Q. Example on Bills of exchange?
ARG Co will be apprehensive to protect the sterling value of its expected dollar receipt. The quoted forward rates demonstrate that the dollar is weakening against sterling so that the sterling value of $500000 dollars will have fallen in three months. ARG Co is able to enter into a contract now with a bank to exchange its expected dollar receipt in three months time at the current forward rate. Such a agreement is called a forward exchange contract and is binding on both the bank and ARG Co. By acquiescent to an exchange at the current forward rate the company will be protected against any further deterioration in the sterling-dollar exchange rate. The sterling value occur from the contract will be $500000/1·8174 = £275118.
A bill of exchange is signifies of payment initiated by an exporter. It is signed (accepted) by an importer representative agreement to pay the amount on the face of the bill. This payment may perhaps either be on demand (sight bill) or on a mutually agreed future date (term bill).
The risk connected with overseas receivables is reduced by bills of exchange since these bills are a liquid short-term financial asset. They are able to be discounted sold at less than face value to a bank in order to provide advance payment of the amount due to be received from overseas receivables. A smaller discount will be charged if the bill of exchange is confirmed (countersigned) by the importer's bank.
Bills of exchange can be as well used in conjunction with documentary letters of credit also known as documentary credits to reduce export credit risk even further.