FXCM Research Team

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020, emerging market (EM) currencies faced a collection of unprecedented challenges. As a result, many EM currencies experienced a swift devaluation due to falling commodity prices and a large-scale migration to financial safe-havens. Although renowned for their volatility, these currencies encountered extreme forex turbulence as COVID-19 brought the global economy to a standstill. What Is An Emerging Market Currency? An EM currency is one that…

During periods of crisis, gold has proven to be a time-honored safe-haven asset. Scarcity and built-in utility have made the yellow metal a sought after commodity throughout recorded human history. Whether in physical or paper form, gold bullion is the world's go to financial hedge against uncertainty. Gold's validity as a financial safe-haven underwent a formidable test during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic of 2020. Traders, investors, central banks and…

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing economic chaos, governments and central banks around the world have created and rolled out dozens of financial rescue and economic stimulus plans to shield individuals and businesses affected by the lockdown in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Below, you can find links to our guides covering major countries' responses to the pandemic, both by the governments and their central banks. We will…

What Is A Recession? When a country's economy grows, its citizens benefit as the value of services and goods increases—namely the gross domestic product (GDP). By contrast, when a country faces a period of economic decline there is a marked reduction of trade and industrial production. When this happens across two quarters, the overall GDP declines, and the economy is said to be in a recession. History Of Global Recessions…

Established as the official currency of Japan by the Meiji government in 1871, the yen (ISO code: JPY ¥) is the third-most used currency in the world. With a long history of zero interest rates and little effect on the stimulation of the economy, the yen has been the world's biggest investor, and the preferred Asian reserve currency for decades. In the Japanese Edo era, a central bank had not…

The most important stock index in the U.K. is the FTSE 100, which tracks the performance of the 100 largest companies in the country based on market capitalisation. The index, which is pronounced commonly as the "Footsie 100," was created in January 1984. At that time, its baseline value was established at 1,000 points, although stock prices were calculated retroactively back to 1969. In this article, we cover the 10…

What Is An ETF? Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are investment vehicles similar to mutual funds that hold a portfolio of securities, such as stocks, bonds, currencies, commodities and other assets. ETFs differ from mutual funds in that they are often designed to match the performance of a specific index and are therefore usually passive, while mutual funds are typically actively managed in order to try to outperform a specific index. ETFs…

Over the course of human history, gold (XAU/USD) has played a wide range of tangible and financial roles. Whether as a means of exchange, artisan medium, or store of wealth, acquiring bullion piques the interest of people from all walks of life. South Africa (SA) is among international leaders in gold exploration and production. Surveys from Thomson Reuters show SA to rank 8th globally in production of bullion, just ahead…

The South African rand (ZAR) is a free-floating currency, local to Africa's second-largest economy. Operating without a commodity or currency peg, the rand's value is relative to evolving levels of supply and demand. As individuals, banks, corporations and foreign nations stockpile the rand, it appreciates in value. Conversely, a perceived lack of worth depresses demand, leading to bearish pressure being placed on the ZAR's forex performance. According to the Bank…

What Is Modern Monetary Theory? Modern monetary theory (MMT) is a school of economic thought that essentially posits that governments can run large budget deficits without much concern because they can always print more money to make up the difference. The theory also argues that deficits only become a problem when they cause inflation, at which point governments should raise taxes. American economist Warren Mosler is credited with developing MMT…

What Is An Australian Real Estate Investment Trust? Australian real estate investment trusts (A-REITs) are funds that give individuals the opportunity to invest in large income-producing commercial properties that are usually available only to large institutions. A-REITs include properties that are located in Australia as well as funds open to Australians that invest internationally. REITs (pronounced "reetz") in general can be bought and sold like regular stocks or in mutual…