13 November The iPhone X Index: A FX Comparison Tool November 13, 2017By FX Initiative Examples, General Apple, Big Mac Index, Continuing Professional Education, CPE, Currency, Foreign Exchnage, FX Initiative, Hedging, iPhone X, Management, Pricing, Risk, iPhone, iPhone X Index 0 The Economist magazine first published the Big Mac Index in 1986 as a novel way to compare currency prices. The premise of the Big Mac Index is based on the theory of purchasing power parity (PPP), which states that the exchange rate between two currencies is equal to the ratio of the currencies' respective purchasing power. While this can be a rather sophisticated academic theory, the Economist made the concept of “bugernomics” more relatable to a widespread audience. In simplest terms, the “burgernomics” of the Big Mac Index implies that the same good, a Big Mac, should cost the same in any two countries based on current market exchange rates. To use an extreme example, if today’s euro (EUR) / U.S. dollar (USD) exchange rate is equal to 1.16 and a Big Mac in the U.S. costs USD 1.16, then a Big Mac in the Eurozone should cost EUR 1.00. When there is a price difference in Big Macs between two countries, one of the two currencies in the pair is considered under or overvalued. More specifically, the Economist 2017 update to the Big Mac Index shows that “the average price of a Big Mac in America in July 2017 was $5.30; in China it was only $2.92 at market exchange rates. So the "raw" Big Mac index says that the yuan was undervalued by 45% at that time.” While the Big Mac Index is not a precise approach for valuing currencies and identifying arbitrage opportunities, it is a fun and approachable way for the lay person to learn about foreign exchange valuations. Click here to explore the Economist’s interactive Big Mac Index To expand the analysis to other goods and services, FX Initiative has applied the same logic to create the iPhone X Index. For example, the recently released iPhone X is a high demand global product that Apple sells to consumers worldwide in several different currencies. In theory, the same iPhone X should cost the same in any two countries based on current market exchange rates. However, similar to the Big Mac Index, there is a significant variation in U.S. dollar equivalent costs as follows: . From this simple example, we can see that the best value is purchasing an iPhone X denominated in Japanese Yen, which saves approximately USD 1.00 or 0.10% compared to U.S. dollar pricing. In contrast, the worst deal appears to be purchasing an iPhone X denominated in euros, which would cost an additional USD 369 or 36.9% more. The FX economic misalignment is clear from a theoretical perspective, but practically speaking most consumers will still buy the iPhone X in their local currency. This article underscores FX Initiative’s mission to make complex foreign currency matters simple and manageable. Our currency risk management training provides educational videos, interactive examples, and webinar events on best practices from leading companies such as Apple. We help global businesses and financial institutions optimize their foreign exchange risk profiles to efficiently and effectively mitigate earnings volatility and preservice cash flows. To get started, take the FX Initiative today! Related Posts 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 ... 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 ... 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 ... Remote FX Risk Management Resources Whether you work remotely or are highly mobile, FX Initiative provides a suite of foreign exchange (FX) risk management training and tools to help treasury professionals and sales teams achieve their objectives inside and outside of the office. If you need to research a foreign exchange educational topic related to your global business, or want to simulate a foreign exchange risk management strategy using our interactive examples, we offer a wide array of quality informational topics and tools that can help you manage FX risk. FX Initiative is designed to make complex foreign currency matters simple and manageable, and is accessible 24 hours a day 7 days a week to meet your global business needs whenever and wherever a FX opportunity arises so you can make the right decisions to meet your FX objectives. Get acquainted with our educational topics and interactive examples, then review and test your knowledge with quizzes and CPE exams. Throughout your learning experience, visit our terms glossary and FAQ for help along the way. Benefit from our currency risk management educational videos, review quizzes, CPE Exams, CPE Credits, and Certificates of Completion: Foreign Exchange (FX) Market ... 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 ... Fall Feedback & Suggestions (Survey) FX Initiative remains committed to continuously enhancing our foreign exchange (FX) risk management training. To support learning in both in-person meetings and 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. 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