Swaps exercise Schweser notes

[archived_user]

Hi all,
somebody who could help and explain me the following exercise?
The current U.S. dollar ($) to Canadian dollar (C$) exchange rate is 0.7. In a $1 million
fixed-for-floating currency swap, the party that is entering the swap to hedge an existing
exposure to a C$-denominated fixed-rate liability will:
A. receive $1 million at the termination of the swap.
B. pay a fixed rate based on the yield curve in the United States.
C. receive a fixed rate based on the yield curve in Canada.
Thank you!

 

[archived_user]

I guess it’s C, because if this guy has a CAD denominated fixed rate liability in real life, than he has to get a hedge where he receives this CAD fix rate.

 

[archived_user]

That is correct, but could you explain better what do you mean with “has to get a hedge where he receives this CAD fix rate”.
I know that the fixed rate has to be derived from the curve in the relevant currncy of the fix rate, but I dont understand very well your explanation.
thank you

 

[archived_user]

In order to hedge his CAD fixed liability he will enter a receive fixed CAD swap (paying floating USD) and the payoff he receives every settlement date will be based on the fixed swap rate which is determined by the CAD interest rate curve.
Maybe I did not understand your question:
- Why C is the correct answer (I hope it is)?
Because the guy has to receive fixed CAD through the swap to hedge his fixed CAD liability
- Why will his received fixed rate be based on the yield curve in Canada?
Because this is the way they determine the swap rate.

 

[archived_user]

Answer C is right.
To be honest it’s easy (reading well the question which was my mistake) that the answer is C. It’s said that the party has to hedge the fixed CAD liability.
My problem is more in general, depending in which position I am, should I pay fixed and receive floating or viceversa?

 

[archived_user]

If you have a fixed interest liability in real life (I mean you have a loan from a bank or issued a bond where you owe the bondholders fixed rate liability) you may want to have this exact fix rate income secured through the swap to annullate your payment.
Instead you might want to run the risk of paying the floating leg to your swap conterpart (probably beleiving in rates decresing).
If your liability is a floating rate then you would enter a swap as the pay fixed receive floating to hedge the floating rate liability in the real life.
If you have an asset not a liability then again just consider what inflow or outflow you want to hedge and you seek a hedge transaction that secures for you that inflow or outflow (being fixed or floating depending on the individual case).
Honestly I can’t explain better. I’m not a native English speaker but I tried to be as clear as I could.
Hope you understand.

 

[archived_user]

Draw a swap diagram; it’ll help immensely.