Hedging Options » Investment http://hedgingoptions.net Hedge your bets... Thu, 29 Jul 2010 21:38:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 en hourly 1 Hedging – What is It, and It’s Uses in Risk Management http://hedgingoptions.net/hedging-a%c2%80%c2%93-what-is-it-and-ita%c2%80%c2%99s-uses-in-risk-management http://hedgingoptions.net/hedging-a%c2%80%c2%93-what-is-it-and-ita%c2%80%c2%99s-uses-in-risk-management#comments Thu, 14 Jan 2010 19:27:06 +0000 admin http://hedgingoptions.net/hedging-a%c2%80%c2%93-what-is-it-and-ita%c2%80%c2%99s-uses-in-risk-management The second of a two part article…. Before I discuss the use of hedging to off-set risk, we need to understand the role and the purpose of hedging. The history of modern futures trading begins in Chicago in the early 1800’s. Chicago is located at the base of the Great Lakes, close to the farmlands and cattle country of the U.S. Midwest making it a natural center for transportation, distribution and trading of agricultural produce. Gluts and shortages of these products caused chaotic fluctuations in price. This led to the development of a market enabling grain merchants, processors, and agriculture companies to trade in contracts to insulate them from the risk of adverse price change and enable them to hedge. The first commodity exchange was the creation of the Chicago Board of Trade, CBOT in 1848. Since then, modern derivative products have grown to include more than the agricultural industry. Products include Stock Indices, Interest Rates, Currency, Precious Metals, Oil and Gas, Steel and a host of others. The origins of the commodity and futures exchange was created to support hedging. The role of speculators is beneficial as they add trading volume and important volatility to what would otherwise be a small and illiquid market place. You can view a complete listing of the worlds different exchanges at: http://www.genuinecta.com/World_Exchanges_Commodities_Trading_Advisors.htm A bona-fide hedger is someone with an actual product to buy or sell. The hedger establishes an off-setting position on the futures or commodity exchange, thereby instituting a set price for his product. Someone buying a hedge is known as being “Long” or “Taking Delivery”. Someone selling a hedge is known as being “Short” or “Making Delivery”. These positions known as “Contracts” are legally binding and enforced by the exchange. Entering your trades either for speculation or hedging is done through your broker. Commodity Trading Advisor, Genuine Trading Solutions President Dwayne Strocen, states that “Commodity and Futures exchanges are distinct from Stock Exchanges, although they operate using the same principals. They are regulated by different agencies such as the Commodity Futures Trading Commission who are responsible for regulation of retail brokers in the USA as well as Commodity Trading Advisors such as us.” Now let’s view some real life examples of hedging or mitigation of risk by using exchange traded derivatives. Example 1: A mutual fund manager has a portfolio valued at $10 million closely resembling the S&P 500 index. The Portfolio Manager believes the economy is worsening with deteriorating corporate returns. The next two to three weeks are reports of quarterly corporate earnings. Until the report exposes which companies have poor earnings, he is concerned of the results from a short term general market correction. Without the privilege of foresight, he is unsure of the magnitude the earnings figures will produce. He now has an exposure to Market Risk. The manager thinks of his options. The greatest risk is to do nothing, if the market falls as expected, he risks giving up all recent gains. If he sells his portfolio early, he also risks being wrong and missing further rally’s. Selling also incurs substantial brokerage fees with additional fees to buy back again later. Then he realizes a hedge is the best option to mitigate his short term risk. He begins by calling his CTA (Commodity Trading Advisor) and after consultation places an order to sell short the equivalent of $10 million of the S&P 500 index on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange “CME”. Now his result is when the market falls as expected, he will off-set any losses in the portfolio with gains from the Index hedge. Should the earnings report be better than expected, and his portfolio continues upward, he will continue making profits. Two weeks later the fund manager calls his CTA and closes the hedge by buying back the equivalent number of contracts on the CME. Regardless of the resulting market events, the mutual fund manager was protected during the period of short term volatility. There was no risk to the portfolio. Example 2: An electronics firm ABC has recently signed an order to deliver $5 million in electronic components of next years model to an overseas retailer located in Europe. These components will be built in 6 months for delivery two months after that. ABC instantly realizes they are exposed to two risks. 1. the rising and volatile price of copper in 6 months may result in losses to the firm. 2. the fluctuation in the currency could easily add to those losses. ABC being a young firm cannot absorb these losses in view of the highly competitive market from others in the field. Losses from this order would result in lay-offs and possibly plant closures. ABC telephones their CTA and after consultation places an order for two hedges, both for an expiry in 8 months, the date of delivery. Hedge #1 is to buy long $5 million of copper effectively locking in today’s price against further price increases. ABC has now eliminated all price risk. The risk of plant closures is greater than the lure of increased profit should copper price fall. After all, ABC is not in the business of speculating on copper prices. Hedge #2 is to sell short the equivalent of Euro Currency vs US Dollars. Since ABC is effectively accepting EC in payment, a rising US dollar and a weak EC would be detrimental and erode profits further. The result of the hedge is no risk and no surprises to ABC in either copper or currency levels. A risk free transaction and full transparency is the result. In 8 months with the order completed and the customer accepting delivery, ABC notifies the CTA to close the hedge by selling the copper and buying back the Euro Currency contacts. Many examples exist to demonstrate the mitigation of risk to an institution or financial portfolio. Dwayne Strocen states that new products are constantly created and available on both over-the counter and exchange traded markets. If would be wise to consult with a qualified Commodity Trading Advisor or broker to discuss the analysis for an on-going risk management solution or a one time only hedge.

]]> http://hedgingoptions.net/hedging-a%c2%80%c2%93-what-is-it-and-ita%c2%80%c2%99s-uses-in-risk-management/feed 0 Hedge Funds Growth Open Doors To New Financing Options http://hedgingoptions.net/hedge-funds-growth-open-doors-to-new-financing-options http://hedgingoptions.net/hedge-funds-growth-open-doors-to-new-financing-options#comments Tue, 22 Dec 2009 19:04:09 +0000 admin http://hedgingoptions.net/hedge-funds-growth-open-doors-to-new-financing-options According to a recent study of financing options for hedge funds by Standard & Poor’s, the largest hedge fund families manage $10 billion, $20 billion, and even $30 billion today, and at least 100 individual funds have more than $1 billion in assets.
“Funds need to reach the multibillion level so they can access the broader range of funding,” explained Charles Davidson, director in Financial Services Ratings at Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services. Growth of assets size isn’t the way to attract even more assets. A track record that lenders and investors can evaluate is also important.
By now, many hedge funds have a performance history dating back eight to 10 years. The ability to post impressive profits over an extended period raises lenders’ and investors’ comfort level. Redemption restrictions that boost funds’ liquidity also help in obtaining financing.
These factors have enabled hedge funds to expand their financing beyond the traditional choices of collateralized loans through prime brokers, investors’ equity, and their own capital.
Bharat Book Bureau has released a report called “Hedge Funds and Prime Brokers”, the report explores the ever-changing and dynamic hedge fund-prime broker relationship through the use of a panel comprising of some of the world’s experts in investment, law and regulation.
According to the Bharat announcement, it examines how “unregulated hedge funds” are actually regulated already and why more “regulation” may not be required, it also explains just how these prime brokers are regulated in their hedge fund activities, as well as the trading and economic factors that drive the relationship.
The report also looks at the changing relationship between prime brokers and hedge funds, the relationship they have with hedge fund service providers, such as administrators, risk managers, directors, investors and regulators. The legal, regulatory and jurisdictional issues that affect the prime broker-hedge fund relationship, emphasizing relevant laws, listing and continuing obligation standards and agreements.
According to early estimates at the HFN Hedge Fund Aggregate Average was +1.40% in June 2007 and ended the first half of 2007 +7.86%.
The HFN Hedge Fund Aggregate Average is an equal weighted average of all single manager hedge funds and CTA/managed futures products in the HedgeFund database. The increase was the 11th positive month in a row for hedge funds. After trailing the prior three months, the Aggregate outperformed the S&P 500 Total Return which ended June -1.66% and +6.96% YTD. The HedgeFund database consists of over 7,400 current hedge fund, fund of funds, and CTA products.
Contrary to the previous three months, that on average produced positive results despite most major global equity markets falling during the month. What markets did supply in June was a sharp increase in volatility.

]]> http://hedgingoptions.net/hedge-funds-growth-open-doors-to-new-financing-options/feed 0 Options Trading Strategy – An Economic Ecosystem http://hedgingoptions.net/options-trading-strategy-an-economic-ecosystem http://hedgingoptions.net/options-trading-strategy-an-economic-ecosystem#comments Fri, 04 Dec 2009 20:24:21 +0000 admin http://hedgingoptions.net/options-trading-strategy-an-economic-ecosystem There is much talk today about the earth’s ecosystem, how human activity has destroyed much of it and continues to do so at an alarming pace. Most of us know by now that human activity, as it is practiced today, is not sustainable in the long run. As a species we are loosing our home because the earth’s ecosystem is dangerously out of balance.

The financial markets are a similar system. It works best for the investor when trading practices are in balance, and Options Trading is the way to achieving balance for sustained, long-term returns.

If you have invested in the stock market for a while, you are probably pretty frustrated by wrongly guessing a stock’s move more often than not. Psychologically, most investors will bet on an upward move, and there certainly are a lot of researchers and advisors out there who will tell you things like “you can’t miss with this one – the fundamentals are just that good.” The problem is that there are so many things that can happen to a company that are simply not predictable: A product recall, an insider scandal, unexpected regulatory problems – the list goes on. Options trading takes this into account and hedges the bet.

Options trading is similar to a gambler hedging his bets on the roulette table by splitting his money between red and black, odd and even, certain series and other alternatives. Playing in this manner does not result in a sudden huge win, but rather in steady, sustained profits. That’s the difference between a novice and a professional.

The psychology of investing is similar to betting on a crap game. You can win by betting that you’ll win, or by betting that you’ll loose. There are only a few gamblers who bet on the latter, and that is similar to short-selling in the markets, i.e., betting on a stock’s downward move. If you are a more sophisticated investor, you may have tried that. How did that work out for you?

The point is, you are only betting in one direction, and that’s the problem. Options are an exciting alternative and the perfect way of hedging your bets and moving from guessing to safe investing. If you are a beginning investor when it comes to options trading, you would do well to subscribe to a reputable service that will do all the research and give you recommendations as to what moves to make and when.

Options research includes many different elements – not just “the stock will move either up or down”, but scenarios that take into consideration how long the stock may trade in a certain range, whether it will stay low for a few months but rise in the long term, whether it will trade cautiously until earnings are achieved, and then take off or fall dramatically. What’s more, with options you can always adjust your trade and change your strategy to fit the current market trend. What more can you ask for?

Options are like a balanced ecosystem that shield you from the wild up-and-down gyrations of financial markets that are so prevalent right now. If you are interested in more information, visit www.tradegreeks.com and opt in to the TradeGreeks Options Traders Newsletter. Then if you like what you see and want to participate, we invite you to become a member of TradeGreeks.

You are currently reading an article from our article series ‘Covert Life of Investment’.

]]> http://hedgingoptions.net/options-trading-strategy-an-economic-ecosystem/feed 0 The Many Benefits of Option Trading http://hedgingoptions.net/the-many-benefits-of-option-trading http://hedgingoptions.net/the-many-benefits-of-option-trading#comments Wed, 02 Dec 2009 19:03:45 +0000 admin http://hedgingoptions.net/the-many-benefits-of-option-trading Option as a strategic investment is fast becoming the choice of many. The benefits that option trading offers are many and we shall discuss the same here. Option trading having many benefits it is actually a wonder as to why it was not a sought after means for investment for so long.
1. Option trading is not as risky as it seems if traded wisely. In case of option you do not require as much finance as you would do for stocks. As far as hedge is concerned, option trading seems to be the most reliable of them all. In case of option trading you have an insurance throughout he day, all seven days a week and not until the close of the market.
2. Option is very cost effective. You could be in a similar position as you would have stocks but by putting in much less as investment but the catch is that the investor needs to be careful and select the right call option so as to be in the same position as he would be with stocks. This stock replacement strategy is very cost effective.
3. Option as a strategic investment offers to its investors a high return on its investments. The return investors make on the right selection in option trading is far greater than any stock investment. Option can get you about 60-70% and even more on your investments and in the same scenario your stocks may give you a return of only about 10-15%. But there is a flipside to this. When option give you such high rate of return it is only when you have made the right choice but a wrong selection on the other hand can get you back by the entire 100%. So the returns are good but only when you take calculated risks.
4. Option as a strategic investment provides the investor with multiple options so as to attain their aim. Option offers the investors various alternatives if planned and executed well. An example to quote here would be how a margin would have to be paid if short selling is to be done. At times the margin quoted by the brokers is so high that the investor finds it difficult to go ahead with his plans. Then there are those who do not allow short selling by the investor thus again the investor going back to square one as far as his investment plans are concerned. This puts the investor in the back seat as he is unable to execute his plans and here is where the option trading comes into play. You wouldn’t find any broker who says that the investor cannot purchase puts when the market seems to be falling. This would give the option trader an advantage and he would be able to reap the benefits later.
An option trader can invest in the market not only when it moves up or down, when the prices are almost steady, a trader can also use the time factor where the prices are not moving significantly as a profit making opportunity. Thus it is only the option trader who gets a share in the pie in every kind of market.

]]> http://hedgingoptions.net/the-many-benefits-of-option-trading/feed 0 Options Trading in Extremely Volatile Markets http://hedgingoptions.net/options-trading-in-extremely-volatile-markets http://hedgingoptions.net/options-trading-in-extremely-volatile-markets#comments Sun, 29 Nov 2009 11:10:30 +0000 admin http://hedgingoptions.net/options-trading-in-extremely-volatile-markets The recent stock market crisis (2008) not only rocked the financial system and the world economy but also the pockets of countless options traders all over the world. Options traders who used to profit in the years prior to this market crisis broke their bank as none of their options strategies seem to work in this market anymore. So what is it about extremely volatile markets and how should one profit through options trading under such conditions?
Extremely volatile market conditions not only produce unpredictable short term stock price swings but also open up the bid ask spread of individual stock options due to a lower liquidity and profiteering by market makers. This combined effect not only made it doubly hard for options traders to make a profit. Volatile options strategies, supposed to be meant for such conditions due to their ability to make a profit when the market moves up or down strongly and their ability to profit from an increase in volatility, also failed to produce any consistent profits due to the higher premium outlay and wide bid ask spreads, soaking up most of the profits. Unexpected rallies also crunch volatility to the extent of producing losses through decaying the premium of long legs at express speed. Short term (weekly, monthly) directional options strategies fared even worse as it not only became almost impossible to predict short term price swings but the high premium and bid ask spreads also took most, if not all, of the profits away even if the stock did move in the expected direction.
So what works in an extremely volatile market condition such as this one?
First of all, let’s look at all the different ways to trade options. There are 3 main options trading methodologies; Swing Trading, Position Trading and Day Trading.
Swing trading is a directional options trading methodology that aims to pick stocks that will move quickly and strongly within a short period of time in a predictable direction and then execute bullish or bearish options strategies in order to profit from these moves. As mentioned before, trying to profit from directional swing trading in an extremely volatile market is like swimming against the tide. Not only is directions hard to predict in the first place but the high options premium along with gapping bid ask spread all work against its favor.
Position trading is more complex than Swing Trading as it aims to profit mainly (although there are also position trading strategies that are directional in nature) from volatility or premium decay through putting together several different options and / or stocks in order to produce a hedged, market neutral position. Position trading has produced some pretty profitable results for me in this market crisis as volatility soared and options premiums are high. This puts the disadvantages of an extremely volatile market condition in the favor of the options trader. Such positions include dynamically hedged delta-neutral as well as delta-gamma-neutral positions. Both of these position trading strategies aim to neutralize market movement such that unexpected swings do not affect the position significantly while the position safely takes the high options premium on the short legs into your pockets.
Day trading is an extremely dynamic options trading method where options are bought and sold very quickly within one day in order to profit from the slightest intraday price swing or change in volatility. This strategy was a pretty hard one to profit from in low volatility market conditions as prices doesn’t change enough within a day to produce significant profits. However, day trading becomes extremely profitable in the hands of seasoned options trading veterans in extremely volatile market conditions such as this market crisis as the Dow itself has produced intraday trading ranges of up to 10%! Yes, this is the kind of trading range and price range that cannot be realized in normal market conditions. Day trading often takes the form of simply buying or shorting call or put options and then quickly covering them when profitable. Day trading also avoids the extreme overnight uncertainties that so often catch swing traders by surprise in this market crisis. Sudden overnight good news can often gap the Dow up by a significant amount and closing it over 10% higher. This can wipe out all your profits if you had been betting in the opposite direction overnight. Day trading, however, is extremely risky for beginners in options trading as the price movement is so fast and dynamic that when things happen, beginners may not know what to do and be able to do it quickly. This is therefore not recommended for beginners.
So, there you have, 2 ways to profit from this market crisis through options trading which I have used profitably. Options trading (http://www.optiontradingpedia.com) is definitely profitable under any market conditions as long as you use the right method for the prevailing conditions.

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