Dubai Gold and Commodities Exchange (DGCX) has launched three new currency contracts, expanding its suite of emerging market (EM) products.

It includes the Russian Ruble Futures, Korean Won Futures and South Africa Rand Futures, said a statement.

The new EM currency contracts will provide DGCX market participants with additional tools to manage their price risk and exposure to foreign currencies as well as provide new arbitrage opportunities.

Gaurang Desai, interim chief executive officer of DGCX, said: “Emerging Market currencies have been extremely volatile in the past few years due to various macro-economic factors.

“The launch of the Russian Ruble, Korean Won and South African Rand Futures represent an important facet of our comprehensive and long-term Emerging Market product strategy.”

“With the increasing prominence of these three currencies in the emerging - markets landscape, the launch of these contracts assumes considerable significance. The Middle East’s trading links with South Africa, Russia and South Korea have been growing rapidly over the past few years and businesses transacting with these markets need to make sure that their currency price risk is managed effectively to ensure their long-term sustainability,” he added.

The new currency contracts are cash settled and can be traded Monday through Friday. They are sized at $50,000 with the contract price quoted in US dollars.

The new contracts will be cleared by the Dubai Commodities Clearing Corporation (DCCC), a wholly owned subsidiary of DGCX, said the statement.

With the global crisis highlighting counterparty risk and lack of transparency associated with transacting FX trades bi-laterally or over-the counter, regulated exchanges and clearing houses are assuming even more importance in today’s FX markets.  

DCCC safeguards participants against counterparty risks and provides them with centrally-cleared products that are a secure alternative to OTC derivatives products, it added. - TradeArabia News Service