SPOT MARKET 
& 
FORWARD MARKET
ORGANIZATION OF THE FOREIGN 
EXCHANGE MARKET 
Two Types of Currency Markets 
1. Spot Market 
2. Forward Market
SPOT MARKET 
In finance, a spot contract, spot transaction, or 
simply spot, is a contract of buying or 
selling commodity, security or currency for settle 
ment (payment and delivery) on the spot date, 
which is normally two business days after 
the trade date. The settlement price (or rate) is 
called spot price (or spot rate).
PARTICIPANTS BY MARKET 
a. commercial banks 
b. brokers 
c. customers of commercial and central 
banks
TYPES OF SPOT RATES 
Bid Rate- one currency can be purchased in 
exchange for another 
Offer Rate- one currency can be sold in exchange 
for another
TYPES OF SPOT DEALS 
Rand/USD deals 
USD/Foreign currency deals 
Rand/Foreign currency deals 
Foreign currency/Foreign currency deals
MECHANICS OF SPOT TRANSACTIONS 
SPOT TRANSACTIONS: An Example 
Step 1: 
Currency transaction: verbal agreement, U.S. 
importer specifies: 
a. Account to debit (his acct) 
b. Account to credit (exporter)
Step 2: 
Bank sends importer contract note including: 
- amount of foreign currency 
- agreed exchange rate 
- confirmation of Step 1.
Step 3: Settlement 
Correspondent bank in Hong Kong 
transfers HK$ from importers account to 
exporter’s.
THE FORWARD MARKET 
Definition: 
“an agreement between a bank and a 
customer to deliver a specified amount of 
currency against another currency at a specified 
future date and at a fixed exchange rate”. 
often 30, 90, 180 days.
PARTICIPANTS 
a. Arbitrageurs 
b. Traders 
c. Hedgers 
d. Speculators
TYPES OF FORWARD RATE 
Outright Forward 
Swap Forward
OUTRIGHT FORWARD 
A forward currency contract with a locked-in 
exchange rate and delivery date. 
An outright forward contract allows an investor to 
buy or sell a currency on a specific date or within 
a range of dates. 
Foreign exchange forward contracts function is a 
very similar fashion to standard forward contracts.
For example: A French company that buys materials from 
a Chinese supplier may be required to provide payment for 
half of the total value of the payment now and the other 
half in six months. The first payment can be covered with a 
spot trade, but in order to reduce currency risk exposure, 
the French company locks in the exchange rate with an 
outright forward.
SWAP FORWARD 
Is a simultaneous purchase and sale of identical amounts of one currency for 
another with two different value dates (normally spot to forward). 
Foreign Exchange Swap allows sums of a certain currency to be used to fund 
charges designated in another currency without acquiring foreign exchange 
risk. It permits companies that have funds in different currencies to manage 
them efficiently. 
swap contract: swap contract is an agreement between two party to 
exchange a cash flow in one currency against a cash flow in another 
currency according to predetermine terms & conditions.
The difference between a forward contract and a swap is that 
a swap involves a series of payments in the future, whereas 
a forward has a single future payment. 
Two most Basic Swaps are: 
Interest Rate Swaps 
Currency Swaps
SPOT VS FORWARD 
Spot Market 
If the operation is of daily nature, it is 
called spot market or current market. 
Handles only spot transactions or 
current transactions in foreign 
exchange. 
The exchange rate that prevails in the 
spot market for foreign exchange is 
called Spot Rate. 
Spot rate of exchange refers to the 
rate at which foreign currency is 
available on the spot. 
Not Quoted in Premium or Discount 
Here no specified reasons. 
Forward Market 
•A market in which foreign exchange is 
bought and sold for future delivery is 
known as Forward Market. 
•It deals with transactions (sale and 
purchase of foreign exchange) which are 
contracted today but implemented 
sometimes in future. 
•Exchange rate that prevails in a forward 
contract for purchase or sale of foreign 
exchange is called Forward Rate. 
•Forward rate is the rate at which a future 
contract for foreign currency is made. 
•Quoted in Premium or Discount 
•(i) To minimize risk of loss due to 
adverse change in exchange rate (i.e., 
hedging) and [ii] to make a profit (i.e., 
speculation).

Spot market

  • 1.
    SPOT MARKET & FORWARD MARKET
  • 2.
    ORGANIZATION OF THEFOREIGN EXCHANGE MARKET Two Types of Currency Markets 1. Spot Market 2. Forward Market
  • 3.
    SPOT MARKET Infinance, a spot contract, spot transaction, or simply spot, is a contract of buying or selling commodity, security or currency for settle ment (payment and delivery) on the spot date, which is normally two business days after the trade date. The settlement price (or rate) is called spot price (or spot rate).
  • 4.
    PARTICIPANTS BY MARKET a. commercial banks b. brokers c. customers of commercial and central banks
  • 5.
    TYPES OF SPOTRATES Bid Rate- one currency can be purchased in exchange for another Offer Rate- one currency can be sold in exchange for another
  • 6.
    TYPES OF SPOTDEALS Rand/USD deals USD/Foreign currency deals Rand/Foreign currency deals Foreign currency/Foreign currency deals
  • 7.
    MECHANICS OF SPOTTRANSACTIONS SPOT TRANSACTIONS: An Example Step 1: Currency transaction: verbal agreement, U.S. importer specifies: a. Account to debit (his acct) b. Account to credit (exporter)
  • 8.
    Step 2: Banksends importer contract note including: - amount of foreign currency - agreed exchange rate - confirmation of Step 1.
  • 9.
    Step 3: Settlement Correspondent bank in Hong Kong transfers HK$ from importers account to exporter’s.
  • 10.
    THE FORWARD MARKET Definition: “an agreement between a bank and a customer to deliver a specified amount of currency against another currency at a specified future date and at a fixed exchange rate”. often 30, 90, 180 days.
  • 11.
    PARTICIPANTS a. Arbitrageurs b. Traders c. Hedgers d. Speculators
  • 12.
    TYPES OF FORWARDRATE Outright Forward Swap Forward
  • 13.
    OUTRIGHT FORWARD Aforward currency contract with a locked-in exchange rate and delivery date. An outright forward contract allows an investor to buy or sell a currency on a specific date or within a range of dates. Foreign exchange forward contracts function is a very similar fashion to standard forward contracts.
  • 14.
    For example: AFrench company that buys materials from a Chinese supplier may be required to provide payment for half of the total value of the payment now and the other half in six months. The first payment can be covered with a spot trade, but in order to reduce currency risk exposure, the French company locks in the exchange rate with an outright forward.
  • 15.
    SWAP FORWARD Isa simultaneous purchase and sale of identical amounts of one currency for another with two different value dates (normally spot to forward). Foreign Exchange Swap allows sums of a certain currency to be used to fund charges designated in another currency without acquiring foreign exchange risk. It permits companies that have funds in different currencies to manage them efficiently. swap contract: swap contract is an agreement between two party to exchange a cash flow in one currency against a cash flow in another currency according to predetermine terms & conditions.
  • 16.
    The difference betweena forward contract and a swap is that a swap involves a series of payments in the future, whereas a forward has a single future payment. Two most Basic Swaps are: Interest Rate Swaps Currency Swaps
  • 17.
    SPOT VS FORWARD Spot Market If the operation is of daily nature, it is called spot market or current market. Handles only spot transactions or current transactions in foreign exchange. The exchange rate that prevails in the spot market for foreign exchange is called Spot Rate. Spot rate of exchange refers to the rate at which foreign currency is available on the spot. Not Quoted in Premium or Discount Here no specified reasons. Forward Market •A market in which foreign exchange is bought and sold for future delivery is known as Forward Market. •It deals with transactions (sale and purchase of foreign exchange) which are contracted today but implemented sometimes in future. •Exchange rate that prevails in a forward contract for purchase or sale of foreign exchange is called Forward Rate. •Forward rate is the rate at which a future contract for foreign currency is made. •Quoted in Premium or Discount •(i) To minimize risk of loss due to adverse change in exchange rate (i.e., hedging) and [ii] to make a profit (i.e., speculation).