6 Factors That Influence Exchange Rates

By ALEXANDRA TWIN    Updated Apr 3, 2020

Aside from factors such as interest rates and inflation, the currency exchange rate is one of the most important determinants of a country's relative level of economic health. Exchange rates play a vital role in a country's level of trade, which is critical to most every free market economy in the world. For this reason, exchange rates are among the most watched, analyzed and governmentally manipulated economic measures. But exchange rates matter on a smaller scale as well: they impact the real return of an investor's portfolio. Here, we look at some of the major forces behind exchange rate movements.

Overview of Exchange Rates

Before we look at these forces, we should sketch out how exchange rate movements affect a nation's trading relationships with other nations. A higher-valued currency makes a country's imports less expensive and its exports more expensive in foreign markets. A lower-valued currency makes a country's imports more expensive and its exports less expensive in foreign markets. A higher exchange rate can be expected to worsen a country's balance of trade, while a lower exchange rate can be expected to improve it.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Aside from factors such as interest rates and inflation, the currency exchange rate is one of the most important determinants of a country's relative level of economic health.

A higher-valued currency makes a country's imports less expensive and its exports more expensive in foreign markets.

Exchange rates are relative and are expressed as a comparison of the currencies of two countries.

Determinants of Exchange Rates

Numerous factors determine exchange rates. Many of these factors are related to the trading relationship between the two countries. Remember, exchange rates are relative, and are expressed as a comparison of the currencies of two countries. The following are some of the principal determinants of the exchange rate between two countries. Note that these factors are in no particular order; like many aspects of economics, the relative importance of these factors is subject to much debate.

Differentials in Inflation

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