27/08/2023 FIN 413 Risk Management Keith Godfrey 2023 Week 1 FIN 413 Risk Management This course studies the characteristics of derivative contracts including: • Forwards • Futures • Options • Swaps • Credit derivatives. Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 2023 2 1 27/08/2023 The aims are: • To know the characteristics of derivatives and their markets; • To understand the theoretical approaches for determine their values; • To be able to design and evaluate strategies for using derivatives to reduce financial risks. Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 2023 3 Risk Management - Week 1 Recap (e.g. from FIN 301): • What is a derivative? Forwards. Futures. Options. • Hedgers, Speculators, Arbitrage. Futures: • Markets. Underlying assets. • Trading: Opening and Closing. Quotes. Order Types. • Contract Specifications: Delivery. Cash Settlement. • Margin Accounts and Marking to Market. • Price Convergence to Spot. • Energy futures markets. Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 2023 4 2 27/08/2023 What is a derivative? • A financial instrument whose value is derived from (related to) the value of some other underlying asset (or possibly more than one) • Examples: • A contract to supply a tonne of coffee in three months • A futures position in gold for delivery in June • An option to buy 1000 barrels of oil at $40 by September Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 5 2023 “Derivatives are financial weapons of mass destruction” “Blaming derivatives for financial losses is akin to blaming cars for drunk driving fatalities” - Warren Buffett - Christopher Culp Investor, Omaha Adjunct Professor, Chicago Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 2023 6 3 27/08/2023 Common derivative types Forwards/futures: Commitment to buy or sell an asset in the future or to settle the cash value. Options: Holder has the right (but not obligation) to buy or sell an asset in the future. Swap: Commitment to swap asset cash flows or pay the net differences at a series of future dates. Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 2023 7 What is a forward contract? A forward contract is a contract between two parties to trade (buy and sell) something at a later date at a price agreed upon today. Buyer : Long position Seller : Short position A forward contract is made over-the-counter (OTC) or nowadays over the phone or internet. Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 2023 8 4 27/08/2023 What is a futures contract? A futures contract is a similar to a forward but conducted through a futures exchange. Differences from forwards: • The trading is anonymous. • The exchange specifies the contract terms. • Traders decide price competitively. • Daily marking to market reduces risk of default. Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 9 2023 Forwards versus Futures Forwards (OTC) Over the counter (OTC) private contract Futures (Exchange Traded) Contract specification: - what to trade, - where to trade, - when to trade Customized / Negotiated (can define anything you want because it is over the counter) Standardized (but may have range of quality, delivery locations, and dates) Price Settled at termination Settled daily (marked to market) Security None, or collateral agreed Margin account required Counterparty risk Borne by counterparties Borne by clearing house Liquidity risk No easy exit. Make a new contract to offset the old one. Easy to offset the position to close out the obligation. Most typical closure Delivery (i.e. genuine participants) Offset (closed out) prior to delivery (i.e. speculators) Method of trading Risk Management – Keith Godfrey Traded via an exchange 2023 10 5 27/08/2023 What is an option? Call Option: The right (but not obligation) to buy a preagreed quantity of the underlying asset for a pre-agreed price (exercise or strike price) by a pre-agreed date (expiration date). Put Option: The right (but not obligation) to sell a preagreed quantity of the underlying asset for a pre-agreed price (exercise or strike price) by a pre-agreed date (expiration date). Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 11 2023 Options vs Futures/Forwards Options Futures/Forwards Price for a given maturity Choice of strike price Single futures price Cost of entry Premium based on strike Zero Commitment Right to choose whether to exercise (buy/sell) or not Obligation to deliver/receive Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 2023 12 6 27/08/2023 Risk Management • We separate business risks from financial risks. Consider a farmer growing wheat. Business risks: weather, equipment, … Financial risks: price of wheat, price of fuel, … • Risk management with derivatives is concerned with managing the financial risks. • How do we pay for transferring financial risks? What are the roles of hedgers and speculators? Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 2023 13 Hedgers These people or organizations have a real interest in the underlying asset or commodity. Examples: • Farmers growing wheat • Airlines buying jet fuel They want to reduce their financial risk. They are willing to pay for risk reduction. Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 2023 14 7 27/08/2023 Speculators These people or organizations do not have a real interest in the underlying asset but they are willing to take a position that they expect will gain from anticipated price movements. They take on risk. They expect to make money on average from carrying the risk. They help markets with “price discovery”. Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 2023 15 Arbitrageurs These people or organizations aim to buy and sell two or more related financial instruments or commodities at the same time to exploit mispricing and make a risk-free profit. Their actions cause pressure on the market prices, moving the prices closer together again, until there is no longer an arbitrage opportunity. Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 2023 16 8 27/08/2023 Is speculation gambling? Futures exchanges only set up contracts where there is a genuine need for hedging. i.e. there must be some hedgers in the market. A market only for speculators would be a zero sum game (or negative sum game with trading costs). i.e. like pure gambling at a casino. Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 2023 17 Can speculators dominate? There can be more speculators in the market than hedgers. It is okay for hedgers to be the minority. It is also okay for speculators to be betting in both directions. This helps with price discovery. The speculators are still taking calculated risks. This is good for the market (not pure gambling). Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 2023 18 9 27/08/2023 Compensation for transferring risk with futures and forwards How does a grain farmer hedge his/her crop and how does a speculator earn money from this? When all the farms are having a bumper crop, the farmer is worried prices will drop due to excess supply. • Farmer could enter a short futures/forward position • Speculator agrees on a futures price which is lower than he/she expects the market will be in the future • Farmer gets certainty • Speculator expects profit on average Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 2023 19 Compensation for transferring risk with options How does a grain farmer hedge his/her crop and how does a speculator earn money from this? When all the farms are having a bumper crop, the farmer is worried prices will drop due to excess supply. • Farmer could purchase a put option on grain • Speculator sells the option for a price that he/she expects will exceed his/her average losses (from the years that the farmers exercise their options) • Farmer gets certainty • Speculator expects profit on average Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 2023 20 10 27/08/2023 Futures Markets - Underlyings • Energy products (crude oil, heating oil, natural gas, ...) • Metals (aluminium, nickel, zinc, copper, gold, ...) • Agricultural commodities (wheat, corn, cattle, pork, soy, butter, cocoa, coffee, ...) • Currencies (euro, pound, yen, Australian dollar...) • Interest rate derivatives (short term interest rates, bonds, swaps, ...) • Stocks (MSFT, GOOG, BHP, ...) • Indices (S&P 500, DJIA, Nasdaq, ASX 200, ...) Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 2023 21 Futures Industry Association Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 22 2023 https://fia.org/sites/default/files/uploaded/2017-Volume-Highlights-Infographic_FINAL.jpg 11 27/08/2023 Futures Industry Association Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 23 2023 https://fia.org/sites/default/files/uploaded/2017-Volume-Highlights-Infographic_FINAL.jpg at 4 Jan 2019 Note that the nearest contract is the most actively traded. Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 2023 24 12 27/08/2023 at 4 Jan 2019 Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 2023 25 The words “price” and “value” • The futures “price” of oil might be $50 per barrel. • The “value” of a futures contract on crude oil might be $2000 because the oil price has changed by $2 per barrel since the previous settlement and the contract is for 1000 barrels. • The “contract price” might be $50,000 if you are delivering or receiving the 1000 barrels at the $50. Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 2023 26 13 27/08/2023 The forward curve We can plot the forward/futures prices for a commodity for successive months into the future. This is called a forward curve. Horizontal axis: maturity or delivery date Vertical axis: futures price for that date Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 27 2023 CL WTI Crude Oil Futures – Jan 2019 CL Crude Oil Futures at 7 Jan 2019 54.5 53.5 52.5 51.5 50.5 49.5 48.5 Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 2023 Feb-28 Aug-27 Nov-27 Feb-27 May-27 Aug-26 Nov-26 Feb-26 May-26 Aug-25 Nov-25 Feb-25 May-25 Aug-24 Nov-24 Feb-24 May-24 Aug-23 Nov-23 Feb-23 May-23 Aug-22 Nov-22 Feb-22 May-22 Aug-21 Nov-21 Feb-21 May-21 Aug-20 Nov-20 Feb-20 May-20 Aug-19 Nov-19 Feb-19 May-19 47.5 28 14 27/08/2023 CL WTI Crude Oil Futures – Sept 2019 CL Crude Oil Futures at 22 Sept 2019 60 58 56 54 52 50 48 Risk Management – Keith Godfrey Aug-27 Nov-27 Feb-27 2023 May-27 Aug-26 Nov-26 Feb-26 May-26 Aug-25 Nov-25 Feb-25 May-25 Aug-24 Nov-24 Feb-24 May-24 Aug-23 Nov-23 Feb-23 May-23 Aug-22 Nov-22 Feb-22 May-22 Aug-21 Nov-21 Feb-21 May-21 Aug-20 Nov-20 Feb-20 May-20 Nov-19 46 29 WTI futures curve on 20 April 2020 WTI crude oil for May closed at -$37 per barrel. • Some futures contracts can achieve negative prices due to the way their deliveries are structured. • On the same day, Brent crude oil closed at +$26. Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 2023 30 15 27/08/2023 GC Gold Futures GC Gold Futures at 7 Jan 2019 1500 1450 1400 1350 1300 1250 1200 Jul-24 Sep-24 Nov-24 May-24 Jan-24 Mar-24 Nov-23 Jul-23 Sep-23 Jan-23 May-23 Nov-22 Mar-23 Jul-22 Sep-22 May-22 Jan-22 Mar-22 Nov-21 Jul-21 Sep-21 May-21 Jan-21 Mar-21 Nov-20 Jul-20 Sep-20 May-20 Jan-20 Mar-20 Jul-19 Sep-19 Nov-19 May-19 Jan-19 Mar-19 1150 Why such a straight line? Gold has holding costs which affect hedging. Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 2023 31 Normal and inverted markets Futures prices usually increase with maturity. i.e. the futures price for oil for Dec 2024 is likely to be higher than for Jan 2023, all else being equal. This is called a “normal” market. If the futures price is declining with maturity then it is an “inverted” market. Sometimes it can be part normal and part inverted. Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 2023 32 16 27/08/2023 Seasonal effects Sometimes there are repeated patterns of normal and inverted futures pricing of an asset due to seasonal effects. Examples where this occurs include: • RBOB gasoline futures (more demand in summer) • Heating oil futures (more demand in winter) • Electricity futures (more base load in summer) Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 33 2023 RBOB Gasoline Futures RBOB = Reformulated Gasoline Blendstock for Oxygen Blending Feb-19 1.3478 Feb-20 1.4129 Feb-21 1.4796 Feb-22 1.4736 Mar-19 1.3618 Mar-20 1.4318 Mar-21 1.5065 Mar-22 1.4961 Apr-19 1.5529 Apr-20 1.6261 Apr-21 1.7032 Apr-22 1.693 May-19 1.5682 May-20 1.641 May-21 1.7231 May-22 1.7117 Jun-19 1.5763 Jun-20 1.6428 Jun-21 1.7266 Jun-22 1.7047 Jul-19 1.5742 Jul-20 1.6428 Jul-21 1.7059 Jul-22 1.6963 Aug-19 1.5637 Aug-20 1.6316 Aug-21 1.6783 Aug-22 1.6776 Sep-19 1.5455 Sep-20 1.6203 Sep-21 1.6498 Sep-22 1.6396 Oct-19 1.4336 Oct-20 1.4972 Oct-21 1.5199 Oct-22 1.5097 Nov-19 1.4155 Nov-20 1.473 Nov-21 1.4869 Nov-22 1.4767 Dec-19 1.4058 Dec-20 1.4527 Dec-21 1.4635 Dec-22 1.4533 Jan-20 1.405 Jan-21 1.4587 Jan-22 1.4617 Jan-23 1.4515 Futures prices at 7 Jan 2019 Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 2023 34 17 27/08/2023 RBOB Gasoline Futures 1.8 1.7 1.6 1.5 1.4 1.3 1.2 1.1 Oct-22 Dec-22 Jun-22 Aug-22 Apr-22 Feb-22 Oct-21 Dec-21 Jun-21 Aug-21 Apr-21 Feb-21 Oct-20 Dec-20 Jun-20 Aug-20 Apr-20 Feb-20 Oct-19 Dec-19 Jun-19 Aug-19 Apr-19 Feb-19 1 Futures prices at 7 Jan 2019 Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 2023 35 Trading Terminology • Opening a position (entry) • Limit orders • Market orders • Open interest. • Trading volume. • Closing a position (exit) • Physical delivery • Cash settlement • Offset (close out by the opposite trade to the original) Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 2023 36 18 27/08/2023 Opening a position Suppose at some time you see for Feb 2019 CL futures: What is the bid-ask spread? What happens if you enter long? Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 2023 37 Bid-Ask Spread At that instant, the crude oil futures for Feb 2019 are trading at $49.01 - $49.02 This means the highest bid is $49.01 per barrel and the lowest ask is $49.02. If you want to go long right now you can enter at $49.02, or you can enter short at $49.01. Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 2023 38 19 27/08/2023 What do you pay? Suppose you enter long now at $49.02. How much do you pay? Nothing! Why? Because both sides think the $49.02 is a fair price and neither expects to win or lose. You are not actually buying the oil yet. You will do that in Feb 2019 (unless you close out before). Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 2023 39 Limit Orders and Market Orders Limit orders specify the price limit beyond which you are not willing to transact. These orders do not execute immediately (unless your limit is already beyond the best bid or ask). Limit orders become the bids and asks that are observable in the market depth. Market orders execute immediately at the best bids and asks in the order book. Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 2023 40 20 27/08/2023 Examples Suppose crude oil futures for February are trading at $49.01 - $49.02 If you submit a limit order to “buy 2 contracts at $48.50” (i.e. a limit buy order below best bid) then your order will sit in the order book depth until the market moves lower enough to execute (if at all). If you submit a market order to “buy 2 contracts” then you will get 2 contracts at $49.02 assuming there are sellers for at least 2 contracts at $49.02. (In the screenshot there were 19 contracts available.) Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 2023 41 Trading Volume and Open Interest Trading Volume = number of contracts traded today Open Interest Risk Management – Keith Godfrey = number of contracts outstanding (i.e. the number of long positions, or equivalently the number of short positions – remember that each contract has two parties) 2023 42 21 27/08/2023 How Open Interest Changes Suppose nobody has traded the GCH9 (gold futures on CME for March 20x9 e.g. 2019). The open interest is zero. If you enter long one GCH9 contract (and someone enters short as your counterparty) the open interest of GCH9 becomes 1. If you exit your position by offsetting (you short one GCH9) and someone else enters long (effectively takes over your position) then the open interest would remain 1. If those two parties then each offset their positions (so the short party buys one GCH9 and the long party sells one GCH9), then the open interest would decrease by one (back to zero). Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 2023 43 Closing a position • Most futures positions are closed out by offset (entering the opposite position to the original) instead of being held through until delivery. • To offset you must enter in the opposite direction and the same contract (the same underlying and delivery month etc. otherwise it opens a separate position in a different contract.) Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 2023 44 22 27/08/2023 Delivery If you hold a position through to delivery, then you have to be able to receive (and pay for) the asset or to supply (and receive payment for) the asset. The short party (the one that is selling the asset) decides when to deliver within the delivery period. The short party gives notice of intention to deliver. The exchange will then choose a long party to accept delivery on the same date. Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 2023 45 Critical dates First notice day The first date that the short party can give notice of intention to deliver. Last notice day The last such permitted date. Last trading day The last date that the contract can be traded, usually a few days before the last notice day. A long position might not receive notice in the first few days and might still be able to close out (offset) before receiving notice – but if speculating the only safe time to close out is before the first notice day. Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 2023 46 23 27/08/2023 Cash Settlement Some futures are settled only in cash. Example: the ES (E-mini S&P 500 futures) Why? Otherwise you would have to deliver a basket of shares in the S&P 500 companies. Some assets offer futures contracts of both types. e.g. CME Crude oil CL is physical delivery CME Crude oil WS is financially settled Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 2023 47 Contract specifications The Exchange specifies, for any futures contract: • The underlying asset (including quality spec) • The quantity of asset (in one contract) • The settlement method (physical delivery or cash settled) • The delivery month and arrangements • Price quotation style, movement limits, position limits, … The price is determined by market forces i.e. supply and demand. Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 2023 48 24 27/08/2023 https://www.cmegroup.com/trading/metals/precious/gold_contract_specifications.html Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 2023 49 Contract size The GC spec says: • Contract size 100 troy ounces • Price quotation US dollars and cents per troy ounce • Minimum price fluctuation $0.10 If the futures price of gold is $1200 per troy ounce then one contract (which is for 100 ounces) would be for $120,000. The minimum price move is $0.10 per troy ounce. For one contract (100 ounces) means a change of $10 in the $120,000. Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 2023 50 25 27/08/2023 Contract price = contract size futures price $120,000 = 100 ounces × $1,200 per ounce Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 2023 51 Note the GC contract is physically deliverable. https://www.cmegroup.com/trading/metals/precious/gold_contract_specifications.html Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 2023 52 26 27/08/2023 Margin Buying “on margin” is the act of borrowing money to buy securities. The margin is like your “equity” – it is the difference between the value of the securities you hold and the loan from your broker. (like your equity in a home mortgage) With futures, your margin account ensures that you can meet your commitment at the delivery date. Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 2023 53 Margin example Suppose you enter long crude oil at $50. You are committing to buy 1000 barrels in the future. You are committing to pay $50,000. If the futures price drops to $45 you will need to come up with $5000 more than you had anticipated. You must have this in your margin account otherwise your broker will close out your position. Another way to think about it - you committed to spend $50,000 but the market price is only $45,000 now so you are losing $5,000 on this contract. Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 2023 54 27 27/08/2023 Marking to market Futures contracts are “marked to market” every day (or “settled” daily). If you entered long crude oil at $50 and the price settles at $45 at the end of the day, $5000 will be removed from your margin account (1000 barrels). You no longer have that equity, but now the price going forward is $45 not $50, and your commitment is $45,000 instead of $50,000. If you don’t have enough funds, your broker will send you a “margin call” to deposit more funds. Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 2023 55 Margin terminology Initial margin The amount of money that must be deposited initially to be able to open a position. Maintenance margin The amount of money that must be maintained at all times to be able to maintain an open position. Margin call The requirement to top up to the initial margin, typically within 24 hours, if the maintenance margin is breached. Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 2023 56 28 27/08/2023 The margin requirements are higher for the nearer contracts because of their higher volatility. Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 2023 57 Worked example For CME CL crude oil: • The maintenance margin for the nearest contract is $4275, • The initial margin is 110% of this level, i.e. $4702.50, • The contract size is 1000 barrels. Suppose you enter long 2 contracts at $50.00. • How much margin must you deposit? • If you deposit the minimum that you have to, what price would trigger a margin call? Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 2023 58 29 27/08/2023 Transaction Sequence Suppose you enter long 1 crude oil contract at $50. This means you expect to pay $50,000 for 1000 barrels. Suppose by the delivery date the futures price has increased to $70. This means you will have received $20,000 into your margin account. You will pay $70 per barrel, so $70,000 for 1000 barrels. You will spend $50,000 of your own money (as you had planned) plus the $20,000 that you received. Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 2023 59 Futures Price Convergence Futures price = price decided now for delivery at a date in the future Spot price = price for immediate delivery The spot price is the futures price for no time remaining until delivery. Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 2023 60 30 27/08/2023 Futures price converges to spot Spot and forward/futures prices price April futures price Entry Payoff (here in this example a loss for long side and a profit for short side) Spot price 0 T time February Risk Management – Keith Godfrey March April Keith Godfrey 2009 Delivery 2023 61 Why do at least some contracts for each asset have physical delivery? Physical delivery helps to ensure that there is a convergence in pricing between the physical market and the futures market at the futures’ expiry. Any price difference at the delivery date would be an opportunity for arbitrage between the futures and the physical asset. Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 2023 62 31 27/08/2023 Basis price Basis April futures price f0(T) We say the basis is “$5 under April” Basis (negative) Spot price S0 fT ST 0 T time February Risk Management – Keith Godfrey March April 2023 63 Normal and Inverted Markets If the futures price is above the spot price (negative basis) then the futures market is normal. If the futures price is below the spot price (positive basis) then the futures market is inverted. Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 2023 64 32 27/08/2023 Inverted market (positive basis) price Temporary supply shortage Price convergence April futures price Spot price S0 Normal market (negative basis) 0 February Risk Management – Keith Godfrey T March 2023 April time 65 Contango and Normal Backwardation If the futures price is decreasing over time towards the expected future spot price (i.e. the futures price was too high) then then the market is in contango. If the futures price is increasing over time towards the expected future spot price (i.e. the futures price was too low) then the market is in backwardation (also called normal backwardation). Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 2023 66 33 27/08/2023 Inverted market (positive basis) price Temporary supply shortage Normal Backwardation (futures under expected spot) Expected April price Speculators bought low Price convergence April futures price S0 Spot price Normal market (negative basis) 0 February Risk Management – Keith Godfrey T March April 2023 time 67 Energy Futures Markets • Crude Oil CME/ICE, WTI/Brent • Natural Gas Henry Hub • Refined Products RBOB gasoline, HO heating oil • Crack Spread RBOB versus CL • Electricity Base load, peak load Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 2023 68 34 27/08/2023 1-4 CC Cracking Thermal cracking Steam cracking Catalytic cracking (gasoline) Hydrocracking (add H2) 5-10 CC 10-16 CC 14-20 CC 20-70 CC 20-50 CC >70 CC Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 2023 69 Examples on eClass to discuss 1. CME Crude Oil (CME CL) - Contract Specs - Quotes - Margins 2. Henry Hub Natural Gas (CME NG) - Contract Specs - Quotes - Margins 3. RBOB Gasoline (CME RB) - Contract Specs - Quotes 4. RBOB Crack Spread (CME ARE) - Contract Specs - Quotes 5. Dutch Power Peak Load (ICE) - Contract Specs - Prices Risk Management – Keith Godfrey 2023 70 35