Derivatives and Quantitative Strategist

Gaudenz Schneider

Equity Derivatives

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hong-kong-hang-seng-index" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22899:1" rel="noopener">Hang Seng Index (HSI INDEX)</a> <strong>put</strong> options show concentrated positioning at the 19,000 and 20,000 strike levels.</li>
<li>Traders continue to establish new positions approximately 15%-20% below current market levels, suggesting protection against major market corrections rather than minor pullbacks. The focus is on near-term risk.</li>
<li>Implied volatility has remained stable at 25-30% over the past two weeks, consistent with a broadly sideways movement in the index itself.</li>
</ul>



Hang Seng Index (HSI INDEX) put options show concentrated positioning at the 19,000 and 20,000 strike levels.
Traders continue to establish new positions approximately 15%-20% below current market levels, suggesting protection against major market corrections rather than minor pullbacks. The focus is on near-term risk.
Implied volatility has remained stable at 25-30% over the past two weeks, consistent with a broadly sideways movement in the index itself.


Hang Seng Index (HSI): Trends in PUT Strikes and Open Interest Visualized in Animation and Charts

<ul>
<li>Market traders of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hong-kong-hang-seng-index" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22899:1" rel="noopener">Hang Seng Index (HSI INDEX)</a> call options maintain significant holdings in lower strikes, with notable concentration at the 20,000 strike level.</li>
<li>Open interest data reveals significant increase in open interest for 25,000 and 26,000 strike calls since late February, reflecting active trading as traders built new positions.</li>
<li>Despite increased trading activity and changes in market positioning, implied volatility has remained stable at 25-30% over the past two weeks, reflecting a consistent market sentiment.</li>
</ul>


Market traders of Hang Seng Index (HSI INDEX) call options maintain significant holdings in lower strikes, with notable concentration at the 20,000 strike level.
Open interest data reveals significant increase in open interest for 25,000 and 26,000 strike calls since late February, reflecting active trading as traders built new positions.
Despite increased trading activity and changes in market positioning, implied volatility has remained stable at 25-30% over the past two weeks, reflecting a consistent market sentiment.


Hang Seng Index (HSI): Trends in CALL Strikes and Open Interest Visualized in Animation and Charts

Equity Derivatives and Volatility Specialist, Clifton Derivatives

John Ley

Equity Derivatives and Volatility Specialist

Clifton Derivatives

Independent derivative and volatility research firm focusing on events/catalysts, earnings, relative value and cross asset volatility strategies.

<ul>
<li>Broad based weakness, less than ½ of optionable stocks were up on the week with the average size of losses larger than average size of gains.</li>
<li>Total single stock Put option volume the highest in the past 4 months pushing the Put/Call ratio to a local extreme. </li>
<li>Laggards from the rally holding on, rally leaders broadly weak.</li>
</ul>


Broad based weakness, less than ½ of optionable stocks were up on the week with the average size of losses larger than average size of gains.
Total single stock Put option volume the highest in the past 4 months pushing the Put/Call ratio to a local extreme. 
Laggards from the rally holding on, rally leaders broadly weak.


Hong Kong Single Stock Options Weekly (Feb 24 – 28): Broad Deterioration

<ul>
<li>HSI down 1.64% on the week but under the hood volatility was percolating with a larger weekly range and 2 daily moves &gt; 3%.</li>
<li>Volatilities rise across the board and shift in the skew favoring Puts.</li>
<li>Trading dynamics between spot and implied vol continue to evolve and seasonal setup over the next two weeks not favourable for HSI.</li>
</ul>


HSI down 1.64% on the week but under the hood volatility was percolating with a larger weekly range and 2 daily moves &gt; 3%.
Volatilities rise across the board and shift in the skew favoring Puts.
Trading dynamics between spot and implied vol continue to evolve and seasonal setup over the next two weeks not favourable for HSI.


HSI Index Options Weekly (Feb 24-28): Volatility Increases as Rally Reverses

<ul>
<li>Monthly deep-dive into price and vol metrics across Asian indexes as well as macro assets.</li>
<li>Provides an in-depth look at the current state of the markets as well as how volatility and price are likely to unfold for March.</li>
<li>HSI, Nifty, SP500, SPASX200 and Gold are all highlighted as having tradeable patterns in March.</li>
</ul>


Monthly deep-dive into price and vol metrics across Asian indexes as well as macro assets.
Provides an in-depth look at the current state of the markets as well as how volatility and price are likely to unfold for March.
HSI, Nifty, SP500, SPASX200 and Gold are all highlighted as having tradeable patterns in March.


Macro Vol Monthly - March:  Weakness Could Continue into Mid-March

Hong Kong

The Hang Seng Index is a free-float capitalization-weighted index of a selection of companies from the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong. The components of the index are divided into four subindices: Commerce and Industry, Finance, Utilities, and Properties. The index was developed with a base level of 100 as of July 31, 1964.

Hang Seng Index (HSI INDEX)

Hang Seng Index (HSI): Trends in PUT Strikes and Open Interest Visualized in Animation and Charts

Traders are heavily positioned in Hang Seng Index put options at 19,000 and 20,000 strike levels, indicating protection against major market...

Gaudenz Schneider

Hang Seng Index (HSI): Trends in CALL Strikes and Open Interest Visualized in Animation and Charts

Traders of Hang Seng Index call options maintain significant holdings at lower strikes. Increased interest in 25,000 and 26,000 strikes

Gaudenz Schneider

Hong Kong Single Stock Options Weekly (Feb 24 – 28): Broad Deterioration

The market saw broad weakness with less than half of optionable stocks up for the week. Put option volumes at 4-month high, pushing Put/Call ratio...

John Ley

HSI Index Options Weekly (Feb 24-28): Volatility Increases as Rally Reverses

HSI down 1.64% with increased volatility and shift towards Puts, implied vol dynamics evolving with unfavorable seasonal setup ahead.

John Ley

Macro Vol Monthly - March: Weakness Could Continue into Mid-March

March market outlook for price and volatility across Asian indexes and macro assets, highlighting tradeable patterns in HSI, Nifty, SP500,...

John Ley

Hang Seng Index (HSI): Trends in PUT Strikes and Open Interest Visualized in Animation and Charts

​Traders are heavily positioned in Hang Seng Index put options at 19,000 and 20,000 strike levels, indicating protection against major market...

Gaudenz Schneider

Hang Seng Index (HSI): Trends in CALL Strikes and Open Interest Visualized in Animation and Charts

Traders of Hang Seng Index call options maintain significant holdings at lower strikes. Increased interest in 25,000 and 26,000 strikes

Gaudenz Schneider

Hong Kong Single Stock Options Weekly (Feb 24 – 28): Broad Deterioration

​The market saw broad weakness with less than half of optionable stocks up for the week. Put option volumes at 4-month high, pushing Put/Call ratio...

John Ley

HSI Index Options Weekly (Feb 24-28): Volatility Increases as Rally Reverses

​HSI down 1.64% with increased volatility and shift towards Puts, implied vol dynamics evolving with unfavorable seasonal setup ahead.

John Ley

Macro Vol Monthly - March: Weakness Could Continue into Mid-March

​March market outlook for price and volatility across Asian indexes and macro assets, highlighting tradeable patterns in HSI, Nifty, SP500,...

John Ley

Traders are heavily positioned in Hang Seng Index put options at 19,000 and 20,000 strike levels, indicating protection against major market...

The market saw broad weakness with less than half of optionable stocks up for the week. Put option volumes at 4-month high, pushing Put/Call ratio...

HSI down 1.64% with increased volatility and shift towards Puts, implied vol dynamics evolving with unfavorable seasonal setup ahead.

March market outlook for price and volatility across Asian indexes and macro assets, highlighting tradeable patterns in HSI, Nifty, SP500,...