Glossary Flashcards

1
Q

Arbitrage

A

Trading strategies designed to profit from price differences for the same or similar goods in different markets.

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2
Q

Clearing

A

The settlement of a transaction, often involving exchange of payments and/or documentation.

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3
Q

Clearing house

A

An institution that acts as the buyer to every seller and the seller to every buyer of exchange traded contracts and thus guarantees the performance of the contract. It is able to incur the enormous credit risks that this involves as a result of a system of deposits known as margins.

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4
Q

Derivative

A

Forwards, futures, swaps and options (and other such as weather derivatives) whose value depends, at least in part, upon the value of an underlying asset or liability.

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5
Q

Equity derivative

A

A generic term for derivatives involving stocks/shares - whether in terms of those in individual companies, or baskets or indices of these.

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6
Q

Equity option

A

An option involving a stock/share, or a basket or index of these.

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7
Q

Exchange traded

A

The generic term used to describe shares, bonds, futures, options and other derivative instruments traded on an organized exchange.

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8
Q

Exercise

A

The act by which the buyer/holder of an option takes up his rights to buy or sell the underlying at the strike price.

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9
Q

Expiry, expiration date, maturity date

A

The date and time when a transaction matures. Most commonly used to describe when the buyer / holder of an option ceases to have any rights under the contract, or when a futures contract month ceases trading.

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10
Q

Forward

A

Any transaction in which the price is fixed today, but settlement is not due to take place until a future date.

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11
Q

Future

A

An agreement to buy/sell, a standard quantity of a specific commodity or financial instrument, at a standard future date at a price agreed between parties to the contract. Futures contracts are traded on organized exchanges.

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12
Q

Delta

A

change in option price per USD (ZAR etc.) increase in underlying
asset

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13
Q

Gamma

A

change in delta per USD (ZAR etc.) increase in underlying asset

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14
Q

Vega

A

change in option price per 1% increase in volatility (e.g. from 19%
to 20%)

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15
Q

Rho

A

change in option price per 1% increase in interest rate (e.g. from
4% to 5%)

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16
Q

Theta

A

change in option price per calendar day passing.

17
Q

Hedging

A

Dealing in such a manner as to reduce risk by taking a position that offsets an existing or anticipated exposure to a change in market prices. You are therefore attempting to lock in the profit/loss on the position at the current level.

18
Q

Initial margin

A

A relatively small deposit (in comparison to the nominal value of the contract) which both the buyer and the seller must lodge with the clearing house as security. In very volatile markets, the initial margin required can vary several times during the course of a single day.

19
Q

Long position

A

The result of a trader having bought more than he has sold in any particular market/commodity/instrument/contract.

20
Q

Margin

A

Those involved in exchange traded derivatives have to pay margins to the clearing house, either directly, if they are members, or via their broker. These are posted as a “good-faith” performance guarantee designed to ensure that all
parties are able to fulfil their obligations to one another. Margin accounts are adjusted daily to reflect current market price on the positions held. If a profit has been made it is paid to the account holder on a daily basis, likewise, if a loss has been made the account holder is asked to reimburse the amount lost daily.

21
Q

Margin call

A

A demand from the clearing house to one of its members, or a broker (normally a member) to one of its customers, for a margin payment.

22
Q

Mark-to-market

A

The revaluation of a futures or options position at its current market price/rate. All positions are marked to market by the clearing house, at least once a day. The profit/loss that is revealed by the re-valuation is received/paid to the clearing house (known as variation margin).

23
Q

Maturity

A

The date when a transaction is due to end, or the period of time until that date is reached.

24
Q

Open Interest

A

The total number of purchased or sold lots in a particular type of exchange traded contract that have not yet been offset, i.e. sold off or bought back.

25
Q

Option

A

Contracts which give the buyer/seller the contractual right, but not the obligation, to buy/sell a specified quantity of a given underlying asset at a fixed price on the designated future date.
The holder of a long call position will profit
from a rise in the price of the underlying asset, while the holder of a long put position will profit from a fall in the price of the underlying asset.

26
Q

Call Option

A

A call option confers the buyer/holder the right to buy the underlying commodity/instrument at the strike price.

27
Q

Put Option

A

A put option, on the other hand, confers to the buyer/holder the right to sell the underlying commodity/instrument.

28
Q

Over the counter (OTC)

A

The term “over the counter” is used to describe trading in financial instruments off organized exchanges with the effect that performance risk by the counterparties is not guaranteed by the exchange

29
Q

Position

A

The difference between the quantities bought and sold in any particular market / commodity / instrument / contract.

30
Q

Premium

A

The consideration paid by the buyer/holder to the seller/writer for an option.

31
Q

Risk management

A

The science of identifying, assessing, monitoring and controlling risks in order to keep them within acceptable bounds.

32
Q

Seat

A

The right which confers membership of the exchange on the registered holder or lessee thereof.

33
Q

Short position

A

The result of a trader having sold more than he has bought in any particular market/ commodity / instrument / contract.

34
Q

Spot (or cash market)

A

A transaction involving immediate settlement, or the soonest standard settlement in that market. For example, the spot date in the foreign exchange market, is normally two business days after the date of the deal.

35
Q

Strike price

A

The price at which the buyer/holder of an option has the right to buy/sell the underlying.

36
Q

Underlying

A

The commodity / asset / financial instrument on which a derivative is based. For example, in the case of an option, the product which the buyer/holder has the right to buy / sell.

37
Q

Volatility

A

A measure of the degree of movements in the price of the underlying around their statistical mean.

38
Q

Writer

A

The original seller of an option. The writer is required to fulfil the terms of the option at the choice of the holder.