FXCM Research Team

In this FXCM Insights article, learn more about the Federal Open Market Committee—the 12-member organisation that serves as the policymaking unit of the U.S. Federal reserve.

Since the first mining in 2009, Bitcoin's price has undergone some dramatic rises and falls. Learn about the most notable price changes in the digital currency's history in this FXCM Insights article.

What Is A Central Bank? A central bank manages a nation's currency, money supply and interest rates and acts as a lender of last resort to the country's banks. Many are also responsible for regulating and supervising their country's banks. Many are set up to be independent from their government, although their directors are usually appointed by that country's chief executive or leader of government. Most countries have their own…

An important part of measuring various items in investing, a weighted average is a mathematical formula that takes into account the relative size or importance of each item in a list of financial data rather than a simple average.

A repurchase agreement is a short-term loan structured as the sale of securities. As part of the repo, the seller agrees to buy the securities back at a later date. Learn more about a repo works at FXCM Insights.

A Ponzi scheme is a type of financial fraud that occurs when the perpetrator promises consistent, guaranteed returns on an investment. In reality, however, it simply involves paying early investors by using payments from new investors.

In forex, volatility is the exchange rate variance facing a domestic currency. It is commonly attributed to many factors including politics, economic events and central bank activities. Given adequate understanding, a volatile currency may be easily identified.

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is a statistic derived and used around the globe to identify prevailing inflationary or deflationary pressures. It is calculated by averaging the prices of a basket of select goods and services commonly consumed by households.

In the standardised trade of futures, participants buy and sell contracts in an attempt to secure marketshare. The phenomenon of contango is a prime example of how the process of price discovery works and how the expectations of market participants influence asset value. Contango Defined Pricing derivative products, such as futures and options, is dependent on three factors: asset class, quantity and time. In the case of futures, a contract's…

The World Bank Group (WBG) is a product of the Bretton Woods Accords ratified in 1944. With a stated mission of eradicating world poverty, the WBG issues loans, grants, and other aid to developing economies in need of financial or technological assistance.