Options on 10-Year U.S. Treasury Note & Euro Bund Futures in Fixed Income Portfolio Analysis

Size: px
Start display at page:

Download "Options on 10-Year U.S. Treasury Note & Euro Bund Futures in Fixed Income Portfolio Analysis"

Transcription

1 White Paper Whitepaper Options on 10-Year U.S. Treasury Note & Euro Bund Futures in Fixed Income Portfolio Analysis Copyright 2015 FactSet Research Systems Inc. All rights reserved.

2 Options on 10-Year U.S. Treasury Note & Euro Bund Futures in Fixed Income Portfolio Analysis Contents Introduction... 2 Portfolio and Benchmark Example... 3 Options Hedge Ratios and Portfolio Duration Targeting... 5 FactSet Calculations... 9 Attribution of Portfolio and Benchmark s Summary and Conclusions Introduction Recently, the financial markets have experienced periods of de-regulation, boom and bust, and reregulation. Price and interest rate volatility increased and market participants learned to manage risk by developing hedging tools and techniques to safeguard their balance sheets. Financial futures and options, interest rate and currency swaps, credit default swaps, and other derivatives instruments are widely embraced in the fixed income, foreign exchange, and equity markets as risk management tools. The economic functions served by the derivative markets include trading, price discovery, and risk transfer. The financial futures, options, and swaps markets are highly liquid centralized markets that have become important trading markets. By virtue of their ease of execution, depth, and narrow bid/ask spreads, professional traders can move in and out of positions anonymously. The process of price discovery unfolds as bids and offers of quantities to be transacted are disclosed in the centralized exchanges, and this information is rapidly disseminated to the public via the reporting systems of the exchanges. These prices provide all participants, including traders, speculators, hedgers, and regulatory officials a reference to evaluate investment alternatives against and gauge market conditions. The derivative markets also facilitate the transfer of risk from individuals who want to reduce their exposure to adverse price changes to those willing to accept such exposure. The former group consists of hedgers who want to separate the normal business risk of their day-to-day activities from the risk of price or interest rate movements over which they have little or no control. The latter group consists of speculators who are willing to assume that price/interest rate risk in the hope of making a trading profit. The depth and efficiency of today s derivative markets permits the efficient transfer of price risk from hedgers to speculators or between two hedgers. Copyright 2015 FactSet Research Systems Inc. All rights reserved. 2

3 Major exchanges exist in all time zones, trading a variety of dollar and non-dollar fixed income, foreign exchange, and equity derivatives. This paper focuses on options on financial futures, specifically 10-year U.S. Treasury Note and Euro Bund futures contracts and builds off the FactSet Government Note and Bond Futures in Fixed Income Portfolio Analysis white paper. 1 Exchange-traded options on 10-Year U.S. Treasury Note and Euro Bund futures are standardized contracts that give the purchaser the right, but not the obligation, to purchase or sell the security underlying the option. As with the underlying financial futures contracts, option contracts are standardized with respect to the quality and quantity of the deliverable grade, trading months, hours of trading, and daily price limits. Options can be purchased or sold. The buyer of a call (put) has the right to purchase (sell) the underlying futures contract. Conversely, the seller of a call (put) has the obligation to sell (buy) the underlying futures contract if the buyer exercises the option. The price at which a call or put option can be exercised is called the strike price or exercise price and the price paid for the option by the purchaser is called the option premium. Portfolio and Benchmark Example This paper explores the use of options in portfolio management, specifically for duration hedging purposes. The impact of the options is explored in terms of portfolio statistics, total return, and performance attribution and is highlighted by an example based on a sample portfolio and benchmark. The sample portfolio includes multi-currency global bonds and is benchmarked against a multi-currency global index. The sample portfolio consists of U.S. and European government and corporate bonds denominated in GBP, EUR, and USD currencies. This sample portfolio, with and without the options, is compared repeatedly to the benchmark to demonstrate the impact of the options. The example uses a portfolio characterized by the distributions shown in Table 1: Table 1: Portfolio Characteristics Moody's Yield to ive ive Percent Rating Maturity OAS Duration Convexity A GBP A EUR Baa USD Aa The benchmark is defined to include GBP, EUR, and USD fixed rate securities with final maturities of one year or longer and minimum par amounts outstanding of $300 million for USD securities, 300 million for pan-european securities, and 200 million for GBP securities. The benchmark included over 12,150 securities and was characterized by the distributions in Table 2: 1 FactSet Government Note and Bond Futures in Fixed Income Portfolio Analysis. Copyright 2015 FactSet Research Systems Inc. All rights reserved. 3

4 Table 2: Benchmark Characteristics Moody's Yield to ive ive Percent Rating Maturity OAS Duration Convexity Aa GBP 8.15 Aa EUR A USD Aa The relative characteristics, portfolio minus benchmark, are shown in Table 3. The portfolio has a lower allocation to USD, a higher allocation to EUR, and a higher allocation to GBP when compared to the benchmark. On a weighted-average basis, the portfolio exhibits a lower overall quality rating, a higher yield to maturity, and a higher option-adjusted spread (OAS) than the benchmark. The effective duration of the portfolio is 0.31 shorter than the benchmark due primarily to the portfolio s concentration of shorter duration EUR denominated securities. Table 3: Relative Characteristics Moody's Yield to ive ive Percent Rating Maturity OAS Duration Convexity 0.00 Lower GBP 3.03 Lower EUR 3.39 Lower USD Lower In Table 3, you can infer several portfolio strategy bets from the relative exposures. First, the portfolio s percentage allocations suggest that the GBP and EUR currency sectors are favored at the expense of USD. Second, an implicit quality bet favors lower-rated securities. Third, the relative durations suggest an expectation that EUR rates are expected to increase and USD interest rates are expected to decrease. For purposes of introducing options into the portfolio, suppose that the portfolio manager decides to remove the relative interest rate exposures in the EUR and USD sectors. In other words, the manager decides to neutralize the sector duration bets by making each portfolio sector s duration equal to that of its respective benchmark sector. This involves extending the portfolio s EUR sector duration from 4.20 to 5.45 and shortening the USD sector duration from 5.20 to You could also accomplish these duration adjustments in the cash market by restructuring the bonds held in those sectors. However, trading options or futures can provide a more efficient and cost effective means to target sector durations, especially if the cash market bonds are thinly traded. In the Government Note and Bond Futures in Fixed Income Portfolio Analysis white paper, we used 10-Year U.S. Treasury Note and Euro Bund futures to achieve the same sector duration goals as described above. So, why would a portfolio manager choose to use options on futures instead of the futures themselves to hedge portfolio or sector durations? The answer depends on the manager s goals and outlook regarding the future direction of interest rates and on his willingness to pay up front for hedge protection. If the manager s intent is to lock in a specific duration target regardless of the future direction of interest rates, futures contracts may be the better choice. If the manager desires asymmetric protection (i.e., protection only if rates move in a particular direction) and they are willing Copyright 2015 FactSet Research Systems Inc. All rights reserved. 4

5 to pay up for that one-sided protection, options may be the better strategy. The example in this paper demonstrates the manager paying up front via the option premium for one-sided protection. The example will show how this scenario develops, particularly in the EUR sector where there is an implied expectation that Euro rates will rise. Table 4 displays the options used in this example. Call options on Euro Bund futures and put options on 10-year U.S. Treasury Note futures contracts are used to hedge the interest rate exposure in the EUR and USD sectors respectively. Both options are slightly out of the money, meaning that the strike price of the call option (139.5) is above the price of the underlying Euro Bund futures contract (139.17) and the strike of the put option (122.5) is below the price of the underlying 10-year U.S. Treasury Note futures contract (123.05). Table 4: Options on Euro-Bund and U.S. 10-Year Treasury Note Futures Exchange FactSet Ticker Option Type Strike Price Underlying & Contract Value Delivery Months Call Option on Euro- Bund Futures Eurex RXH4C139.5 Call Euro-Bund Future 100,000 Nearest 3 calendar months and following 4 months in the Mar, Jun, Sep, Dec quarterly cycle Put Option on U.S. 10- Year Treasury Note Futures CME TYH4P122.5 Put Year Treasury Note Future $100,000 At least 4 consecutive contract months plus the next 4 months in the Mar, Jun, Sep, Dec quarterly cycle Both of the options specify the physical delivery of one futures contract. The notional of the futures contracts is 100,000 for the Euro Bund contract and $100,000 for the 10-year U.S. Treasury Note contract. FactSet calculates interest rate sensitivities for options contracts, including partial and effective durations and convexities. The internal calculation initially solves for the implied volatility that produces the market value. The reference yield curve is shifted up and down by 100 basis points, and the price of the option is recalculated by holding the implied volatility constant. The difference in the up and down prices due to the yield shift result in the partial and effective durations. Based on these calculations, FactSet calculates options durations and partial durations daily and you can use these to construct hedge ratios for purposes of targeting portfolio or sector durations. Options Hedge Ratios and Portfolio Duration Targeting Portfolio managers can use futures or options to alter portfolio duration and convexity in anticipation of changes in the level of rates. One method of estimating the number of options contracts required to achieve a target duration is as follows: Copyright 2015 FactSet Research Systems Inc. All rights reserved. 5

6 where: + N = Number of options contracts N = (D T D P ) (MV + AI) P D O (MV) O + D T = Target duration of the hedged portfolio (or sector) + D P = Duration of the unhedged portfolio (or sector) + (MV + AI) P = Market value and accrued interest of the portfolio (or sector) + D O = Duration of the options contract + (MV) O = Notional market value of the options contract ing to the portfolio/benchmark example, you can use the formula above to target a EUR sector duration of 5.45 as follows: N = ( ) 66,540, = 168 The market value and accrued interest of the EUR sector of the portfolio is 66,540,361, the duration of the call option is 508, and the market value per call option contract is 976 (see Table 5 for options data). A long position of 168 call options with a strike price of on the March 14 Euro-Bund futures contracts increases the effective duration of the EUR sector from 4.20 to 5.45, thereby eliminating the duration difference between the portfolio and benchmark. You can use a similar calculation to compute the required number of put options to reduce the effective duration of the USD sector from 5.20 to In this case, 47 put options with a strike price of on the March Year Treasury note futures are purchased to make the duration of the USD sector in the portfolio equal to the respective sector in the benchmark. In FactSet, all options and futures positions are displayed in terms of their equivalent notional exposures. Options notional exposure is equal to the number of contracts multiplied by the notional of the underlying futures contract. The notional exposure for a long position of 168 call options on the March 14 Euro-Bund futures contract is 16,800,000 (168 x 100,000) and the notional exposure for a long position of 47 put options on the March year U.S. Treasury Note futures contracts is $4,700,000 (47 x $100,000). The options positions used in the portfolio example are shown in Table 5, which also displays the partial and effective durations and effective convexities: Copyright 2015 FactSet Research Systems Inc. All rights reserved. 6

7 Table 5: Options Statistics, Durations, and Convexities Mar ' Call on Bund Futures Mar ' Put on 10-Year U.S. Treasury Note Futures FactSet Symbol RXH4C139.5 TYH4P122.5 Price * # of Contracts Notional Exposure 16,800,000 4,700,000 Market Value 164,037 22,250 Weight Options Delta Partial Durations 2-Year Year Year Year ive Duration ive Convexity * Exchange quoted price converted to 64 ths for Options on U.S. Treasury Futures Table 5 shows the option notional amounts required to neutralize the EUR and USD sector durations relative to the benchmark. The portfolio is long 16,800,000 notional of call options on Euro-Bund futures, equivalent to 168 contracts. The portfolio is long $4,700,000 notional of put options on 10-year U.S. Treasury Note futures, equivalent to 47 contracts. The partial durations, effective duration, and effective convexity for each options position is also shown. For instance, the call option on Euro-Bund futures has an effective duration of 508 (rounded) and the put option on 10-Year U.S. Treasury Note futures has an effective duration of The duration of the put option is negative because the long put option is equivalent to being short the underlying 10-year U.S. Treasury Note futures contract upon exercise, which would have a negative effect on portfolio duration. Conceptually, you can think of the effective durations and convexities of the options contracts as the product of the duration and convexity of the underlying deliverable (i.e., futures contract), the option delta, and a ratio of the underlying price to the options price. That ratio reflects the leverage created by a position in the options. The higher the price of the underlying instruments relative to the price of the options, the greater the leverage. High leverage results in large durations and convexities and increased interest rate exposure per dollar of investment. The contribution to effective duration and contribution to convexity of the options are calculated as the product of the market value percent and the duration/convexity statistics. Generically, you can calculate the contribution to effective duration as: Contribution to ive Duration = Market Value(%) ive Duration Copyright 2015 FactSet Research Systems Inc. All rights reserved. 7

8 You can calculate contribution to effective duration at the portfolio level or at the sector level. At the portfolio level, the calculation uses the portfolio weight and at the sector level, it uses the sector weight. For instance, the contribution to duration of the call options on Euro Bund futures to the duration of the EUR sector is equal to 1.25 (( 164,037 / 66,540,361) * 508). The weight is calculated as the market value of the options position divided by the market value of the EUR sector. The call options contribute 1.25 to the duration of the EUR sector, increasing it from 4.20 to the EUR benchmark duration of The effect of the Euro-Bund call options strategy is to neutralize the EUR sector s relative interest rate sensitivity to changes in EUR rates. You can perform a similar calculation for the put options. In this case, a long position of 47 contracts contributes (( 22,250 / 83,034,528) * -523) to the portfolio s USD sector duration, reducing it from 5.20 to Again, the put strategy eliminates the relative exposure to changes in USD interest rates. At the portfolio level, the impacts of the options strategies are illustrated in Table 6 and Table 7. Table 6 displays the portfolio results excluding the options and Table 7 shows similar results including them: Table 6: Portfolio, Excluding Options, versus Benchmark Market Value Percent Portfolio ive Duration Benchmark ive Duration Portfolio ive Convexity Benchmark ive Convexity Duration Convexity GBP EUR USD In Table 6, notice the discrepancy in the ending effective durations of the EUR and USD sectors, and 0.14 respectively. In the example, the call options on Euro-Bund futures and the put options on 10- year U.S. Treasury Note futures are included in the portfolio specifically to neutralize these discrepancies. The results of including those options are shown in Table 7: Table 7: Portfolio, Including Options, versus Benchmark Portfolio ive Duration Benchmark ive Duration Portfolio ive Convexity Benchmark ive Convexity Market Value Percent Duration Convexity GBP EUR USD As Table 7 illustrates, the duration discrepancies in the EUR and USD sectors have been essentially eliminated. By including options in those sectors, the portfolio is duration neutral versus the benchmark with respect to changes in EUR and USD interest rates. However, the effective duration of the portfolio remains 0.10 longer than the benchmark at the aggregate level because the portfolio is over weighted in Copyright 2015 FactSet Research Systems Inc. All rights reserved. 8

9 the GBP and EUR sectors and the effective durations of those sectors are longer than the effective duration of the USD sector, which is underweighted. By including options positions, which are highly leveraged, it also increased the overall convexity of the portfolio relative to benchmark, from to FactSet Calculations Options on Treasury Note and Bund futures generate no coupon or principal cash flows, and therefore, consist entirely of price return. In FactSet, price return is always displayed in local currency terms. In a multi-currency portfolio, total return is reported in a user-selected reporting currency and includes a currency return component: Currency return is calculated as: = Price + Currency Currency = (report currency) (local currency) To calculate total return in a reporting currency that is different than the local currency, FactSet applies exchange rate adjustments to the local price return as follows: where: Currency Adjusted = (P e P b ) (P b + AI b ) (FX e FX b ) + P e = Price + P b = Beginning Price + AI b = Beginning Accrued Interest + FX e = FX rate + FX b = Beginning FX rate In the multi-currency portfolio example, a reporting currency is selected and the local returns are converted to reporting currency returns. This is shown in Table 8 for the portfolio, excluding the option contracts. The holding period is 31 days, the price and coupon returns are in local currency, and the total returns and variations in total returns are in EUR. Copyright 2015 FactSet Research Systems Inc. All rights reserved. 9

10 Table 8: Components and Contributions Portfolio, Excluding Options, versus Benchmark Components s & Contributions Coupon Port Contribution to Bench. Bench Contribution to Price Currency GBP EUR USD The Components section of Table 8 shows portfolio price return, portfolio coupon return, and portfolio currency return. The s & Contributions section shows total returns for the portfolio and benchmark, as well as the contributions to total returns by currency sector. Finally, the section shows the difference in total return between the portfolio and the benchmark. For the period, the portfolio total return was one basis point less than the benchmark total return. Positive relative contributions in the EUR and GBP sectors (0.21 and 0.06, respectively) were more than offset by negative contribution from the USD sector (-0.28). Table 9 shows similar data for the portfolio, including the options: Table 9: Components and Contributions Portfolio, Including Options, versus Benchmark Price Components s & Contributions Coupon Currency Port Contribution to Bench. Bench Contribution to GBP EUR USD The portfolio s total return for the holding period was 3.30%, up from 2.97% shown in Table 8. The total return of the portfolio relative to the benchmark also increased by the same amount. The options added to portfolio total return, but how? To answer this question, we turn to benchmark-relative performance attribution. Attribution of Portfolio and Benchmark s FactSet s performance attribution model explains benchmark-relative performance based on factors of attribution, portfolio exposures relative to the benchmark, and changes in market conditions. FactSet provides users with flexibility to choose the attribution factors and how the attribution is displayed. This paper describes a basic approach where the factors of attribution are chosen to match the portfolio strategy variables commonly employed by fixed income managers. The relationship between those strategy variables and the factors of attribution are summarized in Table 10, which shows the configuration of FactSet s basic attribution model: Copyright 2015 FactSet Research Systems Inc. All rights reserved. 10

11 Table 10: FactSet Basic Performance Attribution Model Portfolio Strategy Strategy Variable Attribution Factor () Interest rates ive Duration Shift Yield Curve Partial Durations Twist Sector Allocation Sector weight (%) Allocation Bond Selection Bond Weight (%) Selection Currency Currency weight (%) Currency The attribution factors include shift, twist, allocation, selection, and currency. For a full explanation of FactSet s attribution methodology, reporting configurations, and calculation details, see A Flexible Benchmark Relative Method of Attributing s for Fixed Income Portfolios. 2 One advantage of FactSet s approach is that a common methodology and set of calculations are used for all security types, including options on government note and bond futures. For interest rate related options, the most relevant attribution factors are shift and twist since options on futures are primarily interest rate sensitive instruments. Shift return is calculated as: Shift = 1 E Duration Δ Shift Point E Convexity (Δ ShiftPoint ) 2 Twist return is calculated as: Twist = ( 1 E PartialDuration1 (Δ PartialPoint1 Δ ShiftPoint )) + ( 1 E PartialDuration2 (Δ PartialPoint2 Δ ShiftPoint )) + ( 1 E PartialDuration3 (Δ PartialPoint3 Δ ShiftPoint )) + ( 1 E PartialDurationN (Δ PartialPointN Δ ShiftPoint )) 2 Kwasniewski, Stanley J., CFA A Flexible Benchmark Relative Method of Attributing s for Fixed Income Portfolios. Copyright 2015 FactSet Research Systems Inc. All rights reserved. 11

12 where: + E Duration = ive Duration + Δ ShiftPoint = Change in the Yield of a UserDefined Yield Curve Shift Point + E Convexity = ive Convexity + E PartialDuration# = ive Partial Duration at a Specific Yield Curve Point + Δ PartialPoint# = Change in the Yield of a Specific Yield Curve Point Shift and twist returns represent the portion of total return explained by changes in the level of interest rates and changes in the shape of the yield curve, respectively. Shift and twist returns exclude spread and carry components and are calculated independently of the benchmark. Subtracting shift and twist return from total return results in Residual : Residual = (Shift + Twist ) Residual return represents the portion of total return unexplained by shift and twist. It includes return components such as spread, income, paydown, carry (accretion and roll down), volatility, inflation, and basis. 3 For options on government bond futures, residual return is primarily basis and carry. Residual returns are used to quantify allocation and selection effects, both of which are calculated relative to the benchmark, as follows: Allocation = [(W i W i ) (RR i RR)] i where: Selection = [W i (RR i RR i )] i + W i = Weight of Group i in Portfolio + W i = Weight of Group i in Benchmark + RR i = Residual of Group i in Benchmark + RR = Overall Benchmark Residual + RR i = Residual of Group i in Portfolio ing to the portfolio example, Table 11 shows performance attribution for the portfolio, excluding options, relative to the benchmark. The portfolio and benchmark returns are shown in both local and EUR currency terms and the attribution results are in local terms. 3 Most of these components comprise the optional factors in FactSet s fixed income attribution model. Clients who wish to analyze the full range of total return components can add these additional attribution factors to their analysis. For a full description of this methodology, please see A Flexible Benchmark Relative Method of Attributing s for Fixed Income Portfolios. Copyright 2015 FactSet Research Systems Inc. All rights reserved. 12

13 Table 11: Basic Attribution of Portfolio, Excluding Options, versus Benchmark Local s EUR s Attribution Bench. in Bench. Shift Twist Allocation Selection Currency GBP EUR USD Over the holding period the portfolio total return in EUR was 2.97 percent about one basis point less than the total return of the benchmark. The attribution results indicate that the shift (-0.11), twist (0.04), allocation (0.01), selection (0.15), and currency effects (-0.10) were largely offsetting in the aggregate. As described previously, the Euro-Bund futures call options were purchased to lengthen the EUR sector duration by 1.25 and the 10-year U.S. Treasury Note futures put options were purchased to shorten USD sector duration by For purposes of the example, the options positions that were determined by the hedge ratio calculation described earlier were held static during the holding period; there was no rebalancing of the derivatives as might occur in practice. During the holding period, 5-Year German government benchmark rates, a proxy for EUR interest rates, declined by about 14 basis points and 5- Year U.S. Treasury interest rates declined by about 5 basis points. Table 12 shows the total return and performance attribution results when options are included in the portfolio: Table 12: Basic Attribution of Portfolio, Including Options, versus Benchmark Local s EUR s Attribution Bench. in Bench. Shift Twist Allocation Selection Currency GBP EUR USD By comparing Table 12 (including options) to Table 11 (excluding options), the impact of the derivative strategy is evident. Portfolio total return versus benchmark increased by 32 basis points ( ). For the portfolio alone, the call options on Euro-Bund futures added 86 basis points ( ) to the local return of the EUR sector, while the put options on 10-year U.S. Treasury Note futures subtracted 2 basis points ( ) in local return from the USD sector. At aggregate level, the net result was an increase in total portfolio return by 33 basis points ( ). The attribution reveals why. The shift effect of the EUR sector increased by 32 basis points ( ) because the long call position added duration to that sector, and EUR rates declined. By comparison, the shift effect of the USD sector was essentially unchanged largely because the magnitude of the increase in duration and decrease in USD rates was smaller. At the aggregate level, the overall shift effect increased by 32 basis Copyright 2015 FactSet Research Systems Inc. All rights reserved. 13

14 points ( ). The options strategy paid off more than expected; the aggregate level shift effect of 0.21 percent was greater than what one would expect under duration neutrality. Two possible explanations account for this. First, the options positions were held static during the holding period. As rates declined, futures prices increased and the call options went deep into the money, contributing increasing duration to the EUR sector and to the overall portfolio. At the same time, the put options went deep out of the money, becoming essentially worthless. Another way to view this is in terms of convexity and the corresponding impact it has on duration as interest rates change. Contribution to duration was impacted by convexity and the changing market value of the options, which increased for the calls and declined for the puts. In total, the call options had greater impact with regard to duration, which is why the shift effect increased as EUR interest rates declined. The large impact on portfolio convexity of options is one characteristic of this strategy that is not shared by futures strategies. This should be taken into account, along with the asymmetric return profile of options, when deciding whether to use options or futures to target sector and/or portfolio durations. Further analysis of Table 11 and Table 12 reveals that the impact of the options on twist effects at the portfolio and sector levels was much smaller than their impact on the shift effects because both the EUR and USD yield curves generally moved in parallel over the measurement period. The allocation effect did not change at the portfolio or sector levels because the options positions had negligible impact on the portfolio sector weights. This emphasizes the high leverage characteristic of options strategies. The selection effect of the EUR sector increased modestly as a result of the call options. They had higher residual returns for the holding period compared to the corresponding index sector s residual return, but modest low weights. In summary, the attribution indicates a significant shift effect impact on relative performance as a result of declining EUR and USD rates when options are included in the portfolio. This is a result of the convexity characteristics of options, and would not have occurred had futures been used instead. Also, if the options positions had been dynamically re-balanced throughout the holding period to maintain the desired sector duration targets, the shift effect would have been lower and more in line with a duration neutral strategy. Summary and Conclusions Options on government note and bond futures are often used by portfolio managers to hedge durations and alter interest rate exposures of global bond portfolios. The analytics and returns calculated by FactSet constitute the basis for calculating performance attribution for portfolios that include options versus benchmarks. As this paper shows, the attribution of relative portfolio performance can be calculated and reported at a basic level that relates the factors of attribution to primary investment strategies, or on a more advanced level by enabling a high degree of user choice and configuration of attribution factors. Whichever approach is taken, FactSet accurately measures and accounts for the impact of options on government note and bond futures within the context of portfolio analysis and performance attribution. Copyright 2015 FactSet Research Systems Inc. All rights reserved. 14

A Flexible Benchmark Relative Method of Attributing Returns for Fixed Income Portfolios

A Flexible Benchmark Relative Method of Attributing Returns for Fixed Income Portfolios White Paper A Flexible Benchmark Relative Method of Attributing s for Fixed Income Portfolios By Stanley J. Kwasniewski, CFA Copyright 2013 FactSet Research Systems Inc. All rights reserved. A Flexible

More information

A Flexible Benchmark-Relative Method of Attributing Returns for Balanced Portfolios

A Flexible Benchmark-Relative Method of Attributing Returns for Balanced Portfolios White Paper A Flexible Benchmark-Relative Method of Attributing Returns for Balanced Portfolios By Stanley J. Kwasniewski, CFA Copyright 2016 FactSet Research Systems Inc. All rights reserved. www.factset.com

More information

Using Derivatives in the Fixed Income Markets

Using Derivatives in the Fixed Income Markets Using Derivatives in the Fixed Income Markets A White Paper by Manning & Napier www.manning-napier.com Unless otherwise noted, all figures are based in USD. 1 Introduction While derivatives may have a

More information

1.2 Structured notes

1.2 Structured notes 1.2 Structured notes Structured notes are financial products that appear to be fixed income instruments, but contain embedded options and do not necessarily reflect the risk of the issuing credit. Used

More information

Investments 320 Dr. Ahmed Y. Dashti Chapter 3 Interactive Qustions

Investments 320 Dr. Ahmed Y. Dashti Chapter 3 Interactive Qustions Investments 320 Dr. Ahmed Y. Dashti Chapter 3 Interactive Qustions 3-1. A primary asset is an initial offering sold by a business, or government, to raise funds. A) True B) False 3-2. Money market instruments

More information

LOCKING IN TREASURY RATES WITH TREASURY LOCKS

LOCKING IN TREASURY RATES WITH TREASURY LOCKS LOCKING IN TREASURY RATES WITH TREASURY LOCKS Interest-rate sensitive financial decisions often involve a waiting period before they can be implemen-ted. This delay exposes institutions to the risk that

More information

Derivatives Interest Rate Futures. Professor André Farber Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management Université Libre de Bruxelles

Derivatives Interest Rate Futures. Professor André Farber Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management Université Libre de Bruxelles Derivatives Interest Rate Futures Professor André Farber Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management Université Libre de Bruxelles Interest Rate Derivatives Forward rate agreement (FRA): OTC contract

More information

MONEY MARKET FUTURES. FINANCE TRAINER International Money Market Futures / Page 1 of 22

MONEY MARKET FUTURES. FINANCE TRAINER International Money Market Futures / Page 1 of 22 MONEY MARKET FUTURES 1. Conventions and Contract Specifications... 3 2. Main Markets of Money Market Futures... 7 3. Exchange and Clearing House... 8 4. The Margin System... 9 5. Comparison: Money Market

More information

Understanding Currency

Understanding Currency Understanding Currency Overlay July 2010 PREPARED BY Gregory J. Leonberger, FSA Director of Research Abstract As portfolios have expanded to include international investments, investors must be aware of

More information

Swap Rate Curve Strategies with Deliverable Interest Rate Swap Futures

Swap Rate Curve Strategies with Deliverable Interest Rate Swap Futures Swap Rate Curve Strategies with Deliverable Interest Rate Swap By James Boudreault, CFA Research & Product Development Table of Contents I. Introduction II. Swap Curve: Level, Slope, and Shape III. Trading

More information

JB Certificates and Warrants on Interest Rates in EUR, USD and CHF

JB Certificates and Warrants on Interest Rates in EUR, USD and CHF JB Certificates and Warrants on Interest Rates in EUR, USD and CHF Efficient instruments to hedge bonds, mortgages and lombard loans against rising interest rates Zurich, 2013 Content Table Embedded risks

More information

BOND FUTURES. 1. Terminology... 2 2. Application... 11. FINANCE TRAINER International Bond Futures / Page 1 of 12

BOND FUTURES. 1. Terminology... 2 2. Application... 11. FINANCE TRAINER International Bond Futures / Page 1 of 12 BOND FUTURES 1. Terminology... 2 2. Application... 11 FINANCE TRAINER International Bond Futures / Page 1 of 12 1. Terminology A future is a contract to either sell or buy a certain underlying on a specified

More information

Eurodollar Futures, and Forwards

Eurodollar Futures, and Forwards 5 Eurodollar Futures, and Forwards In this chapter we will learn about Eurodollar Deposits Eurodollar Futures Contracts, Hedging strategies using ED Futures, Forward Rate Agreements, Pricing FRAs. Hedging

More information

Product Descriptions Credit Derivatives. Credit Derivatives Product Descriptions

Product Descriptions Credit Derivatives. Credit Derivatives Product Descriptions Credit Derivatives Product Descriptions 1 Products Credit Derivatives Indices Credit Derivatives Tranches Credit Derivatives Options Product Specifications Credit Derivatives Indices A credit default swap

More information

Fixed Income Portfolio Management. Interest rate sensitivity, duration, and convexity

Fixed Income Portfolio Management. Interest rate sensitivity, duration, and convexity Fixed Income ortfolio Management Interest rate sensitivity, duration, and convexity assive bond portfolio management Active bond portfolio management Interest rate swaps 1 Interest rate sensitivity, duration,

More information

ASSET LIABILITY MANAGEMENT Significance and Basic Methods. Dr Philip Symes. Philip Symes, 2006

ASSET LIABILITY MANAGEMENT Significance and Basic Methods. Dr Philip Symes. Philip Symes, 2006 1 ASSET LIABILITY MANAGEMENT Significance and Basic Methods Dr Philip Symes Introduction 2 Asset liability management (ALM) is the management of financial assets by a company to make returns. ALM is necessary

More information

CHAPTER 7 FUTURES AND OPTIONS ON FOREIGN EXCHANGE SUGGESTED ANSWERS AND SOLUTIONS TO END-OF-CHAPTER QUESTIONS AND PROBLEMS

CHAPTER 7 FUTURES AND OPTIONS ON FOREIGN EXCHANGE SUGGESTED ANSWERS AND SOLUTIONS TO END-OF-CHAPTER QUESTIONS AND PROBLEMS CHAPTER 7 FUTURES AND OPTIONS ON FOREIGN EXCHANGE SUGGESTED ANSWERS AND SOLUTIONS TO END-OF-CHAPTER QUESTIONS AND PROBLEMS QUESTIONS 1. Explain the basic differences between the operation of a currency

More information

Monthly Leveraged Mutual Funds UNDERSTANDING THE COMPOSITION, BENEFITS & RISKS

Monthly Leveraged Mutual Funds UNDERSTANDING THE COMPOSITION, BENEFITS & RISKS Monthly Leveraged Mutual Funds UNDERSTANDING THE COMPOSITION, BENEFITS & RISKS Direxion 2x Monthly Leveraged Mutual Funds provide 200% (or 200% of the inverse) exposure to their benchmarks and the ability

More information

Terminology of Convertable Bonds

Terminology of Convertable Bonds Bellerive 241 P.o. Box CH-8034 Zurich [email protected] www.fam.ch T +41 44 284 24 24 Terminology of Convertable Bonds Fisch Asset Management Terminology of Convertible Bonds Seite 2 28 ACCRUED INTEREST 7 ADJUSTABLE-RATE

More information

Note 10: Derivative Instruments

Note 10: Derivative Instruments Note 10: Derivative Instruments Derivative instruments are financial contracts that derive their value from underlying changes in interest rates, foreign exchange rates or other financial or commodity

More information

Interest Rate Options

Interest Rate Options Interest Rate Options A discussion of how investors can help control interest rate exposure and make the most of the interest rate market. The Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) is the world s largest

More information

Money market portfolio

Money market portfolio 1 Money market portfolio April 11 Management of Norges Bank s money market portfolio Report for the fourth quarter 1 Contents 1 Key figures Market value and return 3 3 Market risk and management guidelines

More information

An Attractive Income Option for a Strategic Allocation

An Attractive Income Option for a Strategic Allocation An Attractive Income Option for a Strategic Allocation Voya Senior Loans Suite A strategic allocation provides potential for high and relatively steady income through most credit and rate cycles Improves

More information

1. HOW DOES FOREIGN EXCHANGE TRADING WORK?

1. HOW DOES FOREIGN EXCHANGE TRADING WORK? XV. Important additional information on forex transactions / risks associated with foreign exchange transactions (also in the context of forward exchange transactions) The following information is given

More information

CHAPTER 7: FIXED-INCOME SECURITIES: PRICING AND TRADING

CHAPTER 7: FIXED-INCOME SECURITIES: PRICING AND TRADING CHAPTER 7: FIXED-INCOME SECURITIES: PRICING AND TRADING Topic One: Bond Pricing Principles 1. Present Value. A. The present-value calculation is used to estimate how much an investor should pay for a bond;

More information

Review for Exam 1. Instructions: Please read carefully

Review for Exam 1. Instructions: Please read carefully Review for Exam 1 Instructions: Please read carefully The exam will have 20 multiple choice questions and 5 work problems. Questions in the multiple choice section will be either concept or calculation

More information

CHAPTER 23: FUTURES, SWAPS, AND RISK MANAGEMENT

CHAPTER 23: FUTURES, SWAPS, AND RISK MANAGEMENT CHAPTER 23: FUTURES, SWAPS, AND RISK MANAGEMENT PROBLEM SETS 1. In formulating a hedge position, a stock s beta and a bond s duration are used similarly to determine the expected percentage gain or loss

More information

The case for high yield

The case for high yield The case for high yield Jennifer Ponce de Leon, Vice President, Senior Sector Leader Wendy Price, Director, Institutional Product Management We believe high yield is a compelling relative investment opportunity

More information

Introduction to Fixed Income (IFI) Course Syllabus

Introduction to Fixed Income (IFI) Course Syllabus Introduction to Fixed Income (IFI) Course Syllabus 1. Fixed income markets 1.1 Understand the function of fixed income markets 1.2 Know the main fixed income market products: Loans Bonds Money market instruments

More information

The Short Dated Interest Rate Market Trading JIBAR Futures

The Short Dated Interest Rate Market Trading JIBAR Futures JOHANNESBURG STOCK EXCHANGE Interest Rates The Short Dated Interest Rate Market Trading JIBAR Futures JIBAR Futures are Short Term Interest Rate (STIR) Futures based on the 3-month JIBAR (Johannesburg

More information

TREATMENT OF PREPAID DERIVATIVE CONTRACTS. Background

TREATMENT OF PREPAID DERIVATIVE CONTRACTS. Background Traditional forward contracts TREATMENT OF PREPAID DERIVATIVE CONTRACTS Background A forward contract is an agreement to deliver a specified quantity of a defined item or class of property, such as corn,

More information

Reference Manual Currency Options

Reference Manual Currency Options Reference Manual Currency Options TMX Group Equities Toronto Stock Exchange TSX Venture Exchange TMX Select Equicom Derivatives Montréal Exchange CDCC Montréal Climate Exchange Fixed Income Shorcan Energy

More information

Chapter 16: Financial Risk Management

Chapter 16: Financial Risk Management Chapter 16: Financial Risk Management Introduction Overview of Financial Risk Management in Treasury Interest Rate Risk Foreign Exchange (FX) Risk Commodity Price Risk Managing Financial Risk The Benefits

More information

What s behind the liquidity spread? On-the-run and off-the-run US Treasuries in autumn 1998 1

What s behind the liquidity spread? On-the-run and off-the-run US Treasuries in autumn 1998 1 Craig H Furfine +4 6 28 923 [email protected] Eli M Remolona +4 6 28 844 [email protected] What s behind the liquidity spread? On-the-run and off-the-run US Treasuries in autumn 998 Autumn 998 witnessed

More information

Fixed-Income Securities. Assignment

Fixed-Income Securities. Assignment FIN 472 Professor Robert B.H. Hauswald Fixed-Income Securities Kogod School of Business, AU Assignment Please be reminded that you are expected to use contemporary computer software to solve the following

More information

Index, Interest Rate, and Currency Options

Index, Interest Rate, and Currency Options CHAPTER 3 Index, Interest Rate, and Currency Options INTRODUCTION In an effort to gauge the market s overall performance, industry participants developed indexes. Two of the most widely followed indexes

More information

How To Know Market Risk

How To Know Market Risk Chapter 6 Market Risk for Single Trading Positions Market risk is the risk that the market value of trading positions will be adversely influenced by changes in prices and/or interest rates. For banks,

More information

Learning Curve Interest Rate Futures Contracts Moorad Choudhry

Learning Curve Interest Rate Futures Contracts Moorad Choudhry Learning Curve Interest Rate Futures Contracts Moorad Choudhry YieldCurve.com 2004 Page 1 The market in short-term interest rate derivatives is a large and liquid one, and the instruments involved are

More information

INTRODUCTION TO COTTON OPTIONS Blake K. Bennett Extension Economist/Management Texas Cooperative Extension, The Texas A&M University System

INTRODUCTION TO COTTON OPTIONS Blake K. Bennett Extension Economist/Management Texas Cooperative Extension, The Texas A&M University System INTRODUCTION TO COTTON OPTIONS Blake K. Bennett Extension Economist/Management Texas Cooperative Extension, The Texas A&M University System INTRODUCTION For well over a century, industry representatives

More information

Note 8: Derivative Instruments

Note 8: Derivative Instruments Note 8: Derivative Instruments Derivative instruments are financial contracts that derive their value from underlying changes in interest rates, foreign exchange rates or other financial or commodity prices

More information

Active Fixed Income: A Primer

Active Fixed Income: A Primer Active Fixed Income: A Primer www.madisonadv.com Active Fixed Income: A Primer Most investors have a basic understanding of equity securities and may even spend a good deal of leisure time reading about

More information

Creating Forward-Starting Swaps with DSFs

Creating Forward-Starting Swaps with DSFs INTEREST RATES Creating -Starting Swaps with s JULY 23, 2013 John W. Labuszewski Managing Director Research & Product Development 312-466-7469 [email protected] CME Group introduced its Deliverable Swap

More information

Fixed Income Liquidity in a Rising Rate Environment

Fixed Income Liquidity in a Rising Rate Environment Fixed Income Liquidity in a Rising Rate Environment 2 Executive Summary Ò Fixed income market liquidity has declined, causing greater concern about prospective liquidity in a potential broad market sell-off

More information

Bonds and Yield to Maturity

Bonds and Yield to Maturity Bonds and Yield to Maturity Bonds A bond is a debt instrument requiring the issuer to repay to the lender/investor the amount borrowed (par or face value) plus interest over a specified period of time.

More information

Introduction to Fixed Income & Credit. Asset Management

Introduction to Fixed Income & Credit. Asset Management Introduction to Fixed Income & Credit Asset Management Fixed Income explanation The Basis of Fixed Income is the need to purchase today with not enough cash available: ie. Mortgage or consumer loan You

More information

BEAR: A person who believes that the price of a particular security or the market as a whole will go lower.

BEAR: A person who believes that the price of a particular security or the market as a whole will go lower. Trading Terms ARBITRAGE: The simultaneous purchase and sale of identical or equivalent financial instruments in order to benefit from a discrepancy in their price relationship. More generally, it refers

More information

Option Values. Option Valuation. Call Option Value before Expiration. Determinants of Call Option Values

Option Values. Option Valuation. Call Option Value before Expiration. Determinants of Call Option Values Option Values Option Valuation Intrinsic value profit that could be made if the option was immediately exercised Call: stock price exercise price : S T X i i k i X S Put: exercise price stock price : X

More information

Pricing and Strategy for Muni BMA Swaps

Pricing and Strategy for Muni BMA Swaps J.P. Morgan Management Municipal Strategy Note BMA Basis Swaps: Can be used to trade the relative value of Libor against short maturity tax exempt bonds. Imply future tax rates and can be used to take

More information

SUMMARY PROSPECTUS SIPT VP Conservative Strategy Fund (SVPTX) Class II

SUMMARY PROSPECTUS SIPT VP Conservative Strategy Fund (SVPTX) Class II April 30, 2016 SUMMARY PROSPECTUS SIPT VP Conservative Strategy Fund (SVPTX) Class II Before you invest, you may want to review the Fund s Prospectus, which contains information about the Fund and its

More information

CHAPTER 16: MANAGING BOND PORTFOLIOS

CHAPTER 16: MANAGING BOND PORTFOLIOS CHAPTER 16: MANAGING BOND PORTFOLIOS PROBLEM SETS 1. While it is true that short-term rates are more volatile than long-term rates, the longer duration of the longer-term bonds makes their prices and their

More information

DERIVATIVES IN INDIAN STOCK MARKET

DERIVATIVES IN INDIAN STOCK MARKET DERIVATIVES IN INDIAN STOCK MARKET Dr. Rashmi Rathi Assistant Professor Onkarmal Somani College of Commerce, Jodhpur ABSTRACT The past decade has witnessed multiple growths in the volume of international

More information

International Master Economics and Finance

International Master Economics and Finance International Master Economics and Finance Mario Bellia [email protected] Pricing Derivatives using Bloomberg Professional Service 03/2013 IRS Summary FRA Plain vanilla swap Amortizing swap Cap, Floor, Digital

More information

Introduction, Forwards and Futures

Introduction, Forwards and Futures Introduction, Forwards and Futures Liuren Wu Zicklin School of Business, Baruch College Fall, 2007 (Hull chapters: 1,2,3,5) Liuren Wu Introduction, Forwards & Futures Option Pricing, Fall, 2007 1 / 35

More information

Variance swaps and CBOE S&P 500 variance futures

Variance swaps and CBOE S&P 500 variance futures Variance swaps and CBOE S&P 500 variance futures by Lewis Biscamp and Tim Weithers, Chicago Trading Company, LLC Over the past several years, equity-index volatility products have emerged as an asset class

More information

CHAPTER 22: FUTURES MARKETS

CHAPTER 22: FUTURES MARKETS CHAPTER 22: FUTURES MARKETS PROBLEM SETS 1. There is little hedging or speculative demand for cement futures, since cement prices are fairly stable and predictable. The trading activity necessary to support

More information

Swaps: complex structures

Swaps: complex structures Swaps: complex structures Complex swap structures refer to non-standard swaps whose coupons, notional, accrual and calendar used for coupon determination and payments are tailored made to serve client

More information

Currency Derivatives Guide

Currency Derivatives Guide Currency Derivatives Guide What are Futures? In finance, a futures contract (futures) is a standardised contract between two parties to buy or sell a specified asset of standardised quantity and quality

More information

Currency Options. www.m-x.ca

Currency Options. www.m-x.ca Currency Options www.m-x.ca Table of Contents Introduction...3 How currencies are quoted in the spot market...4 How currency options work...6 Underlying currency...6 Trading unit...6 Option premiums...6

More information

VANILLA OPTIONS MANUAL

VANILLA OPTIONS MANUAL VANILLA OPTIONS MANUAL BALANCE YOUR RISK WITH OPTIONS Blue Capital Markets Limited 2013. All rights reserved. Content Part A The what and why of options 1 Types of options: Profit and loss scenarios 2

More information

INTRODUCTION TO OPTIONS MARKETS QUESTIONS

INTRODUCTION TO OPTIONS MARKETS QUESTIONS INTRODUCTION TO OPTIONS MARKETS QUESTIONS 1. What is the difference between a put option and a call option? 2. What is the difference between an American option and a European option? 3. Why does an option

More information

The mechanics of the warrants market

The mechanics of the warrants market Course #: Title Course 01a The mechanics of the warrants market Topic 1: What are warrants?... 3 The ASX Warrants market... 3 Topic 2: Warrant features... 4 Underlying... 4 Exercise price (final payment)...

More information

Basic Strategies for Managing U.S. Dollar/Brazilian Real Exchange Rate Risk for Dollar-Denominated Investors. By Ira G. Kawaller Updated May 2003

Basic Strategies for Managing U.S. Dollar/Brazilian Real Exchange Rate Risk for Dollar-Denominated Investors. By Ira G. Kawaller Updated May 2003 Basic Strategies for Managing U.S. Dollar/Brazilian Real Exchange Rate Risk for Dollar-Denominated Investors By Ira G. Kawaller Updated May 2003 Brazilian Real futures and options on futures at Chicago

More information

Investment options and risk

Investment options and risk ADF Super Australian Defence Force Superannuation Investment options and Issued 2 June 2016 The information in this document forms part of the Product Disclosure Statement for the Australian Defence Force

More information

Equity-index-linked swaps

Equity-index-linked swaps Equity-index-linked swaps Equivalent to portfolios of forward contracts calling for the exchange of cash flows based on two different investment rates: a variable debt rate (e.g. 3-month LIBOR) and the

More information

SFDCP TARGET DATE FUND PORTFOLIO SUMMARY: January 29, 2016

SFDCP TARGET DATE FUND PORTFOLIO SUMMARY: January 29, 2016 SFDCP TARGET DATE FUND PORTFOLIO SUMMARY: January 29, 2016 SFDCP Target Date Funds Overview SFDCP Target Date Funds (each, a Fund and collectively the Funds or the SFDCP Target Date Funds ) were developed

More information

Caput Derivatives: October 30, 2003

Caput Derivatives: October 30, 2003 Caput Derivatives: October 30, 2003 Exam + Answers Total time: 2 hours and 30 minutes. Note 1: You are allowed to use books, course notes, and a calculator. Question 1. [20 points] Consider an investor

More information

Advanced forms of currency swaps

Advanced forms of currency swaps Advanced forms of currency swaps Basis swaps Basis swaps involve swapping one floating index rate for another. Banks may need to use basis swaps to arrange a currency swap for the customers. Example A

More information

Positioning Fixed Income for Rising Interest Rates

Positioning Fixed Income for Rising Interest Rates Positioning Fixed Income for Rising Interest Rates Investment Case: High-Yield Bonds Hedged with U.S. Treasuries Market Vectors Investment Grade Floating Rate ETF Designed to hedge the risk of rising interest

More information

3Q14. Are Unconstrained Bond Funds a Substitute for Core Bonds? August 2014. Executive Summary. Introduction

3Q14. Are Unconstrained Bond Funds a Substitute for Core Bonds? August 2014. Executive Summary. Introduction 3Q14 TOPICS OF INTEREST Are Unconstrained Bond Funds a Substitute for Core Bonds? August 2014 Executive Summary PETER WILAMOSKI, PH.D. Director of Economic Research Proponents of unconstrained bond funds

More information

Futures & Options - Midterm - Fall 1998

Futures & Options - Midterm - Fall 1998 Futures & Options - Midterm - Fall 1998 Answer 7 of 8 sections made up of three multiple choice pages and 5 essay/problem sections. Multiple choice questions count off 2 points each, and each section of

More information

Security Bank Treasury FX and Rates Hedging Division Gearing Up for External Competitiveness November 19, 2014. Treasury FXRH

Security Bank Treasury FX and Rates Hedging Division Gearing Up for External Competitiveness November 19, 2014. Treasury FXRH Security Bank Treasury FX and Rates Hedging Division Gearing Up for External Competitiveness November 19, 2014 HEDGING, DERIVATIVES AND SPECULATION HEDGING Making an investment to reduce the risk of adverse

More information

Section 1 - Covered Call Writing: Basic Terms and Definitions

Section 1 - Covered Call Writing: Basic Terms and Definitions Section 1 - Covered Call Writing: Basic Terms and Definitions Covered call writing is one of the most often-used option strategies, both at the institutional and individual level. Before discussing the

More information

Mechanics of Foreign Exchange - money movement around the world and how different currencies will affect your profit

Mechanics of Foreign Exchange - money movement around the world and how different currencies will affect your profit Dear Business Leader, Welcome to the Business Insight Seminars an exclusive, informational series to help you gain a powerful edge in today s highly competitive business environment. Our first topic in

More information

Risk and return in Þxed income arbitrage: Nickels in front of a steamroller?

Risk and return in Þxed income arbitrage: Nickels in front of a steamroller? Risk and return in Þxed income arbitrage Université d Evry June 2005 1 Risk and return in Þxed income arbitrage: Nickels in front of a steamroller? Jefferson Duarte University of Washington Francis Longstaff

More information

How To Understand A Rates Transaction

How To Understand A Rates Transaction International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc. Disclosure Annex for Interest Rate Transactions This Annex supplements and should be read in conjunction with the General Disclosure Statement. NOTHING

More information

Guidance on the management of interest rate risk arising from nontrading

Guidance on the management of interest rate risk arising from nontrading Guidance on the management of interest rate risk arising from nontrading activities Introduction 1. These Guidelines refer to the application of the Supervisory Review Process under Pillar 2 to a structured

More information

Estimating Risk free Rates. Aswath Damodaran. Stern School of Business. 44 West Fourth Street. New York, NY 10012. [email protected].

Estimating Risk free Rates. Aswath Damodaran. Stern School of Business. 44 West Fourth Street. New York, NY 10012. Adamodar@stern.nyu. Estimating Risk free Rates Aswath Damodaran Stern School of Business 44 West Fourth Street New York, NY 10012 [email protected] Estimating Risk free Rates Models of risk and return in finance start

More information

Using Currency Futures to Hedge Currency Risk

Using Currency Futures to Hedge Currency Risk Using Currency Futures to Hedge Currency Risk By Sayee Srinivasan & Steven Youngren Product Research & Development Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. Introduction Investment professionals face a tough climate.

More information

A Short Introduction to Credit Default Swaps

A Short Introduction to Credit Default Swaps A Short Introduction to Credit Default Swaps by Dr. Michail Anthropelos Spring 2010 1. Introduction The credit default swap (CDS) is the most common and widely used member of a large family of securities

More information

Distinguishing duration from convexity

Distinguishing duration from convexity Distinguishing duration from convexity Vanguard research May 010 Executive summary. For equity investors, the perception of risk is generally straightforward: Market risk the possibility that prices may

More information

Managing Risk/Reward in Fixed Income

Managing Risk/Reward in Fixed Income INSIGHTS Managing Risk/Reward in Fixed Income Using Global Currency-Hedged Indices as Benchmarks In the pursuit of alpha, is it better to use a global hedged or unhedged index as a benchmark for measuring

More information

Setting the scene. by Stephen McCabe, Commonwealth Bank of Australia

Setting the scene. by Stephen McCabe, Commonwealth Bank of Australia Establishing risk and reward within FX hedging strategies by Stephen McCabe, Commonwealth Bank of Australia Almost all Australian corporate entities have exposure to Foreign Exchange (FX) markets. Typically

More information

CHAPTER 22: FUTURES MARKETS

CHAPTER 22: FUTURES MARKETS CHAPTER 22: FUTURES MARKETS 1. a. The closing price for the spot index was 1329.78. The dollar value of stocks is thus $250 1329.78 = $332,445. The closing futures price for the March contract was 1364.00,

More information

Examination II. Fixed income valuation and analysis. Economics

Examination II. Fixed income valuation and analysis. Economics Examination II Fixed income valuation and analysis Economics Questions Foundation examination March 2008 FIRST PART: Multiple Choice Questions (48 points) Hereafter you must answer all 12 multiple choice

More information

INDEX GUIDE MARKET VECTORS US DYNAMIC PUT WRITE INDEX

INDEX GUIDE MARKET VECTORS US DYNAMIC PUT WRITE INDEX INDEX GUIDE MARKET VECTORS US DYNAMIC PUT WRITE INDEX VERSION 1.12 06.2015 CONTENT TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION 3 1.1 MARKET VECTORS SPECIALTY INDICES 3 1.2 NAMES AND SYMBOL 3 1.3 BASE DATE AND BASE

More information

A Primer on Valuing Common Stock per IRS 409A and the Impact of FAS 157

A Primer on Valuing Common Stock per IRS 409A and the Impact of FAS 157 A Primer on Valuing Common Stock per IRS 409A and the Impact of FAS 157 By Stanley Jay Feldman, Ph.D. Chairman and Chief Valuation Officer Axiom Valuation Solutions 201 Edgewater Drive, Suite 255 Wakefield,

More information

Impact of rising interest rates on preferred securities

Impact of rising interest rates on preferred securities Impact of rising interest rates on preferred securities This report looks at the risks preferred investors may face in a rising-interest-rate environment. We are currently in a period of historically low

More information

Learning by Doing: Portfolio Management Using the Bloomberg Professional Service

Learning by Doing: Portfolio Management Using the Bloomberg Professional Service Learning by Doing: Portfolio Management Using the Bloomberg Professional Service David S. Allen Associate Professor of Finance The W. A. Franke College of Business Northern Arizona University P.O. Box

More information

Trading the Yield Curve. Copyright 1999-2006 Investment Analytics

Trading the Yield Curve. Copyright 1999-2006 Investment Analytics Trading the Yield Curve Copyright 1999-2006 Investment Analytics 1 Trading the Yield Curve Repos Riding the Curve Yield Spread Trades Coupon Rolls Yield Curve Steepeners & Flatteners Butterfly Trading

More information

MULTIPLE CHOICE. Choose the one alternative that best completes the statement or answers the question.

MULTIPLE CHOICE. Choose the one alternative that best completes the statement or answers the question. ECON 4110: Sample Exam Name MULTIPLE CHOICE. Choose the one alternative that best completes the statement or answers the question. 1) Economists define risk as A) the difference between the return on common

More information

Market Implied Ratings FAQ Updated: June 2010

Market Implied Ratings FAQ Updated: June 2010 Market Implied Ratings FAQ Updated: June 2010 1. What are MIR (Market Implied Ratings)? Moody s Analytics Market Implied Ratings translate prices from the CDS, bond and equity markets into standard Moody

More information

Discussion of Discounting in Oil and Gas Property Appraisal

Discussion of Discounting in Oil and Gas Property Appraisal Discussion of Discounting in Oil and Gas Property Appraisal Because investors prefer immediate cash returns over future cash returns, investors pay less for future cashflows; i.e., they "discount" them.

More information

CFA Institute Contingency Reserves Investment Policy Effective 8 February 2012

CFA Institute Contingency Reserves Investment Policy Effective 8 February 2012 CFA Institute Contingency Reserves Investment Policy Effective 8 February 2012 Purpose This policy statement provides guidance to CFA Institute management and Board regarding the CFA Institute Reserves

More information

Quantitative Portfolio Strategy

Quantitative Portfolio Strategy Quantitative Portfolio Strategy Lev Dynkin 201-524-2839 [email protected] Tony Gould, CFA 212-526-2821 [email protected] CURRENCY HEDGING IN FIXED INCOME PORTFOLIOS Introduction Portfolio managers typically

More information

Single Name Credit Derivatives:

Single Name Credit Derivatives: Single ame Credit Derivatives: Products & Valuation Stephen M Schaefer London Business School Credit Risk Elective Summer 2012 Objectives To understand What single-name credit derivatives are How single

More information

Aide-Mémoire. Impact of Currency Exchange Fluctuations on UNHCR s Operations

Aide-Mémoire. Impact of Currency Exchange Fluctuations on UNHCR s Operations Aide-Mémoire Impact of Currency Exchange Fluctuations on UNHCR s Operations 1. Following a request at the thirty-second meeting of the Standing Committee in March 2005, under the agenda item Update on

More information