Scenario 1:

Considering the calculations you have done so far, you need to attend to a number of import and export transactions for goods that companies in the United States expressed interest in.

The first transaction is for the import of good quality wines from Australia, since a retail liquor trading chain customer in the United States, for who you have been doing imports over the past five years has a very large order this time. The producer in Australia informed you that the current cost of the wine that you want to import is AUD$2,500,000. The wine in Australia can be shipped to the United States immediately but you have three months to conduct payment.

The second transaction is for the export of 3d printers manufactured in the U.S.A. The country where it will be exported to is Britain. The payment of 2,500,000 for the export to Britain will be received nine months from now.

You consider different transaction hedges, namely forwards, options and money market hedges.

You are provided with the following quotes from your bank, which is an international bank with branches in all the countries:

1. Calculate the cost of money market hedges for the import from Australia (Complete Table 3 on the separate answer sheet).

2. Determine the option types that you will consider based on the exchange rate quotes provided by your bank. Remember we will long or short the base currencies (in this case study the currencies that are not $) and the FV of premium cost is based on the borrowing cost of $ for the time period of the option. For example if it is a 3 month option, then the interest rate that should be applied is United States 3 month borrowing rate of 2.687%/4 = 0.67175%). Calculate the total cost of using options as hedging instrument for the imports from Australia (Complete Table 4 on the separate answer sheet).

3. Compare the forward quotes, money market hedges and options with each other to determine the best exchange rate hedges for Australia (Complete Table 5 on the separate answer sheet).

4.Calculate the exchange rates that will apply if the money market hedges are used for the exports to Britain (Complete Table 6 on the separate answer sheet).

5. Compare the forward quotes and money market hedges with each other to determine the best exchange rate hedges for Britain (Complete Table 7 on the separate answer sheet).

6.Assume you entered into the forward hedge for the import from Australia. Two months have passed since you entered into the hedge. Interest rates are the same as before. The spot exchange rate of the $/AUD is 0.73000. Calculate the value of your forward position. Please use a 360 day-count convention, since the bank also used a 360 day-count convention with the forward quotes provided to you. Also remember for interest rates use risk free rates provided under scenario 1. Show your calculation in table 8 on the separate answer sheet.