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FINANCIAL FUTURES MARKETS. CHAPTER 13. Derivative Securities. What are Derivative Securities? High leverage securities that can be used to; Speculate or Hedge How do we speculate?
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FINANCIAL FUTURES MARKETS CHAPTER 13 Dr David P Echevarria
Derivative Securities • What are Derivative Securities? • High leverage securities that can be used to; Speculate or Hedge • How do we speculate? • Suppose we believe that the weather will reduce this year’s wheat harvest. A poor harvest will result in higher prices. We can open a long futures October contract for wheat. If as the year progresses, the weather cooperates – the price will go up > profit! Dr David P Echevarria
Derivative Securities • How do we hedge? • A hedge is a form of insurance. • Suppose we are a jeweler and we use a lot of gold to make custom pieces. If the price of gold rises, so will our costs. To hedge against a rise in prices we open a long gold hedge. If prices rise – we will profit from the long hedge and offset the increased cost of buying new supplies of gold. • If we are a seller of gold – our fear is that prices will drop. We will open a short futures hedge. If prices drop, we will profit on the short position. Dr David P Echevarria
VALUATION OF FINANCIAL FUTURES • Market Value of Futures Contracts • Value is dependent on the value of the underlying security • Derivative Securities may also be called contingent claims • Primary economic function = HEDGING MARKET RISK • Interest Rate Futures used to hedge against adverse changes in interest rates • The hedger is protecting a long or short position in the market • The speculator expect to profit if rates in the expected direction (up or down) Dr David P Echevarria
VALUATION OF FINANCIAL FUTURES • Forward Contracts; (Not publicly traded) • Agreement to buy/sell at a future time • The LONG position: party agreeing to buy the asset • The SHORT position: party agreeing to deliver (sell) asset • Delivery Price: price specified in the forward contract • Settlement on a Forward contract occurs at maturity Dr David P Echevarria
VALUATION OF FINANCIAL FUTURES • Futures Contracts: (publicly traded) • Contracts are standardized • Delivery date: by month and the exchange on which contract is traded sets the delivery date • For commodities, may be anytime during the expiration month • Daily Settlement or Marking-to-Market on price changes Dr David P Echevarria
VALUATION OF FINANCIAL FUTURES • Arbitrage and the Law of One Price: • Two identical goods cannot sell for two different prices • When prices are not in sync, arbitrage opportunity • Risk Management: • Hedging against adverse future price movements (market risk) • Price discovery; expectations of future price levels Dr David P Echevarria
FUNDAMENTALS OF FUTURES MARKETS • Forward Markets • Deferred delivery (expected price at time T) • Utilizing the storability factor • Hedging future price movements resulting from changes in Supply and Demand • Forward vs. Futures Contracts • Price discovery • Spot (Cash) Market: • Immediate delivery (today's market price for commodity) • Hedge point; we are generally hedging a spot position Dr David P Echevarria
FUNDAMENTALS OF FUTURES MARKETS • Defining Profits in Spot and Futures Contracts • Basis (b): Spot - Futures Price • Later: Increasing basis favors Long hedger/speculator, decreasing basis the short • Profit = - b (if held to T) P = -b + b (if offset prior to T) • Daily Price Movements • Each commodity has a maximum daily price change • Trading stops when a limit is reached • May reopen on authority of Exchange Floor Manager to maintain orderly market Dr David P Echevarria
FUNDAMENTALS OF FUTURES MARKETS • Opening a Futures Position (assuming you meet financial qualifications) • Determining Expectation • Long: expect prices to go up • Short: expect prices to go down • Depositing initial margin • Closing position before first day of expiration month (to avoid assignment) Dr David P Echevarria
TYPES OF HEDGES • Interest Rate Futures • Commodity futures • Currency Futures • Stock Index Futures • Single Stock Futures Dr David P Echevarria
HOMEWORK QUESTIONS • What is a forward contract? How does it differ from a futures contract? • What is arbitrage? How does the law of one price relate to arbitrage opportunities? • What is the difference between hedging and speculating? • How does the long position profit? The short position? • How are stock index futures settled? Dr David P Echevarria