Derivatives Usage: The Basic Instruments

Derivatives Usage:The Basic Instruments

Derivatives • G & K Chps. 6 and 14 • Basic Terms and Definitions • Futures • Options • Swaps

Futures • Buy (Sell) a futures contract = commitment to buy (sell) later. • Need to buy X in the future; Buy a futures contract today at an known price and you will “net” pay that price later. • No monies exchanged now; • Bilateral – Money exchanged later • Exchange Traded – Daily settle

Basic Picture of Futures Bought Futures Gain Gain Profit Profit Loss Loss Sold Futures Current Price Current Price Purchase Price of Contract Purchase Price of Contract Gain/Loss = Sale Price – Purch Price Gain/Loss = Purch Price - Sale Price

Exchange-traded Interest Rate Futures • Most Trade Price, not interest rate. • Most at least $1 million face value • Treasuries, EuroDeposits, Fed Funds, Munis, Foreign Floating Rates (LIBOR, PIBOR, etc.) • WSJ, Reuters, Bloomberg • CBOT (Treasuries, Munis, FF); CME (T-Bill, Euro$, Floating Rate)

Typical Bank Futures • Invmt Portfolio T-Secs and Munis • Interest Rates rise and not only do you hold poor coupons, but MV fell. • Sell Futures (at current price), rates rise, spot (futures) prices fall. You settle (or buy back) position at a lower price, hopefully offsetting portfolio MV drop. • Unrealized vs. Realized  Tax Issue

Simulation • $10m Face of 8%, 1yr. USTs • 10, $1m bonds • Mature 6 days before end of each quarter • Margin 15% of position value, marked against pledge, but held off-balance sheet. • Futures changes run thru I/S

Simulation Number of Contracts = (Total DW Value of Securities x .68) x (N/M) • DW: Duration Weighted Market Value of Securities portfolio. • .68: adjustment for quarterly coupons/compounding vs. actual semi-annual of futures. • N/M: Percent of year annual futures contract held (3mo of 1yr = .25)

Options • Right to buy (Call) or sell (Put) in future • Can Sell (Write) Call or Put, or Buy Call or Put • When Buying, pay cost (Premium) immediately. When Writing, receive premium immediately, but usually locked up until position repurch’d

Call Option Out of the Money In the Money Payoff Payoff Price Price Current Stock Price Option Exercise Price Stock Payoffs Call Option Payoffs Call Option Payoff = Max[ 0 , S - X ]

Put Option In the Money Out of the Money Payoff Payoff Price Price Current Stock Price Option Exercise Price Stock Payoffs Put Option Payoffs Put Option Payoff = Max[ 0 , X - S ]

Interest Rate Options • Most of the trading done off the exchange floors • The interest rate options market is • Very large • Highly efficient • Highly liquid • Easy to use

Interest Rate Cap(Cap/Floor Handout) • An interest rate cap • Is like a portfolio of European call options (caplets) on an interest rate • On each interest payment date over the life of the cap, one option in the portfolio expires • Is useful to firms with floating rate liabilities • Caps the periodic interest payments at the caplet’s exercise price

Interest Rate Floor • An interest rate floor • Is related to a cap in the same way that a put is related to a call • like a portfolio of European put options (floorlets) on an interest rate • On each interest payment date over the life of the cap, one option in the portfolio expires • Is useful to firms with floating rate assets • Puts a lower limit on the periodic interest payments at the floorlet’s exercise price

Interest Rate Collar • An interest rate collar is simultaneously long an interest rate cap and short an interest rate floor • Sacrifices some upside potential in exchange for a lower position cost • Premium from writing the floorlets reduces position costs

Swaps • The most common type of interest rate swap is the fixed for floating rate swap • One party makes a fixed interest rate payment to another party making a floating interest rate payment • Only the net payment is made (difference check) • The firm paying the floating rate is the swap seller • The firm paying the fixed rate is the swap buyer

Swaps contracts • Typically, the floating interest rate is linked to a market rate such as • LIBOR or • T-bill rates • The swap market is standardized partly by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association (ISDA) • ISDA provisions are master agreements

Swaps Participants • The swap facilitator will find a counterparty to a desired swap for a fee or take the other side • A facilitator acting as an agent is a swap broker • A swap facilitator taking the other side is a swap dealer (swap bank) • A plain vanilla swap refers to a standard contract with no unusual features or bells and whistles

Derivatives Usage: The Basic Instruments