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HMRC internal manual

Capital Gains Manual

CG78336 - Foreign currency: example

DayAmountTotal

Day 1

US$2.40 to £1X borrows US$100,000

(=£41,667)

Day 8

US$2.30 to £1X buys shares for US$100,000

(=£43,479)

Day 360

US$2.00 to £1X sells shares for US$100,000

(=£50,000)

Day 365

US$1.90 to £1 X repays loan US$100,000

(=£52,631)

The chargeable gain on the disposal of shares is computed as follows -

Disposal

£ 

Day 360 Disposal proceeds (in sterling terms)

50,000

Day 8 Acquisition cost (in sterling terms)

43,479

Chargeable gain subject to indexation 

6,521 

The chargeable gains in respect of foreign currency are computed as follows -

-

Day

Aquisition cost/proceeds

Gain

£

(i)

Day 8

Disposal proceeds (in sterling terms)

-

43,479

-

Day 1

Acquisition cost (in sterling terms)

-

41,667

-

-

-

Chargeable gain

1,812 

(ii)

Day 365

Disposal proceeds (in sterling terms)

-

52,631

Day 360

Acquisition cost (in sterling terms)

-

50,000

-

-

-

Chargeable gain

2,631

No relief is due for the `loss' in sterling terms on repaying the loan (repaid £52,631 - borrowed £41,667 = `loss' £10,964).

NOTE. If a taxpayer is within the charge to Capital Gains Tax, neither indexation allowance nor taper relief apply to disposals of assets on or after 6 April 2008. Previously indexation allowance had been frozen at April 1998. For indexation allowance see CG17200C and for taper relief see CG17895.