Derivatives and Quantitative Strategist

Gaudenz Schneider

Equity Derivatives

TSE Tokyo Price Index TOPIX / Equity Derivatives

<ul>
<li>Observing implied volatility across 16 markets plus gold provides a picture of falling implied volatility, despite dispersion in market performance.</li>
<li>Several, but not all, markets display moderation from unusual volatility levels to a more balanced implied volatility structure.</li>
<li>The realignment of implied volatility across markets presents potential relative value opportunities.</li>
</ul>


Observing implied volatility across 16 markets plus gold provides a picture of falling implied volatility, despite dispersion in market performance.
Several, but not all, markets display moderation from unusual volatility levels to a more balanced implied volatility structure.
The realignment of implied volatility across markets presents potential relative value opportunities.


EQD | Global Option Implied Volatility – Consistently Declining Volatility Amid Mixed Markets

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One, Periscope Analytics

Brian Freitas

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One

Periscope Analytics

Periscope Analytics focuses on event-driven trades across Asia Pacific and provides comprehensive, timely and systematic coverage of index changes to major Asia Pacific indices in a structured manner.

The analysis includes forecasted inclusions and exclusions to all major Asian indices that have significant amount of tracking assets, including estimates of passive buy/sell flow on the stocks. The service also provides commentary and impact of market consultations, ground rule changes, and other events (IPOs, spin-offs, M&A) that could lead to index changes and passive flow.

Periscope Analytics works with multi-strategy hedge funds, proprietary trading firms, stat arb trading groups and long-only investors that invest and trade in the Asia Pacific region with the data being used to trade index rebalances, avoid pre-positioning and passive flow, and to time entry into and exit from stocks.

Event-Driven Trades Across Asia Pacific

Index Rebalance

<ul>
<li>The review period for the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nikkei-225" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22909:1" rel="noopener">Nikkei 225 Index</a> March rebalance ends in January. There could be one outright change and one or two others driven by sector balance.</li>
<li>Depending on the changes, passive trackers will need to buy between 8.2-20.5x ADV (8.75%-24.5% of real float) and sell between 9-38x ADV on the deletions.</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/fast-retailing-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:751:1" rel="noopener">Fast Retailing</a>'s PAF could see a double reduction to keep the stock weight capped at 10%. There will be huge passive selling leading to funding inflows for other index constituents.</li>
</ul>


The review period for the Nikkei 225 Index March rebalance ends in January. There could be one outright change and one or two others driven by sector balance.
Depending on the changes, passive trackers will need to buy between 8.2-20.5x ADV (8.75%-24.5% of real float) and sell between 9-38x ADV on the deletions.

Fast Retailing's PAF could see a double reduction to keep the stock weight capped at 10%. There will be huge passive selling leading to funding inflows for other index constituents.


Nikkei 225 Index Rebalance Preview (Mar 2025): Ranking, Capping, Funding & Other Changes

<ul>
<li>US equity indices led global markets in a post-election sharp decline in implied volatility.</li>
<li>With only 34 trading days left in 2024, investors might want to hedge the gains from a profitable year with tactical long puts.</li>
<li>Several markets make good candidates for long put positions due to a combination of cheap options and potentially bearish factors. One example being the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/s-p-asx-200" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22901:1" rel="noopener">S&amp;P/ASX 200 (AS51 INDEX)</a> </li>
</ul>


US equity indices led global markets in a post-election sharp decline in implied volatility.
With only 34 trading days left in 2024, investors might want to hedge the gains from a profitable year with tactical long puts.
Several markets make good candidates for long put positions due to a combination of cheap options and potentially bearish factors. One example being the S&amp;P/ASX 200 (AS51 INDEX) 


EQD | Global Option Implied Volatility – 34 Trading Days Left in 2024, Year-End Positioning.

Pan-Asia Tactical Market Calls (Quant-Driven), MRM Research

Nico Rosti

Pan-Asia Tactical Market Calls (Quant-Driven)

MRM Research

Quantitative Research

<ul>
<li>We have discussed before the fact that the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nikkei-225" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22909:1" rel="noopener">Nikkei 225</a> is currently in a trendless state, and affected by wild swings. </li>
<li>It appears that the index is now starting to try to build an uptrend from the August 2024's bottom (see WEEKLY chart below).</li>
<li>This insight is focused on finding out how far the current 2-weeks rally could go from here.</li>
</ul>


We have discussed before the fact that the Nikkei 225 is currently in a trendless state, and affected by wild swings. 
It appears that the index is now starting to try to build an uptrend from the August 2024's bottom (see WEEKLY chart below).
This insight is focused on finding out how far the current 2-weeks rally could go from here.


EQD | Nikkei 225 Tentatively Trending Up, Some Room to Go Higher (But Not Much...)

Asia L/S Equity PM/Macro/Thematic Idea Generation

Rikki Malik

Cross Asset Strategy

<ul>
<li>A monthly review of how the markets and our themes are currently performing</li>
<li>Analysing what went wrong and what went right in stocks and sectors</li>
<li>Highlighting positions added or removed from the thematic investment portfolio</li>
</ul>


A monthly review of how the markets and our themes are currently performing
Analysing what went wrong and what went right in stocks and sectors
Highlighting positions added or removed from the thematic investment portfolio


October Themes and Thematic Portfolio Review

Japan

The Nikkei-225 Stock Average is a price-weighted average of 225 top-rated Japanese companies listed in the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange. The Nikkei Stock Average was first published on May 16, 1949, where the average price was ¥176.21 with a divisor of 225. 

Nikkei 225 (NKY INDEX)

EQD | Global Option Implied Volatility – Consistently Declining Volatility Amid Mixed Markets

Despite varying market performances, implied volatility is generally decreasing across 16 equity markets and gold. The realignment might offer...

Gaudenz Schneider

Nikkei 225 Index Rebalance Preview (Mar 2025): Ranking, Capping, Funding & Other Changes

There should be 1 change, could be 3 due to sector balance. The impact on the potential changes varies from 8-38x ADV. Fast Retailing could see a...

Brian Freitas

EQD | Global Option Implied Volatility – 34 Trading Days Left in 2024, Year-End Positioning.

Global equity indices saw a post-election volatility drop, making options cheap in several, but not all, markets. Consider hedging gains with...

Gaudenz Schneider

October Themes and Thematic Portfolio Review

This insight was Incorrectly titled September review while it is a review of markets and themes for October including HK/China, Japan, India,...

Rikki Malik

EQD | Global Option Implied Volatility – Consistently Declining Volatility Amid Mixed Markets

​Despite varying market performances, implied volatility is generally decreasing across 16 equity markets and gold. The realignment might offer...

Gaudenz Schneider

Nikkei 225 Index Rebalance Preview (Mar 2025): Ranking, Capping, Funding & Other Changes

There should be 1 change, could be 3 due to sector balance. The impact on the potential changes varies from 8-38x ADV. Fast Retailing could see a...

Brian Freitas

EQD | Global Option Implied Volatility – 34 Trading Days Left in 2024, Year-End Positioning.

​Global equity indices saw a post-election volatility drop, making options cheap in several, but not all, markets. Consider hedging gains with...

Gaudenz Schneider

EQD | Nikkei 225 Tentatively Trending Up, Some Room to Go Higher (But Not Much...)

​The Nikkei 225 index is attempting to build an uptrend from its August 2024 low, but it has already reached potentially overbought WEEKLY levels,...

Nico Rosti

October Themes and Thematic Portfolio Review

This insight was Incorrectly titled September review while it is a review of markets and themes for October including HK/China, Japan, India,...

Rikki Malik

Despite varying market performances, implied volatility is generally decreasing across 16 equity markets and gold. The realignment might offer...

Global equity indices saw a post-election volatility drop, making options cheap in several, but not all, markets. Consider hedging gains with...

The Nikkei 225 index is attempting to build an uptrend from its August 2024 low, but it has already reached potentially overbought WEEKLY levels,...