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Are banks market timers or market makers? Explaining foreign exchange trading profits

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  • Ammer, John
  • Brunner, Allan D.

Abstract

We analyze the foreign exchange trading earnings of large U.S commercial banks over the past several years. In particular, we use several approaches to try to determine to what extent these profits can be attributed either to position-taking by banks or to the provision of intermediation services to bank customers. The results can be summarized as follows. First, banks appear to generate a substantial portion of their foreign exchange earnings from making markets in conventional spot and forward foreign exchange contracts. In addition, some indirect evidence supports anecdotal reports that intermediation in volatility-related products (e.g., options contracts) has been a significantly profitable activity. Finally, on average, positions in currencies do not appear to contribute to profits. Tests applied to monthly and daily data on banks' portfolio positions suggest that banks cannot accurately forecast changes in exchange rates, and that these currency positions account for only a small fraction (if any) of the banks' foreign exchange earnings.
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  • Ammer, John & Brunner, Allan D., 1997. "Are banks market timers or market makers? Explaining foreign exchange trading profits," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 7(1), pages 43-60, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:intfin:v:7:y:1997:i:1:p:43-60
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    Cited by:

    1. Lyons, Richard K., 1998. "Profits and position control: a week of FX dealing1," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 17(1), pages 97-115, February.
    2. Adrian E. Tschoegl, 2005. "The Key to Risk Management: Management," Springer Books, in: Michael Frenkel & Markus Rudolf & Ulrich Hommel (ed.), Risk Management, edition 0, pages 721-739, Springer.
    3. A. Bénassy-Quéré & S. Larribeau & R. MacDonald, 1999. "Models of exchange rate expectations : heterogeneous evidence from Panel data," THEMA Working Papers 99-05, THEMA (THéorie Economique, Modélisation et Applications), Université de Cergy-Pontoise.
    4. Richard Portes & Hélène Rey, 1998. "The emergence of the euro as an international currency," Economic Policy, CEPR, CESifo, Sciences Po;CES;MSH, vol. 13(26), pages 306-343.
    5. Mende, Alexander & Menkhoff, Lukas, 2006. "Profits and speculation in intra-day foreign exchange trading," Journal of Financial Markets, Elsevier, vol. 9(3), pages 223-245, August.
    6. Chamberlain, Sandra & Howe, John S. & Popper, Helen, 1997. "The exchange rate exposure of U.S. and Japanese banking institutions," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 21(6), pages 871-892, June.
    7. Michael P. Leahy, 1994. "Bank positions and forecasts of exchange rate movements," International Finance Discussion Papers 486, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.).
    8. Benassy-Quere, Agnes & Larribeau, Sophie & MacDonald, Ronald, 2003. "Models of exchange rate expectations: how much heterogeneity?," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 13(2), pages 113-136, April.
    9. Narayan, Paresh Kumar & Mishra, Sagarika & Narayan, Seema & Thuraisamy, Kannan, 2015. "Is Exchange Rate Trading Profitable?," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 217-229.
    10. Boschen, John F. & Smith, Kimberly J., 2016. "The uncovered interest rate parity anomaly and trading activity by non-dealer financial firms," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 333-342.

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