Deriv HW #1

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Rutgers University *

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390:420

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Finance

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Apr 3, 2024

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Q1.2 Explain carefully the difference between hedging, speculation, and arbitrage. Hedging is a risk management strategy used to offset the risk of adverse price movements in a security. The investor will take an opposite position in a related asset to the primary asset. For example, if a corn farmer is worried about falling corn prices, they can hedge their long position (as a farmer is inherently betting on the profitability of corn) by selling wheat futures contracts. The aim of hedging is not to profit but to minimize downside risk. If a primary asset has adverse price movements, the losses incurred can be offset by the hedge. Speculation involves calculated bets on future profit assets. Unlike hedging, the aim is to profit here. Spectators seek to capitalize on changes in asset pricing. Speculators take positions in assets, often without any need for it, based on their forecasts of future prices. They seek to buy low and sell high (or sell high and buy low) – this depends on whether they anticipate prices to rise or fall. Finally, arbitrage is a profit strategy aiming to exploit price inefficiencies or differences in price for the same asset in different markets. An arbitrage investor would buy and sell an asset at the same time in different markets to profit from a price discrepancy. For example, perhaps I buy Stock A on the US Exchange and then sell on the Tokyo Exchange, where Stock A is priced slightly here as part of a temporary price discrepancies – I reap the difference as a profit. Arbitrage overall aims to lock in profit without any market risk. The problem in the modern era is computerized automation makes it harder to find discrepancies. Q 2.10 Explain how margin accounts protect futures traders against the possibility of default. Margin accounts ensure traders have the proper funds to cover their positions, incentivizing responsible risk taking and risk management. When traders open a futures position, they are required to deposit an initial margin – a percentage of the total contract value and collateral for the trade. This makes sure traders have some financial stake in the contract, reducing default possibility. In addition to the initial margin, exchanges also set maintenance margin requirements. This is slightly higher than the initial margin. If the value of the futures contract moves against the trader, causing their equity to fall below the maintenance margin, the trader must deposit additional funds to bring the margin back up to the required level. Futures contracts are marked to the market daily, meaning that gains or losses are settled at the close of the market. Marking to market ensures that traders' margin accounts reflect their current financial obligations accurately. If a trader's losses exceed the margin they have deposited, they may receive a margin call, which is when they are forced to deposit additional funds to cover their positions. Finally, if a margin call is not met or a trader can’t meet margin requirements, the broker can liquidate their positions. . This helps protect against the risk of default by ensuring that losses are covered before they escalate to a level where the trader can’t cover their losses and enter into default. Q 2.11 A trader buys two July futures contracts on frozen orange juice concentrate. Each The contract is for the delivery of 15,000 pounds. The current futures price is 160 cents per pound, the initial margin is $6,000 per contract, and the maintenance margin is $4,500 per
contract. What price change would lead to a margin call? Under what circumstances could $2,000 be withdrawn from the margin account? 6000 - 4500 = 1500 * 2 contracts = 3000 loss will cause a margin call Profits = (X - $1.60) * 15,000 * 2 Profits = (X - $1.60) * 30,000 -3000 = (X - 1.60) * 30,000 X = -3000/30,000 + 1.60 = $1.50 1.60 - 1.50 = .10 cents 1000 rise per contract needed * 2 contracts = 2000 2,000 = (X - 1.60) * (15,000 * 2) 2,000 = (X - 1.60) * 30,000 X = 2,000/30,000 + 1.60 = $1.667 1.667 - 1.60 = 6.67 cents There is a margin call if more than $1,500 is lost on one contract. This happens if the futures price of frozen orange juice falls by more than 10 cents to below 150 cents per pound. $2,000 can be withdrawn from the margin account if there is a gain on one contract of $1,000. This will happen if the futures price rises by 6.67 cents to 166.67 cents per pound. Q 2.19 “Speculation in futures markets is pure gambling. It is not in the public interest to allow speculators to trade on a futures exchange.” Discuss this viewpoint. Some people against this view would claim that letting people gamble on futures is creating more risk and volatility for no necessary reason. But, others would argue that people should be allowed to seek profit if they would like in a free market, and spectators also add liquidity to the market. However, contracts must have some useful economic purpose. Regulators may only approve contracts when they are likely to be of interest to hedgers as well as speculators. OTC trading also provides a way to circumvent traditional exchanges, although they have their own risks. Q 2.22 “When a futures contract is traded on the floor of the exchange, it may be the case that the open interest increases by one, stays the same, or decreases by one.” Explain this. If both sides/parties are entering into a new contract, the open interest increases by one. If one party is entering into a new contract while the other party is closing out an existing position, the open interest stays the same. If both parties are closing out existing positions, the open interest decreases by one. Q2.30 A company enters into a short futures contract to sell 5,000 bushels of wheat for 750 cents per bushel. The initial margin is $3,000 and the maintenance margin is $2,000. What price change would lead to a margin call? Under what circumstances could $1,500 be withdrawn from the margin account?
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