and reports the accounting journal entries and t-accounts with authoritative references to U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). Behind the scenes, our robust pricing engine and database simplifies the risk analysis process for you so you can focus on the bottom line impact to your business. This versatile tool transforms 16 inputs into one information rich analysis in 3 easy steps. The first step is to select (1) the Underlying Exposure and input the related variables of (2) Functional Currency, (3) Foreign Currency, (4) Underlying Notional Amount, (5) Beginning Exchange Rate, (6) Currency Quoting Convention, (7) Start Date, (8) End Date and (9) the Day Count. Step 2 is to select a (10) Hedging Strategy and input the related variables of (11) Hedge Ratio %, (12) Domestic Interest Rate, (13) Foreign Interest Rate, (14) Implied Volatility, and (15) the Collar Range. The third and final step is to forecast (16) the ending exchange rate to see how positive and negative changes in exchange rates impact the cash flow and financial reporting of your selected hedging strategy. By leveraging our suite of FX risk modeling tools, finance, accounting, and treasury professionals can address a wide variety of FX scenarios that can be customized efficiently and effectively. For example, if you want to change your underlying exposure or hedge strategy, it’s as simple as one-click. If you want to know which strategy yields the best outcome, all 4 strategies are ranked for you automatically. If you want to see how the default or elective accounting treatment differ, the journal entries and t-accounts are instantly presented side-by-side. This FX Transaction Simulator acts as your own personal quantitative analyst, and puts you in a position to make more qualified foreign exchange risk management decisions. To start simulating FX 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 Risk Management Training > September 15, 2020By FX Initiative Examples, FX Transaction Simulator accounting, analytics, business, compare, contrast, currency, data, demonstration, economics, education, example, expense, finance, forecast, forex, fxcpe, fxinitiative, intelligence, learning, management, model, payable, receivable, revenue, risk, simulation, strategy, tools, training, treasury, visualization 0 0 Comment
Hypothetical FX Hedging To become proficient in any skill, including currency risk management, practice makes perfect. To help companies practice, FX Initiative’s Foreign Exchange Transaction Simulator addresses a wide variety of FX scenarios by stress-testing hypothetical FX hedging strategies. This interactive risk modeling tool illustrates the economics and accounting of the most common hedging strategies for underlying foreign exchange exposures such as revenues, expenses, receivables, and payables. You can simply input your company specific and foreign exchange market variables, and then select your hedging strategy, which includes not hedging or hedging with a forward contract, vanilla option or zero cost collar. The resulting output is a highly detailed interactive FX risk analysis that charts the economic payoff of your selected hedging strategy, ranks the alternative hedging strategies, and reports the accounting journal entries and t-accounts with authoritative references to U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). Behind the scenes, our robust pricing engine and database simplifies the risk analysis process for you so you can focus on the bottom line impact to your business. This versatile tool transforms 16 inputs into one information rich analysis in 3 easy steps. Step 1 is to select (1) the Underlying Exposure and input the related variables of (2) Functional Currency, (3) Foreign Currency, (4) Underlying Notional Amount, (5) Beginning Exchange Rate, (6) Currency Quoting Convention, (7) Start Date, (8) End Date and (9) the Day Count. Step 2 is to select a (10) Hedging Strategy and input the related variables of (11) Hedge Ratio %, (12) Domestic Interest Rate, (13) Foreign Interest Rate, (14) Implied Volatility, and (15) the Collar Range. Step 3 is to forecast (16) the ending exchange rate to see how positive and negative changes in exchange rates impact the cash flow and financial reporting of your selected hedging strategy. This FX risk management web application customizes strategies and can be modified efficiently and effectively. For example, if you want to change your underlying exposure or hedge strategy, it’s as simple as one-click. If you want to know which strategy yields the best outcome, all 4 strategies are ranked for you automatically. If you want to see how the default or elective accounting treatment differ, the journal entries and t-accounts are instantly presented side-by-side. This Foreign Exchange Transaction Simulator acts as your own personal quantitative analyst, and puts you in a positions to make a qualified foreign exchange risk management decisions. To begin practicing hypothetical FX hedging, 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 Risk Management Training > August 25, 2020By FX Initiative Examples, FX Transaction Simulator accounting, ASC830, booked, compare, contrast, currency, demonstration, economics, education, example, expense, FAS52, forecast, forex, fxcpe, fxinitiative, hedging, hypothetical, learning, management, model, payable, practice, proficient, receivable, recognized, revenue, risk, simulation, stresstest, tool, training, unrecognized 0 0 Comment
Currency Learning Center As the end of August approaches and schools are back in session, FX Initiative offers access to our online Learning Center for paid training and free content to help your company conquer corporate currency risk management safely and remotely. Explore our FX articles, videos, courses, tools, and webinars. Our goal is to help sharpen your FX skills, contribute to your professional development, and add to your firm’s performance and profitability. Explore FX Learning Center > We look forward to sharing more FX updates and insights with you in 2020 and beyond. 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 Risk Management Training > August 18, 2020By FX Initiative Examples, General accounting, articles, center, courses, CPE, currency, development, education, finance, forex, formula, fxcpe, fxinitiative, hedging, learning, management, professional, progress, resources, risk, school, tools, training, treasury, videos, webinars 0 0 Comment
Back-to-School Suggestions As the school year approaches with pandemic related changes to the classroom environment, FX Initiative remains committed to continuously enhancing our foreign exchange (FX) risk management training. To complement the transition from in-person meetings to online environments, we are working on improving our suite of FX topics and tools to better serve your currency risk management needs safely and remotely. We are listening closely to our audience of finance, accounting, and treasury professionals with the goal of providing useful and innovative virtual learning and business resources to keep organizations engaged online during the pandemic and beyond. Help us improve by sharing your feedback regarding what you like about our FX training and how we can do better. Take our short survey: https://www.fxcpe.com/feedback > August 11, 2020By FX Initiative General accounting, back-to-school, classroom, collaboration, CPE, currency, development, engagement, exchange, feedback, finance, foreign, forex, fxcpe, fxinitaitive, learning, management, online, professional, remote, risk, survey, tools, topics, training, treasury, virtual 0 0 Comment
July 2020 Newsletter Summer Learning & Earning: Explore our July 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 July 7, 2020By FX Initiative General accounting, Chicago, CPE, currency, development, education, examples, exchange, finance, foreign, forex, fxcpe, fxinitiative, hedging, insights, learning, management, model, newsletter, professional, risk, sessions, simulation, sponsors, strategy, students, summer, training, treasury, updates, videos, webinars, WindyCity 0 0 Comment
June 2020 Newsletter Explore our June 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 June 2, 2020By FX Initiative General accounting, CPE, currency, development, examples, exchange, finance, foreign, forex, fxcpe, fxinitiative, hedging, insights, learning, management, model, newsletter, professional, risk, simulation, strategy, summer, training, treasury, updates, videos 0 0 Comment
May 2020 Newsletter Making May Training Meaningful: Explore our May 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. 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 May 5, 2020By FX Initiative General, Partnerships, Webinar accounting, Chicago, CPE, currency, DePaul, development, education, examples, finance, forex, fxcpe, fxinitiative, hedging, insights, learning, management, matter, meaning, mentor, model, newsletter, professional, risk, simulation, sponsor, strategy, student, training, treasury, updates, videos, Webinar, WindyCity 0 0 Comment
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