FX 249 OptionsTraderHandbook 1 2010
FX 249 OptionsTraderHandbook 1 2010
FX 249 OptionsTraderHandbook 1 2010
TRADER
HANDBOOK
Understanding the relationship
between CME FX Options on
Futures and OTC Options.
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FX PRODUCTS
Table of contents
Three unique trading methods
CME FX options
deliver into a futures contract
CME FX options
have standardized maturities
CME FX options
expiration procedure
Pricing of premium-quoted
CME FX options
10
Converting CME
"tick" price to implied volatility
12
13
15
A quick guide to
FX options on CME Globex
16
Contact Information
18
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Three unique
ways to access
$8 billion+ in daily
FX options liquidity.
On CME Globex:
On the floor:
Block trades:
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CAD/USD = C$100,000
JPY/USD = 12,500,000
CHF/USD = SF125,000
GBP/USD = 62,500
AUD/USD = A$100,000
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CME FX options
come in two styles:
European and American
American-style can be early-exercised at the
strike price at any time up to the evening prior
to expiration day by contacting your clearing
firm. European-style are exercised only on
expiration day. It is important to remember that early
exercise of American-style options on futures does NOT carry the
major benefits found in options on spot, because taking delivery
of a futures contract does not provide immediate access to the
higher yielding underlying currency. Theoretically, early exercise
should only occur when options are very deep in the money and
cost of carry is higher than time value. For most options, the
pricing difference between European- and American-style options
on futures should be negligible. The main difference is in the
timing of the expiration. European-style options expire at
9:00 a.m. Central Time (CT) (10:00 a.m. NY) and American-style
expire at 2:00 p.m. CT (3:00 p.m. NY) on the Friday of expiration.
The American-style options are the legacy products at CME,
constituting about 98 percent of the volume, primarily because
they provide an extra five hours of trading on the Friday expiration
days. Many of these cover important economic releases such as
U.S. employment.
When trading on CME Globex, the default description is assumed
to be an American-style option but if the option is Europeanstyle, it will be clearly stated in the long product description. The
product code will also differentiate: American-style will have a six
in the code sequence (i.e. 6EU8: 6 = American-style, E = EUR/
USD, U = September, 8 = 2008); while European-style will have an
X in the sequence (i.e. XJZ8: X = European-style, J = JPY/USD,
Z = December, 8 = 2008).
A full code would look like: 6EU8 P1550 and refer to the Americanstyle, EUR/USD, September 5th expiration, 2008, Put with strike
of 1.5500. Notice the strikes decimal and the last digit are both
dropped for simplicity sake.
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CME FX options
expiration procedure
CME FX options on the six major currencies are
AUTO-EXERCISED against a daily fixing with
no choice to the holder (buyer) of the option.
The daily fixing is computed by CME Group and is based on a 30
second volume weighted average price of trades in the underlying
futures occurring on CME Globex immediately preceding the
9:00 a.m. expiry (for European-style) and 2:00 p.m. expiry (for
American-style). This daily fixing is published in real time on
the CME Group website at:
cmegroup.com/fxfixing-price.
All in-the-money (ITM) options (1 pip or more) will be exercised
and all at-the-money (ATM) and out-of-the-money (OTM) options
will be abandoned with no recourse.
Premium-quoted
product codes
This is just a subset of CME FX Premium-Quoted options.
PREMIUM-QUOTED OPTIONS
Product
Style
AUD/USD
American
American
CAD/USD
European
American
CHF/USD
European
American
EUR/USD
European
American
GBP/USD
European
American
JPY/USD
European
Maturity
Product Code
Monthly
6A
Weekly
Monthly
6C
Weekly
Monthly
XD
Weekly
Monthly
6S
Weekly
Monthly
XS
Weekly
Monthly
6E
Weekly
Monthly
XT
Weekly
Monthly
6B
Weekly
Monthly
XB
Weekly
Monthly
6J
Weekly
Monthly
XJ
Weekly
Monthly
MXN/USD
American
6M, 1M thru 5M
Weekly
Note: For Weekly contracts, the number one means first week of
the month, the number two means second week of the month,
etc. So an American-style CHF/USD option that expires on the
third Friday in October would have a code of: 6S3V8.
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Pricing of
premium-quoted
CME FX options
One option contract delivers into one futures
contract, and correspondingly, each option contract has a
notional value equivalent to its underlying future and currency
denomination. Examples:
EUR/USD = 125,000
CAD/USD = C$100,000
JPY/USD = 12,500,000
CHF/USD = SF125,000
GBP/USD = 62,500
AUD/USD = A$100,000
10
11
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Converting CME
tick price to
implied volatility
Some pricing models have preset CME International Monetary
Market (IMM) formats. However, most are set with a default
American-style profile with a maturity day count set to the
Saturday following expiration (giving full time value to the Friday
expiration day). While this is perfectly correct theoretically, it
creates a slight discrepancy when trying to compare implied
volatility (IV) levels with the OTC option expiring on the Friday
morning. This day-count can be adjusted by manually changing
the days to expiry field or by permanently changing the rule in the
default settings for IMM options. This allows an apples-to-apples
comparison of IV for the European-style contracts (and with the
awareness that the CME American-style contracts provides an
extra five hours of trading).
12
Comparison of CME
strike to OTC strike
for same maturity
In order to match CME options with OTC
options with the same maturity dates, one
must adjust the strikes (which will also lead
to equivalent deltas).
To do this, one needs to approximate what the forward swap
difference will be between the spot and the futures contract on
the day of expiration. This forward swap difference must then
be added or subtracted to the CME strike to provide an OTC
equivalent strike. If the futures trades at a discount, add back
the swap differential. If it trades at a premium, subtract the swap
differential.
Note: the below example dates back a few years when the
rate curve was steeper. The current flat rate curve makes
this adjustment negligible, but still good to keep in mind.
Example 1:
Determine OTC strike equivalent for a CME EUR/USD, August 8,
1.5550 Call (delivers into September 17th future).
Assumption: EUR/USD forward swap curve = 0.8 pips/day
(0.00008)
1. On August 8th, spot date will be Aug 12th and CME September
IMM date is Sep 17th. The day count between spot and IMM is
36, so swap differential is 36 * (0.8) = 28.8 pips (0.00288)
2. Take CME strike and add back the differential:
1.5550 + ~0.0029 = 1.5579
An OTC option for Aug 8th expiry, with a strike of 1.5579 should
respond (delta) to spot in a corresponding manner as a CME
Aug 8th 1.5550 will respond to its underlying future.
The process requires an extra inversion step for CME contracts
quoted inversely to OTC such as, CAD/USD, CHF/USD
and JPY/USD.
13
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Example 2:
Determine OTC strike equivalent for a JPY/USD, September 5,
9450 Call (actual strike is 0.009450 but quoted without decimals
for practical reasons).
Assumption: USD/JPY forward swap curve = 0.6 pips/day
(0.006)
1. On September 5th, spot date will be Sep 9th and Sep IMM date
is Sep 17th. The day count between spot and IMM is 8, so swap
differential is 8 * (0.6) = 4.8 (0.048)
2. Take CME strike and invert to OTC convention:
1/0.009450 = 105.82
3. Add the differential back to the CME strike:
105.82 + .048 = approximately 105.87
(This adjustment can be minimal when interest differentials are
small and option expiration is close to the IMM date.)
14
CME trading
conventions for
FX options spreads
Important default rules for pricing
option spreads:
We use the following default format for market consistency in
pricing spreads electronically:
1. First listed contract is always BOUGHT; second listed contract
is SOLD
2. Vertical spreads: first listed = more-ITM strike; second listed
= less-ITM
3. Calendar spreads: first = BACK date; second = FRONT date
4. Risk reversals: first = CALL strike; second = PUT strike
Examples assuming the following EUR/USD option quotes:
Sep08 P15500 bid/ask = 50/51
Sep08 P15400 bid/ask = 21/22
Oct08 P15500 bid/ask = 150/153
Dec08 P15100 bid/ask = 147/150
Sep08 C15600 bid/ask = 19/21
Sep08 15500 15400 Put vertical:
Example 1: Sep08 15500 15400 Put vertical
Quoted 28/30 to buy the 15500 and sell the 15400
Example 2: Oct08 15500 Sep08 15500 Put calendar
Quoted 99/103 to buy the Oct and sell Sep
Example 3: Dec08 15100 Oct08 15500 Put calendar
Quoted 6/0 to buy the Dec and sell Oct
Example 4: Sep08 C15600 P15400 Risk reversal
Quoted 3/0 to buy the Call and sell the Put
15
cmegroup.com/fx
A quick guide to
FX options on
CME Globex
Contract
Style
Size
AUD/USD
A/E
100,000
Australian dollars
BRL/USD
100,000
Brazilian reais
CAD/USD
A/E
100,000
Canadian dollars
CHF/USD
A/E
125,000
Swiss francs
CZK/EUR
4,000,000
Czech koruna
CZK/USD
4,000,000
Czech koruna
EUR/CHF
125,000
euro
EUR/GBP
125,000
euro
EUR/JPY
125,000
euro
EUR/USD
A/E
125,000
euro
GBP/USD
A/E
62,500
British pounds
HUF/EUR
30,000,000
Hungarian forint
HUF/USD
30,000,000
Hungarian forint
ILS/USD
1,000,000
Israeli shekelim
JPY/USD
A/E
12,500,000
Japanese yen
KRW/USD
125,000,000
Korean won
MXN/USD
500,000
Mexican pesos
NZD/USD
100,000
New Zealand dollars
PLN/EUR
500,000
Polish zloty
PLN/USD
500,000
Polish zloty
RMB/EUR
1,000,000
Chinese renminbi
RMB/JPY
1,000,000
Chinese renminbi
RMB/USD
1,000,000
Chinese renminbi
RUB/USD
2,500,000
Russian rubles
A = American-style options
16
E = European-style options
Futures
Delivery/
Settlement
Tick
Expiration(s)
Physical
Cash
Physical
Physical
Physical
Physical
Physical
Physical
Physical
Physical
Physical
Physical
Physical
Physical
Physical
Physical
Physical
Physical
Physical
Physical
Cash
Cash
Cash
Cash
17
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18
Futures trading is not suitable for all investors, and involves the risk of loss. Futures are a leveraged investment,
and because only a percentage of a contracts value is required to trade, it is possible to lose more than the
amount of money deposited for a futures position. Therefore, traders should only use funds that they can afford
to lose without affecting their lifestyles. And only a portion of those funds should be devoted to anyone trade
because they cannot expect to profit on every trade. All references to options refer to options on futures.
CME Group is a trademark of CME Group Inc. The Globe Logo, CME, E-mini and Chicago Mercantile Exchange
are trademarks of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. CBOT and the Chicago Board of Trade are trademarks
of the Board of Trade of the City of Chicago, Inc. NYMEX is a registered trademark of the New York Mercantile
Exchange, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Futures trading is not suitable for all investors, and involves the risk of loss. Futures are a leveraged
The
information
this brochure
has been compiled
by CME value
Groupis
forrequired
general purposes
CME
investment,
andwithin
because
only a percentage
of a contracts
to trade, only.
it is possible
to
Group
assumes
responsibility
for any errors
or omissions.
Additionally,
all examples
intraders
this brochure
areonly
lose more
thanno
the
amount of money
deposited
for a futures
position.
Therefore,
should
hypothetical situations, used for explanation purposes only, and should not be considered investment advice
use funds that they can afford to lose without affecting their lifestyles. And only a portion of those
or the results of actual market experience. All matters pertaining to rules and specifications herein are made
funds should be devoted to anyone trade because they cannot expect to profit on every trade. All
subject to and are superseded by official CME, CBOT and NYMEX rules. Current rules should be consulted in all
references
to options
refer
to options on futures.
cases concerning
contract
specifications.
CME
Group Limited
is a trademark
of CME Group
Inc. TheExchange
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Recognised
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The information within this brochure has been compiled by CME Group for general purposes only.
CME Group assumes no responsibility for any errors or omissions. Additionally, all examples in
Issued by CME Marketing Europe Limited. CME Marketing Europe Limited Issued by CME Marketing Europe
this brochure
are hypothetical
situations,
for explanation
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not
be
Limited.
CME Marketing
Europe Limited
(FRN:used
220523)
is authorisedpurposes
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theshould
Financial
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considered
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advice or the results of actual market experience. All matters pertaining to
Authority in the
United Kingdom
rules and specifications herein are made subject to and are superseded by official CME, CBOT and
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Current
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Copyright 2011 CME Group. All rights reserved.
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