A central bank (CB) is a national financial institution that regulates а country's economy through monetary policies to maintain financial stability. Central banks achieve this by controlling local banks, including interest rates and financial instruments, managing foreign exchange reserves, and regulating money circulation in the economy. While there are over 200 central banks globally, six significantly impact the currency market.
The United States Federal Reserve System (or Fed), established in 1913, is the most influential central bank globally because the US dollar facilitates over 90 percent of international transactions. The Fed aims to maintain financial stability, ensure safe transaction systems, and promote monetary policies to support the US economy. Using interest rate adjustments as one of its primary tools, the Fed can attract foreign investors seeking higher yields, strengthening the dollar's value in the currency market. Such monetary policy shifts can significantly alter foreign exchange rates.
The European Central Bank (ECB), founded in 1999 to ensure monetary policy cohesion of all eurozone members, is another central institution that significantly impacts the currency market. ECB's primary goal is to ensure price stability and sustainable economic growth by overseeing European monetary policy. To achieve this, the ECB keeps the annual price growth of products and services below 2 percent, which helps curb inflation. The bank also authorizes the Euro (EUR) supply and ensures its value is not too high, which can negatively impact the export market and hurt the region's economy.
The Bank of England (BOE), а prominent central bank in the UK, issues sterling pound (GBP) banknotes in the currency market. Since 1997, the BOE has monitored and managed the UK's monetary policy to ensure a stable banking and financial environment. Like other central banks, the BOE wields influence over currency markets by adjusting interest rates. It also manages inflation, similarly to the ECB, by keeping the annual price increase of commodities under 2 percent.
The Bank of Japan (BOJ) is another central institution in the foreign exchange market. It supplies the Japanese Yen (JPY) to facilitate transactions. What sets the BOJ apart is its commitment to open and transparent operations, contrasting with the confidentiality often maintained by European central banks. In influencing the currency market, the BOJ regulates its currency to make its value manageable since Japan relies heavily on exporting its products to other nations.
The Swiss National Bank (SNB), responsible for Switzerland's monetary policy and gold reserves, provides the Swiss franc in the currency market. Unlike its counterparts, the SNB adopts an interest rate band approach, setting a range of acceptable interest rates rather than a specific target rate. This approach allows the institution to flexibly adapt to shifting market forces. Switzerland's economy relies heavily on exports; thus, the SNB, like ECB and BOJ, takes measures to prevent an overvalued Swiss franc that can affect exports.
The Bank of Canada (BOC) oversees Canada's banking аnd financial system and is another player supplying the Canadian dollar (CAD) in the currency market. Its governing council, consisting of the BOC's governor and deputies, conducts monetary policies and manages local financial institutions to ensure market efficiency. Through its monetary policy decisions, the BOC can influence the value of the CAD, affecting its exchange rate and value.
