S1. Futures & Forwards Flashcards
Absolute Approach
= Equilibrium approach
- pricing asset by reference to its exposure to fundamental sources of macroeconomic risk
- price endogenously determined by characterising the optimal decisions of agents &market clearing
- asset pricing theory to give economic explanation for why prices are how they are & predict prices
- CAPM, FAMA
- pricing based on exposure to fundamental source, macroeco factors
- pricing theory: eco. explanation of why prices are how they are (descriptive view, explanation of market based on models)
Relative Approach
=non-arbitrage approach
- what we can learn about asset´s value given price of some other assets
- not interested in sources - take prices given (exog.) for granted
- little information about fundamental risk factors are used
- prices given exogenously by markets - agents sach th conditions that those prices must satisfy so as to avoid arbitrage opportunities
- Black Scholes, Cox Rubenstein etc
Derivatives
= financial assets whose price derives from the evolution of another asset, called underlying
- makes it easier to price derivatives (based on stock)
- simply characterise the price of underlying (statistically) so as to capture the future evolution of the underlying
- price of derivative =function of price of underlying
In Economic context - price of underlying is already given (exog.) hence take relative approach for derivatives ( maybe bonds) & absolute for stocks
Pricing derivatives
Relative approach
conditions:
a) Absence of arbitrage opportunity
- make money without risk
- in practice harder to find than in theory
- but on LT arbitrage opportunity dissapears
b) Existence of Replicating Portfolios
A) option = B) stock + bond
- whole PF = sum of value of its components otherwise market moves to cheaper side
- go to option market = go to bond+stock
- same payoff
- cost of creating pf (B) should be 0
hence using B on is bale to drive option value
How are derivatives priced?
- understand payoffs
- characterised its replicating PF (combination of assets with same payoff)
Derivative pricing - looks for combo in asset (replicating PF) providing same payoff - where prices of RP are already given
- compute value of replicating PF
as value of RP = value of option because RP payoff is identical, otherwise employ arbitrage opp.
Future/Fwd Markets
agreement to BUY/SELL an asset at certain time in future at certain price
OBLIGATION: LONG OR SHORT
Delivery:
- if contract not closed out before maturity - usually settled by delivering the assets underlying the contract
- alternatives about when, what, where - then SHORT side chooses
- few contract settled in cash (stock indices or Eurodollars)
Consumption vs Investment
- C = assets held primarily for consumption - copper
- I = assets held significant nr of people purely for investment purposes (gold, silver)
Futures vs forwards
traded on exchange vs OTC
Echange provides mechanism (insurance) hat gives 2 parties the guarantee that contract will be honored
stadardised vs customised contract
usually specify by Exchange
range of delivery dates vs one specific fate
settled daily - settled an end
contract closed out prior to maturity (usually) - delivery or final cash settlement takes place
virtually no credit risk - some credit risk (base risk)
Advantages of settling every day?
Futures
reduce risk (defaulting)
each party has to have some deposit
account reviewed every day
extra amount saved as credit margin - as clearing house deposit - to cover up in case counterparity fails
- maintenance margin = like cussion (capital buff to avoid credit risk problems) if counterparty fails
-insurance
Clearing House
Clearing House –> margin –> Clearing Members
CM –> margin –> Broker
CM & Broker –> margin with clients selling/buying derivatives
CH serves as intermediary/middle man in transactions
guarantees the performance of the parties for each transaction performance of parties to each transaction
Market to market
Margins
margins make MTM an effective daily settlement process
- need to on MA with broker
- make an initial margin deposit (credit letter, shares, debt instruments allowed)
- MA debited (credited) daily as function of gain/losses in future position
- margin calls to top up to MA to initial margin level, whenever MA balance falls > MM
- withdraw money from MA whenever MA balance is above initial level
hedging strategies with future
idea = take position that neutralises risk as far as possible
Long hedge
= need to buy “apples”, lock prices in case they increase
- long position in futures market (buy future)
- seeks protection against future increase of commodity
- either short on sport market or has to buy commodity on future date at futures spot price (purchasing price)
Short hedge
= already own commodity e.g. “apple producer”
- user assumes SHORT on futures market (sells futures)
- seeks protection against future decrease in price of commodity
- long on spot (owns asset) or has to sell commodity on future date (selling price)
Basis risk
- asset whos priced should be hedge might not be exactly the same as asset underlying the futures contract
hedger might be uncertain as to exact date when asset will be bought/sold
hedger might require the future contract to be closed out preiour to delivery month
basis = spot price of asset (hedge) - future price (contract)
as time passes - spot and future prices don´t necessarily change by same amount (volatility, sensitivity)
as result - basis changes
problems with standardised futures
not traded in an infinite number of underlying assets and maturities
most times no perfect matching of underlying assets, dates and quantities
very important to determine which contract to trade in terms of:
- underlying asset: hedge, analysis of available contracts
- quantity: optimal hedge ratio, tailing hdge
- interest rates
problems with standardised futures
Underlying Asset
most hedges are cross hedges
= cash asset &asset underlying future no identical
correlation between movements of asset
- check beta (how they move together), correlation, coeff. of determination
- liquidity of contract
- degree of misspricing
problems with standardised futures
delivery month
hedging period is longer than futures maturities
a) strip hedge (diff. mat) vs b) rolling hedge (close and rolls over)
- check : liquidity; transaction cost; relative mispricing
hedging periods shorter than futures
- chose fut. contract that expires before cash position - expose to price risk
- choose fut. contract that expires after the cash position - expose to basis risk