Thursday, November 24, 2011

Damage caused by currency fluctuation

Here is a good example of the damage caused by currency fluctuation. It is difficult for a business to make long term plans that affect investments and employment of workers.

http://www.cnbc.com//id/45431195

It takes a few years to plan and set up a factory and a longer period to recover the investments. The profitability of this business depends on predictability of the revenue and cost. If the cost can fluctuate wildly due to currency rates, it will be difficult for any business to invest.

It is a good idea to have floating exchange rates to reflect the economic fundamentals of a country. However, the wild swings, caused by large speculators such as hedge funds, are causing tremendous damages, beyond their useful purpose. There must be some way of preventing these big speculations. Perhaps, the proposal to impose a financial trading tax will be useful. Apart from preventing the wild speculation, it will also raise revenue for the government.