Predicting exchange rates via a futures market

Abstract

Predicting future spot exchange rates has always been useful for companies trading internationally. Now finding future exchange rates is essential for countries that are to join common currency zones (Eurosystem) and need to set reference rates for the ERM II. This paper presents a model that attempts to determine exchange rates and, unlike others, is based on an analysis of the futures market. The model is based on the assumption that the futures market is dominated by two categories of traders: arbitrageurs and fundamental traders. The divergence of the futures rate from its theoretical value is gauged and then considered to be an indication of the direction and strength of the two forces in the market. The arbitrageurs' influence is filtered out and thus the model outputs the rate based on the fundamental traders' expectations.