After reading this chapter, you should be able to: understand the historical and present uses and attractiveness of gold explain the developments shaping the world monetary system from the
end of World
War II to the present understand balance of payments (BOP) compare the relative strengths and weaknesses of currencies and reasons
for them understand how "Big MacCurrencies" and the purchasing power
parity theory are related identify the major foreign exchange (Fx) markets of the world understand changes being caused in the FX markets by electronic currency
broking machines understand the central reserve asset/national currency conflict of
the U.S. dollar and the reasons and uses for special drawing rights (SDRs) discuss the euro and its present state of acceptance by EU countries | 
2002 McGraw-Hill Higher Education