Commercial companies

An important part of this market comes from the financial activities of companies seeking
foreign exchange to pay for goods or services. Commercial companies often trade fairly small
amounts compared to those of banks or speculators, and their trades often have little short
term impact on market rates. Nevertheless, trade flows are an important factor in the long-term
direction of a currency's exchange rate. Some multinational companies can have an unpredictable
impact when very large positions are covered due to exposures that are not widely known by
other market participants.