Calculating Spread on a Foreign Currency Quote
Profits for currency market dealers are derived from the difference between the bid, which is the exchange rate at which a dealer is willing to purchase a particular currency, and the ask, which is the exchange rate for which a dealer is willing to sell a particular currency.
The difference between the two is called the bid-ask spread. Foreign currency dealers will quote both a bid and an ask for a particular currency. The average of the bid and ask (ask plus bid divided by two) is referred to as the midpoint price. The bid-ask spread is usually given as a percentage and it is calculated as:
Formula 5.1 100 × (Ask Price - Bid Price)
% Spread= Ask Price
Example: Bid-Ask Spread
Suppose that a dealer provides the following quote in the U.S. for euros to dollars:
Bid AskDirect ($/¬) $0.8038 $0.8041
Answer:
Then the bid-ask spread will be 100 × (0.8041 - 0.8038) / 0.8041 = 0.0373%, which is about 4 bps.
Factors Influencing the Size of Spreads
Factors that affect the size of spreads for spot or forward currency exchange rates include:
- Trading Volume - The higher the volume, or the more active a market, the lower the bid-ask spread.
- Currency Rate Volatility - With higher volatility, currency dealers are exposed to higher risk. Spreads will increase with higher volatility.
- Perceived Economic/Political Risks - Risks such as political instability, higher inflation and changing economic conditions will affect the spreads associated with a particular currency. The higher the uncertainty, the greater the expected spread.
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