Exchange Rate Chart

What does the exchange rate chart show?

The chart draws the daily exchange rate of a currency pair as a line, so you can see at a glance whether a currency has been rising, falling or moving sideways. Choose two currencies and a time range, and the tool plots one unit of the first currency in terms of the second. Hover over the chart with a mouse, or tap and slide your finger on a phone, to read the exact rate on any day.

Data comes from the European Central Bank reference rates through the free Frankfurter service. That covers about 30 major currencies such as the US dollar, euro, pound sterling, Japanese yen, Indian rupee, Swiss franc and Australian dollar. The full list of supported currencies appears under the chart.

How to use the chart

1. Pick the From currency and the To currency. Press Swap to flip the pair.
2. Choose a range: 1M, 3M, 6M, 1Y or 5Y.
3. Read the summary tiles for the latest rate, the change over the period, and the highest and lowest rates.
4. Move across the chart to see the date and rate of each point.
5. Download the data as CSV or save the chart as a PNG image.

Features

• Interactive line chart with grid lines, labelled axes and a tooltip.
• Sharp on every screen: the chart redraws for high density displays and when you resize the window or rotate a tablet.
• Period summary with high, low and percentage change, including the dates of the high and low.
• Export the series as a CSV file or the chart as an image for reports and presentations.

Reading the trend

If the line goes up, the first currency has strengthened against the second, because one unit buys more of it. If the line goes down, it has weakened. Short ranges show day to day noise, while one and five year views reveal the bigger picture, such as the effect of interest rate changes or economic news. For long ranges the data service may return weekly points to keep the chart light, which smooths small daily moves.

Practical uses

Businesses that buy or sell abroad use rate history to understand how much currency swings affect their margins. Travellers check whether now is a typical moment to exchange money or whether the rate is unusually high or low. Students of economics can compare the reaction of different currencies to the same event. Past movements do not predict future rates, so use the chart to understand the past rather than as a forecast.