FXCM Research Team

The Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) is one of the largest global securities exchanges by value, with a total market capitalisation of about A$16 billion. It is also the largest market for interest rate derivatives in Asia and among the top five exchanges globally for raising capital. The ASX, which is based in Sydney, was the first major financial market open every day. The Australian Stock Exchange was formed on the…

Since the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) became a global pandemic, it has had a significant impact on both the economy and financial markets. Some have likened the fallout to the Global Financial Crisis of 2008. However, there are some important differences between the two, which we'll explore in this article. 1. The 2008 Financial Crisis Caused Great Confusion When the Global Financial Crisis took place, many people had little understanding of…

According to the Bank of International Settlements' (BIS), the foreign exchange market accounts for US$6.6 trillion in aggregate daily turnover. Monies of all types contribute to this enormous figure, making the forex the largest marketplace in the world. Among the most prominent are the major, minor, exotic and commodity currencies. By definition, a commodity currency (also known as "commodity dollar" or "comdoll") is one that exhibits a quantifiable correlation to…

The Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) is Canada's largest and oldest equities trading and capital raising market. The TSX is part of TMX Group, which is a publicly traded company that operates several Canadian markets and clearinghouses for equities, cash, derivatives, fixed income and energy. The TSX dates back to 1852, when it was an association of 12 Canadian businessmen. The exchange was formally founded on 25 October 1861, when 18…

What Is The Dotcom Bubble Of 2000? The "dotcom" bubble refers to the rapid rise and subsequent freefall in the price of internet stocks and the broader NASDAQ market that took place in the late 1990s. The collapse in 2000 prefigured the overall sharp drop in stock prices and the recession that followed, exacerbated by the terrorist attacks on 11th September 2001. NASDAQ, which to this day is heavily weighted…

During times of extreme pricing volatility or market panic, the term "circuit breaker" is frequently used by traders, brokers and the financial media. Amid extraordinary events such as viral outbreaks or terrorist attacks, these devices are designed to prevent full-blown market crashes. Circuit Breaker Defined In the physical world, a circuit breaker is a safety mechanism used to cut the flow of electricity through a closed path. When engaged, electrical…

Despite having the second-largest economy in Africa and a wealth of natural resources, South Africa's currency, the rand (ZAR), has been in a nearly 30-year downtrend with some notable peaks and valleys against the U.S. dollar (USD). These have been largely due to seemingly endemic government corruption, frequent electric power outages around the country, a strong USD, and periodic investor uncertainties about emerging markets. Over the past five years or…

The dawn of the 21st century posed a collection of unique challenges to the world of finance. The dot-com crash of 2000 and the 11 September 2001 World Trade Center attacks (9/11) illustrated the fragility of the capital markets. Although the nature of each event was very different, both proved to be economic game changers. In many ways, the dot-com meltdown and 9/11 served as underpinnings for one of the…

On 7 January 2020, the World Health Organisation (WHO) identified the root cause of an influenza-like outbreak in the city of Wuhan, China. Referred to as the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), the highly contagious disease spread rapidly despite quarantines of affected cities and travel restrictions. By 10 March 2020, COVID-19 moved through more than 110 countries, resulting in approximately 113,702 confirmed cases and 4,012 fatalities. The economic fallout from COVID-19 was…

What Is The CAPE Ratio? The cyclically-adjusted price-to-earnings (CAPE) ratio is a variation on the standard price-to-earnings (PE) ratio that seeks to determine if stocks are in a bubble. While the more common PE ratio measures a stock or stock index's valuation over the next year or so, the CAPE ratio is calculated by using an average of corporate earnings over the past 10 years, adjusted for inflation. By using…

In 2016, Republican U.S. Presidential candidate Donald J. Trump built a campaign on a central theme of American prosperity through rebalancing foreign trade. To accomplish this goal, Trump proposed a complete overhaul of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and an intense review of U.S. policy toward China. Upon winning the presidency in November 2016, Trump's agenda was one step closer to becoming a reality. Throughout the Trump administration's…