Eli5: what causes one currency to gain or lose value compared to another?

226 viewsEconomicsOther

I just read that the yen is really weak right now. In 2017 the euro was worth about 1.20 to 1.40 if I remember correctly (when I visited France.). Last year it was about 1:1.

What causes this fluctuation?

In: Economics

2 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

Ton of different variables. Countries may intentionally print more or less currency to adjust the purchasing power of their currency. Some may peg it to a larger currency like the USD so that there’s always X local currency for every dollar.

Demand itself could change. If no one wants to buy Japanese goods, then the yen may become less powerful. If people believe there may be another coup in Bolivia, the Bolivian peso may not be as valuable.

You are viewing 1 out of 2 answers, click here to view all answers.