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Wildest Currency Swings Since 2011 Curtail Options Strategies

  • Rising volatility leaves investors seeking alternative hedges
  • Pound particularly in focus as `Brexit' speculation mounts
Bloomberg business news

Volatility on the Rise: What's Driving Global Risk?

Updated on

The highest currency-market volatility in more than four years is depriving investors of a cheap way to protect against risks in financial markets -- including Britain’s referendum on its membership of the European Union.

A JPMorgan Chase & Co. index of swings in exchange rates averages more this month than at any time since 2011. Because volatility helps determine the price of currency options, they are losing appeal as a way to speculate in foreign-exchange markets, leading money managers to seek less-expensive alternatives.