kim226

Currency swap markets consist of transactions in:

A) the forward market only.

B) spot markets only.

C) both spot and forward contracts.

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In this explanation, Euro is used to represent foreign currency. In a currency swap, one counterparty (D) holds dollars and wants Euros. The other counterparty (E) holds Euros and wants dollars. They decide to swap their currency positions at the current spot exchange rate.  The counterparties exchange the full notional principal at the onset of the swap.  Then, on each settlement date, one party pays a fixed rate of interest on the foreign currency received, and the other party pays a floating rate on the dollars received.  Interest payments are not netted. Generally, the variable interest rate on the dollar borrowings is determined at the beginning of the settlement period and paid at the end of the settlement period.  At the conclusion of the swap, the notional currencies are again exchanged. Thus, currency swaps involved transactions in both the spot and forward (future) markets. A fixed-for-fixed currency swap is equivalent to a portfolio of foreign exchange forward contracts (both parties need to deliver currency in the future).