In financial trading portals, wholesale market makers do not quote the full outright forward rate to corporate treasuries. Instead, they quote Forward Points, also known as swap points.
Calculating the Outright Forward Rate
Forward points represent the fractional difference between the spot rate and the forward rate, scaled in pips. Traders adjust the spot rate using these points to calculate the final transaction price:
Market Condition | Interest Rate Differential Status | Forward Points Mathematical Action
-------------------+--------------------------------------+-----------------------------------------
Forward Premium | Foreign interest rates run higher | Add forward points to the spot rate
Forward Discount | Foreign interest rates run lower | Subtract forward points from the spot rate
If the spot rate is 1.1000 and the 90-day forward points are quoted as
+50, the outright forward rate is calculated as 1.1000 + 0.0050 = 1.1050. If the points are quoted as -35, the outright forward rate is 1.1000 - 0.0035 = 1.0965.Â