The Reserve Bank also operates in the foreign exchange market to manage its international reserves. The currency exposure of international reserves is managed to a benchmark that has fixed target shares for each foreign currency (see below). Daily fluctuations in the relative values of these currencies shift the actual exposures to these currencies away from the targets. The Bank undertakes transactions each day to rebalance the currency exposures to the benchmark targets. These transactions are conducted in both the spot and forward markets and do not involve the Australian dollar.
In addition, the Reserve Bank undertakes transactions from time to time for a range of policy reasons:
Foreign exchange swaps are used periodically to smooth large domestic liquidity flows. These transactions work in the same way as repurchase agreements using domestic securities. The swaps can be for large amounts but are usually very short term. While turnover in these transactions totalled $50 billion for the year, the Bank had a negligible outstanding swap position at the end of June.
On occasion, the Bank operates in the foreign exchange market with the objective of influencing the level of the exchange rate or market conditions. The factors behind the decision to conduct these operations, which are commonly known as foreign exchange intervention, tend to be specific to the particular episode. The most recent round of intervention took place in late 2008, when liquidity in the local foreign exchange market was compromised following the collapse of Lehman Brothers.
From time to time, the Bank also undertakes transactions to adjust the level of its foreign currency holdings. These transactions might be undertaken to unwind the impact of intervention on the level of reserves or to move to a new target level. The transactions are conducted with the aim of having the minimum possible impact on the exchange rate and market conditions.
The Australian dollar appreciated against most currencies over the year but particularly against the US dollar. The local currency was underpinned by further increases in commodity prices, the relatively strong domestic economy and expectations of tighter monetary policy. In July, the Australian dollar reached a post-float high against the US dollar and on a trade-weighted basis. Despite bouts of risk aversion associated with the sovereign debt crisis in Europe and the earthquake in Japan, market conditions remained generally favourable. Volatility in the Australian dollar remained at an elevated level relative to pre-crisis years.
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