Question:

Trade finance is much facilitated by banks' intervention as guarantors for the execution of financial commitments on behalf of importers. Banks provide a large variety of trade finance products and services and they ensure that trade contracts are properly executed through verification of documents of trade.

(a) Explain the following terms used in Trade Finance:

(i) Clean bill of exchange
(ii) Incoterms
(iii) Acceptance pour aval
(iv) UCP 600

(b) Assess how ‘incoterms' affect the documents that exporters must produce.

(c) Discuss the different functions of a bill of lading.

(d) Under the Article 9 of the UCP 600, banks have to follow certain rules in relation to amendments to be brought to letters of credit. Discuss on three of these rules to be followed.