INTERNATIONAL MONEY MARKETEurocurrency MarketThe money market in which Eurocurrency, currency held in banks outside of the country where it is legal tender, is borrowed and lent by banks in Europe. The Eurocurrency market allows for more convenient borrowing, which improves the international flow of capital for trade between countries and companies.

Notes: For example, a Japanese company borrowing U.S. dollars from a bank in France is using the Eurocurrency market.EurocurrencyCurrency deposited by national governments or corporations in banks outside their home market. This applies to any currency and to banks in any country. For example, a Japanese deposit at a bank in Bangladesh is considered. It can also be defined as a time deposit in an international bank located in a country different than the country that issued the currency.

For example, Eurodollars are U.S. dollar-denominated time deposits in banks located abroad.

Euro yen are yen-denominated time deposits in banks located outside of Japan.

The foreign bank doesnt have to be located in Europe.

Most Eurocurrency transactions are interbank transactions in the amount of $1,000,000 and up. Common reference rates include: LIBOR the London Interbank Offered Rate

PIBOR the Paris Interbank Offered Rate

SIBOR the Singapore Interbank Offered Rate. A new reference rate for the new euro currency

EURIBOR -the rate at which interbank time deposits are offered by one prime bank to another. Also known as "Euro money".

Having "Euro" doesn't mean that the transaction has to involve European countries. However, in practice, European countries are often involved Funds deposited in a bank when those funds are denominated in a currency differing from the bank's own domestic currency. Eurocurrency applies to any currency and to banks in any country. Thus, if a Japanese company deposits yen in a Canadian bank, the yen will be considered Eurocurrency.Euro-credits Euro-credits are short- to medium-term loans of Eurocurrency.

The loans are denominated in currencies other than the home currency of the Euro-bank.

Often the loans are too large for one bank to underwrite; a number of banks form a syndicate to share the risk of the loan.

Euro-credits feature an adjustable rate. On Euro-credits originating in London the base rate is LIBOR.

Forward Rate Agreements An interbank contract that involves two parties, a buyer and a seller.

The buyer agrees to pay the seller the increased interest cost on a notational amount if interest rates fall below an agreed rate.

The seller agrees to pay the buyer the increased interest cost if interest rates increase above the agreed rate.

Euro-notes Euro-notes are short-term notes underwritten by a group of international investment banks or international commercial banks.

They are sold at a discount from face value and pay back the full face value at maturity.

Maturity is typically three to six months.Euro-Medium-Term Notes Typically fixed rate notes issued by a corporation.

Maturities range from less than a year to about ten years.

Euro-MTNs is partially sold on a continuous basis this allows the borrower to raise funds as they are needed.

Euro commercial Paper Unsecured short-term promissory notes issued by corporations and banks.

Placed directly with the public through a dealer.

Maturities typically range from one month to six months.

Euro-commercial paper, while typically U.S. dollar denominated, is often of lower quality than U.S. commercial paperas a result yields are higher.

THE INTERNATIONAL CAPITAL MARKETWhat are Capital MarketsCapital markets are markets where people, companies, and governments with more funds than they need (because they save some of their income) transfer those funds to people, companies, or governments who have a shortage of funds (because they spend more than their income).Stock and bond markets are two major components of capital markets. Capital markets promote economic efficiency by channeling money from those who do not have an immediate productive use for it to those who do.Finance can be Direct or IndirectTo raise capital financing it could be direct or indirect. In other words, the companies borrowed directly by issuing securities to investors in the capital markets. By contrast, indirect finance involves a financial intermediary between the borrower and the saver. For example, if Sunehra puts her money in a savings account at a bank, and then the bank lends the money to a company (or another person), the bank is an intermediary. Financial intermediaries are very important in the capital marketplace. Banks lend money to many people, and in so doing create economies of scale. That is, by lending out funds many times each day, costs per transaction decrease.Importance of Capital Markets:Capital markets promote economic efficiency. In our example, Sunehra has some excess savings. Any number of companies might have great business ideas but no funds to carry them out. By shifting the funds from Sunehra to the companies through the capital markets, the funds are employed to their maximum extent. If there were no capital markets, Sunehra might have kept her savings in cash or in a low-yielding savings account. The companies might have put off or canceled their business plans.Internationalization of Capital Markets in the Late 1990sOne of the most important developments since the 1970s has been the internationalization, and now globalization, of capital markets. Let's look at some of the basic elements of the international capital markets.The International Capital Market of the Late 1990s was Composed of a Number of Closely Integrated Markets with an International DimensionBasically, the international capital market includes any transaction with an international dimension. It is not really a single market but a number of closely integrated markets that include some type of international component. The foreign exchange market was a very important part of the international capital market during the late 1990s. Internationally traded stocks and bonds have also been part of the international capital market. Since the late 1990s, sophisticated communications systems have allowed people all over the world to conduct business from wherever they are. The major world financial centers include Hong Kong, Singapore, Tokyo, London, New York, and Paris, among others. It's not hard to find examples of securities that trade in the international capital markets. THE INTERNATIONAL BOND FINANCINGFOREIGN BONDS AND EURO BONDSA foreign bond is a bond issued in a domestic market for a foreign borrower. Foreign bonds tend to be more regulated than Eurobonds and are usually issued by a domestic group of banks. A foreign bond is a debt security issued by a borrower from outside the country in whose currency the bond is denominated and in which the bond is sold. A bond denominated in U.S. dollars that is issued in the United States by the government of Canada is a foreign bond. A foreign bond allows an investor a measure of international diversification without subjection to the risk of changes in relative currency values.

Three characteristics of foreign bondsA foreign bond has three distinct characteristics: The bond is issued by a foreign entity (such as a government savings bond).

The bond is traded on a foreign financial market.

The bond is denominated in a foreign currency.

Foreign bonds represent an unenforceable claim. The primary risk of a foreign bond is that it is an unenforceable claim. An investor that owns the bonds of a company in his or her home country has specific legal recourse in the event of default. Foreign bonds, however, offer no such protection. An extremist political movement (e.g., Iran in the 1970s) could come to power and seize or deny all foreign assets and claims. A country may become engaged in a military conflict and prohibit its currency from leaving its borders. After World War II, for example, investors holding bonds in Great Britain were paid interest in pounds yet were unable to convert those pounds to dollars; the money could only be reinvested in pound-denominated investments or spent within the borders of Britain or her colonies.EUROBOND

A type of foreign bond issued and traded in countries other than the one in which the bond is denominated. A dollar-denominated bond sold in Europe by a U.S. firm is a Eurobond. A Eurobond is usually categorized by the currency in which it is denominated, and is usually issued by an international syndicate. An example of a Eurobond is a Eurodollar bond, which is denominated in U.S. dollars and issued in Japan by an Australian company. Note that the Australian company can issue the Eurodollar bond in any country other than the United States. Eurobonds are attractive methods of financing as they give issuers the flexibility to choose the country in which to offer their bond according to the country's regulatory constraints. In addition, they may denominate their Eurobond in their preferred currency. Eurobonds are attractive to investors as they have small par values and high liquidity.Is it risky to invest in foreign securities?Investing in foreign securities can actually reduce overall portfolio risk and at the same time modestly increase the potential for returns. The U.S. stock market still remains the largest in the world; however, foreign markets now account for approximately 50% of the global stock market capitalization. Consequently, it is becoming more important to diversify portfolios globally, taking advantage of growth rates in different regions and countries. Proper international diversification can help balance out returns by reducing or avoiding losses when some markets are under performing.

The Principal Actors in the International Capital Markets are Banks, Non-Banking Financial Institutions, Corporations, and Government Agencies.Commercial banks powered their way to a place of considerable influence in international markets during the late 1990s. The primary reason for this was that they often pursued international activities that they would not have been able to undertake in their home countries. The lack of international regulation fueled bank growth over the decades leading up to the 1990s. Commercial banks undertook a broad array of financial activities during the late 1990s. They granted loans to corporations and governments, were active in the bond market, and held deposits with maturities of varying lengths. Special asset transactions, like underwriting were undertaken by commercial banks. By underwriting, the bank guaranteed a company issuing stocks or bonds that it would find buyers for the securities at a minimum price. Non-bank financial institutions became another fast-rising force in international markets during the late 1990s. Insurance companies, pension and trust funds, and mutual funds from many countries began to diversify into international markets in the 1990s. Together, portfolio enhancement and a widespread increase in fund contributors have accounted for the strength these funds had in the international marketplace.

Corporations often use foreign funds to finance investments. Corporations may sell stock, issue bonds, or obtain loans from commercial banks. The trend in the late 1990s was for corporations to issue securities that attracted investors from all over the world. The Eurobond, which we described above, was an example of this. A Eurobond is a corporate bond not denominated in a single currency, but gives the lender the right to demand repayment from a preset spectrum of currencies. For example, a bond may allow its holder the right to be repaid in yen, euro or pound. When the holding period is over, the holder chooses the most preferable currency at that time. This partially protects buyers from exchange rate fluctuations. Government agencies, including central banks, were also major players in the international marketplace during the late 1990s. Central banks and other government agencies borrowed funds from abroad. Governments of developing countries borrowed from commercial banks, and state-run enterprises also obtained loans from foreign commercial banks.THE INTERNATIONAL EQUITY FINANCING

Worlds Equity Market Capitalization at year-end 2006 was almost $52 trillion. Almost 83% of the market capitalization is accounted for by the market capitalization of the developed world. The other 17% is accounted for by the market capitalization of developing countries in emerging markets like Latin America, Asia, Eastern Europe, Mideast and Africa.

Recently the growth rates in these emerging markets have been strong, but with more volatility than the developed world.

Benefit of international equity financing includes diversification, reduced regulation, improvements in computer and communications technology, increased demand from MNCs for global issuance.Cross-Listing refers to a firm having its equity shares listed on one or more foreign exchanges. The number of firms doing this has exploded in recent years. For example, Beximco Pharma is not only traded in Dhaka and Chittagong Stock Exchange but also listed in London Stock exchange as well.

Advantages of cross listing: It expands the investor base for a firm. Establishes name recognition for the firm in new capital markets, paving the way for new issues. May offer marketing advantages. May mitigate possibility of hostile takeovers.

American Depository Receipts (ADR):ADR is a receipt that represents the number of foreign shares that are deposited at a U.S. bank. Bank of New York is the main depository bank. The bank serves as a transfer agent for the ADRs. There are many advantages to trading ADRs as opposed to direct investment in the companys shares: ADRs are denominated in U.S. dollars, trade on U.S. exchanges and can be bought through any broker.

Dividends are paid in U.S. dollars. Most underlying stocks are bearer securities, the ADRs are registered.

Factors affecting International Equity returns:Macroeconomic Factors: International monetary variables (such as Interest rate differentials, change in domestic inflation expectations) have only weak influence on equity returns in comparison to domestic variables. (Solnik 1984)Exchange Rates:

Changes in exchange rates generally explain a larger portion of the variability of foreign bond indexes than foreign equity indexes, but that some foreign equity markets are more exposed to exchange rate changes than are the respective foreign bond markets. (Adler and Simon, 1986) Cross-correlations studies among major stock markets and exchange markets are relatively low but positive. The exchange rate changes in a given country reinforce the stock market movements in that country as well as in the other countries examined. (Eun and Resnick, 1988)