Deck 5: Currency Derivatives

Question 1

The 90-day forward rate for the euro is $1.07, while the current spot rate of the euro is $1.05. What is the annualized forward premium or discount of the euro?

A) 1.9 percent discount.
B) 1.9 percent premium.
C) 7.6 percent premium.
D) 7.6 percent discount.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

When you own ____, there is no obligation on your part; however, when you own ____, there is an obligation on your part.

A) call options; put options
B) futures contracts; call options
C) forward contracts; futures contracts
D) o; forward contracts

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Which of the following is true?

A) The futures market is primarily used by speculators while the forward market is primarily used for hedging.
B) The futures market is primarily used for hedging while the forward market is primarily used for speculating.
C) The futures market and the forward market are primarily used for speculating.
D) The futures market and the forward market are primarily used for hedging.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Forward contracts:

A) contain a commitment to the owner, and are standardized.
B) contain a commitment to the owner, and can be tailored to the desire of the owner.
C) contain a right but not a commitment to the owner, and can be tailored to the desire of the owner.
D) contain a right but not a commitment to the owner, and are standardized.

Question 5

Currency options are commonly traded through the ____ system.

A) robot
B) Euro
C) GLOBEX
D) Scope

Question 6

The one-year forward rate of the British pound is quoted at $1.60, and the spot rate of the British pound is quoted at $1.63. The forward ____ is ____ percent.

A) discount; 1.9
B) discount; 1.8
C) premium; 1.9
D) premium; 1.8

Question 7

Which of the following is true?

A) Most forward contracts between firms and banks are for speculative purposes.
B) Most future contracts represent a conservative approach by firms to hedge foreign trade.
C) The forward contracts offered by banks have maturities for only four possible dates in the future.
D) none of the above

Question 8

Assume that a speculator purchases a put option on British pounds (with a strike price of $1.50) for $.05 per unit. A pound option represents 31,250 units. Assume that at the time of the purchase, the spot rate of the pound is $1.51 and continually rises to $1.62 by the expiration date. The highest net profit possible for the speculator based on the information above is:

A) $1,562.50.
B) -$1,562.50.
C) -$1,250.00.
D) -$625.00.

Question 9

Which of the following is the most unlikely strategy for a U.S. firm that will be purchasing Swiss francs in the future and desires to avoid exchange rate risk (assume the firm has no offsetting position in francs)?

A) purchase a call option on francs.
B) obtain a forward contract to purchase francs forward.
C) sell a futures contract on francs.
D) all of the above are appropriate strategies for the scenario described.

Question 10

When currency options are not standardized and traded over-the-counter, there is ____ liquidity and a ____ bid/ask spread.

A) less; narrower
B) more; narrower
C) more; wider
D) less; wider

Question 11

Currency options sold through an options exchange:

A) contain a commitment to the owner, and are standardized.
B) contain a commitment to the owner, and can be tailored to the desire of the owner.
C) contain a right but not a commitment to the owner, and can be tailored to the desire of the owner.
D) contain a right but not a commitment to the owner, and are standardized.

Question 12

Thornton, Inc. needs to invest five million Nepalese rupees in its Nepalese subsidiary to support local operations. Thornton would like its subsidiary to repay the rupees in one year. Thornton would like to engage in a swap transaction. Thus, Thornton would:

A) convert the rupees to dollars in the spot market today and convert rupees to dollars in one year at today's forward rate.
B) convert the dollars to rupees in the spot market today and convert dollars to rupees in one year at the prevailing spot rate.
C) convert the dollars to rupees in the spot market today and convert rupees to dollars in one year at today's forward rate.
D) convert the dollars to rupees in the spot market today and convert rupees to dollars in one year at the prevailing spot rate.

Question 13

Kalons, Inc. is a U.S.-based MNC that frequently imports raw materials from Canada. Kalons is typically invoiced for these goods in Canadian dollars and is concerned that the Canadian dollar will appreciate in the near future. Which of the following is not an appropriate hedging technique under these circumstances?

A) purchase Canadian dollars forward.
B) purchase Canadian dollar futures contracts.
C) purchase Canadian dollar put options.
D) purchase Canadian dollar call options.

Question 14

Currency futures contracts sold on an exchange:

A) contain a commitment to the owner, and are standardized.
B) contain a commitment to the owner, and can be tailored to the desire of the owner.
C) contain a right but not a commitment to the owner, and can be tailored to the desire of the owner.
D) contain a right but not a commitment to the owner, and are standardized.

Question 15

If your firm expects the euro to substantially depreciate, it could speculate by ____ euro call options or ____ euros forward in the forward exchange market.

A) selling; selling
B) selling; purchasing
C) purchasing; purchasing
D) purchasing; selling

Question 16

The greater the variability of a currency, the ____ will be the premium of a call option on this currency, and the ____ will be the premium of a put option on this currency, other things equal.

A) greater; lower
B) greater; greater
C) lower; greater
D) lower; lower

Question 17

The shorter the time to the expiration date for a currency, the ____ will be the premium of a call option, and the ____ will be the premium of a put option, other things equal.

A) greater; greater
B) greater; lower
C) lower; lower
D) lower; greater

Question 18

In the U.S., the typical currency futures contract is based on a currency value in terms of:

A) euros.
B) U.S. dollars.
C) British pounds.
D) Canadian dollars.

Question 19

Graylon, Inc., based in Washington, exports products to a German firm and will receive payment of €200,000 in three months. On June 1, the spot rate of the euro was $1.12, and the 3-month forward rate was $1.10. On June 1, Graylon negotiated a forward contract with a bank to sell €200,000 forward in three months. The spot rate of the euro on September 1 is $1.15. Graylon will receive $____ for the euros.

A) 224,000
B) 220,000
C) 200,000
D) 230,000

Question 20

Which of the following is the most likely strategy for a U.S. firm that will be receiving Swiss francs in the future and desires to avoid exchange rate risk (assume the firm has no offsetting position in francs)?

A) purchase a call option on francs.
B) sell a futures contract on francs.
C) obtain a forward contract to purchase francs forward.
D) all of the above are appropriate strategies for the scenario described.

Question 21

You purchase a put option on Swiss francs for a premium of $.02, with an exercise price of $.61. The option will not be exercised until the expiration date, if at all. If the spot rate on the expiration date is $.58, your net profit per unit is:

A) -$.03.
B) -$.02.
C) -$.01.
D) $.02.
E) none of the above

Question 22

You are a speculator who sells a put option on Canadian dollars for a premium of $.03 per unit, with an exercise price of $.86. The option will not be exercised until the expiration date, if at all. If the spot rate of the Canadian dollar is $.78 on the expiration date, your net profit per unit is:

A) -$.08.
B) -$.03.
C) $.05.
D) $.08.
E) none of the above

Question 23

A firm sells a currency futures contract, and then decides before the settlement date that it no longer wants to maintain such a position. It can close out its position by:

A) buying an identical futures contract.
B) selling an identical futures contract.
C) buying a futures contract with a different settlement date.
D) selling a futures contract for a different amount of currency.
E) purchasing a put option contract in the same currency.

Question 24

If you expect the euro to depreciate, it would be appropriate to ____ for speculative purposes.

A) buy a euro call and buy a euro put
B) buy a euro call and sell a euro put
C) sell a euro call and sell a euro put
D) sell a euro call and buy a euro put

Question 25

Assume that a currency's spot and future prices are the same, and the currency's interest rate is higher than the U.S. rate. The actions of U.S. investors to lock in this higher foreign return would ____ the currency's spot rate and ____ the currency's futures price.

A) put upward pressure on; put upward pressure on
B) put downward pressure on; put upward pressure on
C) put upward pressure on; put downward pressure on
D) put downward pressure on; put downward pressure on

Question 26

The existing spot rate of the Canadian dollar is $.82. The premium on a Canadian dollar call option is $.04. The exercise price is $.81. The option will be exercised on the expiration date if at all. If the spot rate on the expiration date is $.87, the profit as a percent of the initial investment (the premium paid) is:

A) 0 percent.
B) 25 percent.
C) 50 percent.
D) 150 percent.
E) none of the above

Question 27

A U.S. firm is bidding for a project needed by the Swiss government. The firm will not know if the bid is accepted until three months from now. The firm will need Swiss francs to cover expenses but will be paid by the Swiss government in dollars if it is hired for the project. The firm can best insulate itself against exchange rate exposure by:

A) selling futures in francs.
B) buying futures in francs.
C) buying franc put options.
D) buying franc call options.

Question 28

If you purchase a straddle on euros, this implies that you:

A) finance the purchase of a call option by selling a put option in the euros.
B) finance the purchase of a call option by selling a call option in the euros.
C) finance the purchase of a put option by selling a put option in the euros.
D) finance the purchase of a put option by selling a call option in the euros.
E) none of the above

Question 29

Assume no transactions costs exist for any futures or forward contracts. The price of British pound futures with a settlement date 180 days from now will:

A) definitely be above the 180-day forward rate.
B) definitely be below the 180-day forward rate.
C) be about the same as the 180-day forward rate.
D) none of the above; there is no relation between the futures and forward prices.

Question 30

If the spot rate of the euro increased substantially over a one-month period, the futures price on euros would likely ____ over that same period.

A) increase slightly
B) decrease substantially
C) increase substantially
D) stay the same

Question 31

A firm wants to use an option to hedge 12.5 million in receivables from New Zealand firms. The premium is $.03. The exercise price is $.55. If the option is exercised, what is the total amount of dollars received (after accounting for the premium paid)?

A) $6,875,000.
B) $7,250,000.
C) $7,000,000.
D) $6,500,000.
E) none of the above

Question 32

Which of the following is correct?

A) The longer the time to maturity, the less the value of a currency call option, other things equal.
B) The longer the time to maturity, the less the value of a currency put option, other things equal.
C) The higher the spot rate relative to the exercise price, the greater the value of a currency put option, other things equal.
D) The lower the exercise price relative to the spot rate, the greater the value of a currency call option, other things equal.

Question 33

A call option on Australian dollars has a strike (exercise) price of $.56. The present exchange rate is $.59. This call option can be referred to as:

A) in the money.
B) out of the money.
C) at the money.
D) at a discount.

Question 34

The premium on a pound put option is $.03 per unit. The exercise price is $1.60. The break-even point is ____ for the buyer of the put, and ____ for the seller of the put. (Assume zero transactions costs and that the buyer and seller of the put option are speculators.)

A) $1.63; $1.63
B) $1.63; $1.60
C) $1.63; $1.57
D) $1.57; $1.63
E) none of the above

Question 35

You are a speculator who sells a call option on Swiss francs for a premium of $.06, with an exercise price of $.64. The option will not be exercised until the expiration date, if at all. If the spot rate of the Swiss franc is $.69 on the expiration date, your net profit per unit, assuming that you have to buy Swiss francs in the market to fulfill your obligation, is:

A) -$.02.
B) -$.01.
C) $.01.
D) $.02.
E) none of the above

Question 36

Research has found that the options market is:

A) efficient before controlling for transaction costs.
B) efficient after controlling for transaction costs.
C) highly inefficient.
D) none of the above

Question 37

Macomb Corporation is a U.S. firm that invoices some of its exports in Japanese yen. If it expects the yen to weaken, it could ____ to hedge the exchange rate risk on those exports.

A) sell yen put options
B) buy yen call options
C) buy futures contracts on yen
D) sell futures contracts on yen

Question 38

You purchase a call option on pounds for a premium of $.03 per unit, with an exercise price of $1.64; the option will not be exercised until the expiration date, if at all. If the spot rate on the expiration date is $1.65, your net profit per unit is:

A)-$.03.
B)-$.02.
C) -$.01.
D) $.02.
E) none of the above

Question 39

European currency options can be exercised ____; American currency options can be exercised ____.

A) any time up to the expiration date; any time up to the expiration date
B) any time up to the expiration date; only on the expiration date
C) only on the expiration date; only on the expiration date
D) only on the expiration date; any time up to the expiration date

Question 40

If you expect the British pound to appreciate, you could speculate by ____ pound call options or ____ pound put options.

A) purchasing; selling
B) purchasing; purchasing
C) selling; selling
D) selling; purchasing

Question 41

Johnson, Inc., a U.S.-based MNC, will need 10 million Thai baht on August 1. It is now May 1. Johnson has negotiated a non-deliverable forward contract with its bank. The reference rate is the baht's closing exchange rate (in $) quoted by Thailand's central bank in 90 days. The baht's spot rate today is $.02. If the rate quoted by Thailand's central bank on August 1 is $.022, Johnson will ____ $____.

A) pay; 20,000
B) be paid; 20,000
C) pay; 2,000
D) be paid; 2,000
E) none of the above

Question 42

A U.S. corporation has purchased currency call options to hedge a 70,000 pound payable. The premium is $.02 and the exercise price of the option is $.50. If the spot rate at the time of maturity is $.65, what is the total amount paid by the corporation if it acts rationally?

A) $33,600.
B) $46,900.
C) $44,100.
D) $36,400.

Question 43

When the futures price on euros is below the forward rate on euros for the same settlement date, astute investors may attempt to simultaneously ____ euros forward and ____ euro futures.

A) sell; sell
B) buy; sell
C) sell; buy
D) buy; buy

Question 44

A put option on British pounds has a strike (exercise) price of $1.48. The present exchange rate is $1.55. This put option can be referred to as:

A) in the money.
B) out of the money.
C) at the money.
D) at a discount.

Question 45

Frank is an option speculator. He anticipates the Danish kroner to appreciate from its current level of $.19 to $.21. Currently, kroner call options are available with an exercise price of $.18 and a premium of $.02. Should Frank attempt to buy this option? If the future spot rate of the Danish kroner is indeed $.21, what is his profit or loss per unit?

A) no; -$0.01.
B) yes; $0.01.
C) yes; -$0.01.
D) yes; $0.03.

Question 46

A U.S. corporation has purchased currency put options to hedge a 100,000 Canadian dollar (C$) receivable. The premium is $.01 and the exercise price of the option is $.75. If the spot rate at the time of maturity is $.85, what is the net amount received by the corporation if it acts rationally?

A) $74,000.
B) $84,000.
C) $75,000.
D) $85,000.

Question 47

Conditional currency options are:

A) options that do not require premiums.
B) options where the premiums are canceled if a trigger level is reached.
C) options that allow the buyer to decide what currency the option will be settled in.
D) none of the above

Question 48

If the observed put option premium is less than what is suggested by the put-call parity equation, astute arbitrageurs could make a profit by ____ the put option, ____ the call option, and ____ the underlying currency.

A) selling; buying; buying
B) buying; selling; buying
C) selling; buying; selling
D) buying; buying; buying

Question 49

Assume the spot rate of the Swiss franc is $.62 and the one-year forward rate is $.66. The forward rate exhibits a ____ of ____.

A) premium; about 6%
B) discount; about 6%
C) discount; about 6.45%
D) premium; about 6.45%

Question 50

When the futures price is equal to the spot rate of a given currency, and the foreign country exhibits a higher interest rate than the U.S. interest rate, astute investors may attempt to simultaneously ____ the foreign currency, invest it in the foreign country, and ____ futures in the foreign currency.

A) buy; buy
B) sell; buy
C) buy; sell
D) buy; buy

Question 51

Which of the following is not true regarding options?

A) Options are traded on exchanges, never over-the-counter.
B) Similar to futures contracts, margin requirements are normally imposed on option traders.
C) Although commissions for options are fixed per transaction, multiple contracts may be involved in a transaction, thus lowering the commission per contract.
D) Currency options can be classified as either put or call options.
E) All of the above are true.

Question 52

The premium of a currency put option will increase if:

A) the volatility of the underlying asset goes up.
B) the time to maturity goes up.
C) the spot rate declines.
D) none of the above

Question 53

Which of the following is true regarding the options markets?

A) Hedgers and speculators both attempt to lower risk.
B) Hedgers attempt to lower risk, while speculators attempt to make riskless profits.
C) Hedgers and speculators are both necessary in order for the market to be liquid.
D) all of the above

Question 54

Assume the spot rate of a currency is $.37 and the 90-day forward rate is $.36. The forward rate of this currency exhibits a ____ of ____ on an annualized basis.

A) discount; 11.11%
B) premium; 11.11%
C) premium; 10.81%
D) discount; 10.81%

Question 55

A put option premium has a lower bound that is equal to the greater of zero and the difference between the underlying ____ prices. The upper bound of a call option premium is the ____ price.

A) spot and exercise; exercise
B) spot and exercise; spot
C) exercise and spot; exercise
D) exercise and spot; spot

Question 56

A call option premium has a lower bound that is equal to the greater of zero and the difference between the underlying ____ prices. The upper bound of a call option premium is the ____ price.

A) spot and exercise; exercise
B) spot and exercise; spot
C) exercise and spot; exercise
D) exercise and spot; spot

Question 57

Carl is an option writer. In anticipation of a depreciation of the British pound from its current level of $1.50 to $1.45, he has written a call option with an exercise price of $1.51 and a premium of $.02. If the spot rate at the option's maturity turns out to be $1.54, what is Carl's profit or loss per unit (assuming the buyer of the option acts rationally)?

A) -$0.01.
B) $0.01.
C) -$0.04.
D) $0.04.
E) -$0.03.

Question 58

Which of the following is not an instrument used by U.S.-based MNCs to cover their foreign currency positions?

A) forward contracts.
B) futures contracts.
C) non-deliverable forward contracts.
D) options.
E) all of the above are instruments used to cover foreign currency positions.

Question 59

Which of the following are most commonly traded on an exchange?

A) forward contracts.
B) futures contracts.
C) currencies
D) none of the above

Question 60

Which of the following would result in a profit of a euro futures contract when the euro depreciates?

A) buy a euro futures contract; sell a futures contract after the euro has depreciated.
B) sell a euro futures contract; buy a futures contract after the euro has depreciated.
C) buy a euro futures contract; buy an additional futures contract after the euro has depreciated.
D) none of the above would result in a profit when the euro depreciates.

Question 61

The purchase of a currency put option would be appropriate for which of the following?

A) Investors who expect to buy a foreign bond in one month.
B) Corporations who expect to buy foreign currency to finance foreign subsidiaries.
C) Corporations who expect to collect on a foreign account receivable in one month.
D) all of the above

Question 62

If you have a position where you might be obligated to buy Euros, you are:

A) a call writer.
B) a put writer.
C) a put buyer.
D) a futures seller.

Question 63

The writer of a call option is obligated to sell the underlying currency to the buyer of the option if the option is exercised.

Question 64

Which of the following is true of options?

A) The writer decides whether the option will be exercised.
B) The writer pays the buyer the option premium.
C) The buyer decides if the option will be exercised.
D) More than one of these.

Question 65

Both call and put option premiums are affected by the level of the existing spot price relative to the strike price; for example, a high spot price relative to the strike price will result in a relatively high premium for a call option but a relatively low premium for a put option.

Question 66

Your company expects to receive 5,000,000 Japanese yen 60 days from now. You decide to hedge your position by selling Japanese yen forward. The current spot rate of the yen is $.0089, while the forward rate is $.0095. You expect the spot rate in 60 days to be $.0090. How many dollars will you receive for the 5,000,000 yen 60 days from now?

A) $44,500.
B) $45,000.
C) $526 million.
D) $47,500.

Question 67

Which of the following is true for futures, but not for forwards?

A) actual delivery.
B) no transactions costs.
C) self regulation.
D) none of the above

Question 68

If an actual put option premium is less than what is suggested by the put-call parity relationship, arbitrage can be conducted.

Question 69

Since futures contracts are traded on an exchange, the exchange will always take the "other side" of the transaction in terms of accepting the credit risk.

Question 70

If you have bought the right to sell, you are a:

A) call writer.
B) put buyer.
C) futures buyer.
D) put writer.

Question 71

The spot rate for the Singapore dollar is $.588. The 30-day forward rate is $.590. The forward rate contains an annualized ____ of ____%.

A) discount; -4.07
B) premium; 4.07
C) discount; -4.08
D) premium; 4.08
E) premium; 3.40

Question 72

Forward contracts are usually liquidated by actual delivery of the currency, while futures contracts are usually liquidated by offsetting transactions.

Question 73

Non-deliverable forward contracts (NDFs) are frequently used for currencies in emerging markets.

Question 74

Due to put-call parity, we can use the same formula to price calls and puts.

Question 75

Currency options are only traded on exchanges. That is, there is no over-the-counter market for options.

Question 76

The lower bound of a put option premium is the greater of zero and the difference between the exercise price and the spot rate; the upper bound of a currency put option is the exercise price.

Question 77

The lower bound of the call option premium is the greater of zero and the difference between the spot rate and the exercise price; the upper bound of a currency call option is the spot rate.

Question 78

If the futures rate is lower than the forward rate, astute investors would attempt to simultaneously buy futures and sell forward. Such actions would place downward pressure on the futures price and upward pressure on the forward rate.

Question 79

If an investor who previously sold futures contracts wishes to liquidate his position, he could sell futures contracts with the same maturity date.

Question 80

The price of a futures contract will generally vary significantly from that of a forward contract.