Finance Forum Post

I need a 200 word reply to each of the following four forums in a finance class (800 words total):

Finance Forum #1

Describe how stock prices are determined in stock markets and how derivatives can be used to hedge or speculate on stock prices. Examples should include put and call options and stock index futures.

Finance Forum #2

Use an example of a foreign currency and discuss how it has changed in price relative to the U.S. dollar over the last year. Discuss how exchange rates affect domestic economic activity. Include the supply and demand factors that moved the relative prices.

Helpful Reference: Currency Converter
Reuters. (n.d.) Currencies. Retrieved fromhttp://www.reuters.com/finance/currencies/

Finance Forum #3

Provide a comprehensive explanation of foreign exchange markets. Be sure to include examples of how forward markets and spot markets operate.

Finance Forum #4

Read the scenario presented in Chapter 6 Problem #2 (at the end of the chapter): While you were visiting London, you purchased a Jaguar for £35,000, payable in three months. You have enough cash at your bank in New York City, which pays 0.35 percent interest per month, compounding monthly, to pay for the car. Currently, the spot exchange rate is $1.45/£ and the three-month forward exchange rate is $1.40/£. In London, the money market interest rate is 2.0 percent for a three-month investment. There are two alternative ways of paying for your Jaguar.

       a. Keep the funds at your bank in the United States and buy £35,000 forward.
       b. Buy a certain pound amount spot today and invest the amount in the U.K. for three months so that the maturity value becomes equal to £35,000. 

Analyze the alternatives presented and make a recommendation on purchasing the Jaguar. Be sure to provide support for your recommendation – why do you prefer the stated alternative? What are the advantages of the alternative that you have selected?