Derivatives and Quantitative Strategist

Gaudenz Schneider

Equity Derivatives

<ul>
<li>
Market Reaction: The announcement of US reciprocal tariffs led to significantly lower market open throughout Asia-Pacific. In the US, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/s-p-500-index" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22886:1" rel="noopener">S&amp;P 500</a> futures dropped -3.5%, with the VIX spiking to 23.45.</li>
<li>
Impact on Japan: Japan faces a 24% tariff, with specific sectors like automobiles hit with 25%. This led to a 4.5% drop in the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nikkei-225" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22909:1" rel="noopener">Nikkei 225</a>, stabilizing at 34,600 (-3.2%).</li>
<li>
Volatility Increase: The Nikkei 225 VIX index jumped from previous levels in the low 20's to rise above 38 before retreating to 32.8, indicating the 99th percentile of implied volatility.</li>
</ul>



Market Reaction: The announcement of US reciprocal tariffs led to significantly lower market open throughout Asia-Pacific. In the US, S&amp;P 500 futures dropped -3.5%, with the VIX spiking to 23.45.

Impact on Japan: Japan faces a 24% tariff, with specific sectors like automobiles hit with 25%. This led to a 4.5% drop in the Nikkei 225, stabilizing at 34,600 (-3.2%).

Volatility Increase: The Nikkei 225 VIX index jumped from previous levels in the low 20's to rise above 38 before retreating to 32.8, indicating the 99th percentile of implied volatility.


Nikkei 225 (NKY INDEX) Drops Amid US Tariffs: Implied Volatility Hits Extreme Levels

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

Travis Lundy

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>The March 2025 Nikkei 225 review came out with a sparse set of changes. That gives us hints for the September 2025 review.</li>
<li>Kokusai did NOT get added, waiting for a split, an offering, or time to pass. Only one sector change was made. So we see One ADD and One DELETE.</li>
<li>The lack of effort to address sector imbalances within the rules suggests the rules are not as hard as people thought. Intra-review changes could be more interesting in years ahead.</li>
</ul>


The March 2025 Nikkei 225 review came out with a sparse set of changes. That gives us hints for the September 2025 review.
Kokusai did NOT get added, waiting for a split, an offering, or time to pass. Only one sector change was made. So we see One ADD and One DELETE.
The lack of effort to address sector imbalances within the rules suggests the rules are not as hard as people thought. Intra-review changes could be more interesting in years ahead.


Nikkei 225 Sep25 Rebal: One ADD, One DELETE Still Probable Unless Kokusai Elec (6525) Offering/Split

Index Rebalance

<ul>
<li>The Nikkei 225 March 2025 rebalance is today. The ADD is  big, with more to buy later. The SELL is a really big sell in terms of float. </li>
<li>The Sell, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/mitsubishi-logistics-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:11909:1" rel="noopener">Mitsubishi Logistics (9301 JP)</a>, means Max Real World Float doubles. It's like a huge offering, with warning.</li>
<li>There's a big cap trade on <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/fast-retailing-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:751:1" rel="noopener">Fast Retailing (9983 JP)</a> where timing is not on its side, leaving US$2bn to buy in funding. 25 names at 0.4x ADV to buy.</li>
</ul>


The Nikkei 225 March 2025 rebalance is today. The ADD is  big, with more to buy later. The SELL is a really big sell in terms of float. 
The Sell, Mitsubishi Logistics (9301 JP), means Max Real World Float doubles. It's like a huge offering, with warning.
There's a big cap trade on Fast Retailing (9983 JP) where timing is not on its side, leaving US$2bn to buy in funding. 25 names at 0.4x ADV to buy.


Nikkei 225 Mar25 Rebal - A Big Buy With Buying Shadow, A Bigger Sell, And $2bn of Funding Flows

<ul>
<li>Every year it's the same trade. But sometimes it is not. This year it is Thursday and Friday. Or not.</li>
<li>The month-end and quarter-end bring big flows, or not, depending on how things have gone.</li>
<li>Over the past 10 years or so, the two-day return on the March trade is pretty good. This year? Well read on!</li>
</ul>


Every year it's the same trade. But sometimes it is not. This year it is Thursday and Friday. Or not.
The month-end and quarter-end bring big flows, or not, depending on how things have gone.
Over the past 10 years or so, the two-day return on the March trade is pretty good. This year? Well read on!


The Japan March-End Rebal and Dividend Trade

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

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/baycurrent-consulting-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:25985:1" rel="noopener">BayCurrent Consulting (6532 JP)</a> replaces <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/mitsubishi-logistics-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:11909:1" rel="noopener">Mitsubishi Logistics (9301 JP)</a> in the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nikkei-225" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22909:1" rel="noopener">Nikkei 225 (NKY INDEX)</a> at the close of trading on 31 March.</li>
<li>Since announcement, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/baycurrent-consulting-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:25985:1" rel="noopener">BayCurrent Consulting (6532 JP)</a> stock is up with cumulative excess volume increasing, while <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/mitsubishi-logistics-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:11909:1" rel="noopener">Mitsubishi Logistics (9301 JP)</a> is lower on a much bigger increase in cumulative excess volume.</li>
<li>Some of the forecast adds and deletes have moved as one would expect, but positioning for the September rebalance could lead to reversals over the next few weeks and months.</li>
</ul>



BayCurrent Consulting (6532 JP) replaces Mitsubishi Logistics (9301 JP) in the Nikkei 225 (NKY INDEX) at the close of trading on 31 March.
Since announcement, BayCurrent Consulting (6532 JP) stock is up with cumulative excess volume increasing, while Mitsubishi Logistics (9301 JP) is lower on a much bigger increase in cumulative excess volume.
Some of the forecast adds and deletes have moved as one would expect, but positioning for the September rebalance could lead to reversals over the next few weeks and months.


Nikkei 225 Index Rebalance: Positioning With a Few Days to Implementation

Japan

FAST RETAILING CO., LTD. operates a chain of clothing stores, UNIQLO, throughout Japan and in other markets overseas including UK, China, Hong Kong, South Korea, US, France, Singapore and Russia.  The Company designs, manufactures, and retails its own line of casual clothing.

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Fast Retailing (9983 JP)

Nikkei 225 (NKY INDEX) Drops Amid US Tariffs: Implied Volatility Hits Extreme Levels

US reciprocal tariffs announcement led to lower market open in Asia-Pacific, with Japan facing a 24% tariff causing a drop in Nikkei 225 and a...

Gaudenz Schneider

Nikkei 225 Sep25 Rebal: One ADD, One DELETE Still Probable Unless Kokusai Elec (6525) Offering/Split

The Nikkei 225 Rebal for Sep 2025 is less interesting than it could be because it appears the Nikkei index team isn't following their own rules....

Travis Lundy

Nikkei 225 Mar25 Rebal - A Big Buy With Buying Shadow, A Bigger Sell, And $2bn of Funding Flows

The Nikkei 225 rebalance - all the data for all the flows. There will be buying overhang on Baycurrent as it gets upweighted in 6mos, post-delete...

Travis Lundy

The Japan March-End Rebal and Dividend Trade

History shows (see Discussion Point) that "the right trade" is to be outright long TOPIX from today at the close to sell Friday (dividend ex-date)...

Travis Lundy

Nikkei 225 Index Rebalance: Positioning With a Few Days to Implementation

Baycurrent could follow Nitori's playbook. Mitsubishi Logistics could drop some more. Kokusai is underperforming the SOX. Okuma and Tokuyama are up...

Brian Freitas

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

Nikkei 225 (NKY INDEX) Drops Amid US Tariffs: Implied Volatility Hits Extreme Levels

​US reciprocal tariffs announcement led to lower market open in Asia-Pacific, with Japan facing a 24% tariff causing a drop in Nikkei 225 and a...

Gaudenz Schneider

Nikkei 225 Sep25 Rebal: One ADD, One DELETE Still Probable Unless Kokusai Elec (6525) Offering/Split

The Nikkei 225 Rebal for Sep 2025 is less interesting than it could be because it appears the Nikkei index team isn't following their own rules....

Travis Lundy

Nikkei 225 Mar25 Rebal - A Big Buy With Buying Shadow, A Bigger Sell, And $2bn of Funding Flows

The Nikkei 225 rebalance - all the data for all the flows. There will be buying overhang on Baycurrent as it gets upweighted in 6mos, post-delete...

Travis Lundy

The Japan March-End Rebal and Dividend Trade

History shows (see Discussion Point) that "the right trade" is to be outright long TOPIX from today at the close to sell Friday (dividend ex-date)...

Travis Lundy

Nikkei 225 Index Rebalance: Positioning With a Few Days to Implementation

Baycurrent could follow Nitori's playbook. Mitsubishi Logistics could drop some more. Kokusai is underperforming the SOX. Okuma and Tokuyama are up...

Brian Freitas

US reciprocal tariffs announcement led to lower market open in Asia-Pacific, with Japan facing a 24% tariff causing a drop in Nikkei 225 and a...