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.

Equity Derivatives

Hang Seng China Enterprises Index / Equity Derivatives

<ul>
<li>HSCEI rebounded 5.90%, reversing last week’s weakness and extending its rally since mid-January.</li>
<li>Volatility softened in the short term, with implieds trending below key historic vol measures.</li>
<li>Skew shifted as demand for tail risk increased, with both out-of-the-money Puts and Calls seeing higher implied volatility, reflecting a bid for protection and upside exposure.</li>
</ul>


HSCEI rebounded 5.90%, reversing last week’s weakness and extending its rally since mid-January.
Volatility softened in the short term, with implieds trending below key historic vol measures.
Skew shifted as demand for tail risk increased, with both out-of-the-money Puts and Calls seeing higher implied volatility, reflecting a bid for protection and upside exposure.


HSCEI Index Options Weekly (March 03-07): Strong Gains as Skew Signals Tail Demand

Derivatives and Quantitative Strategist

Gaudenz Schneider

<ul>
<li>While <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/alibaba-group-holding-ltd-d7b798e2-202d-4e01-9a1e-799e2ae8f0c7" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28434:1" rel="noopener">Alibaba Group Holding (9988 HK)</a> rallied, lower in-the-money calls were closed, realizing gains, while higher out-of-the-money strikes gained popularity.</li>
<li>The median strike price lagged the sharp increase in stock price. The median strike currently stands at 107.50.</li>
<li>With 81% of March calls currently in-the-money and higher strikes trading at premium implied volatility, active trading is expected in the 150-170 strike range.</li>
</ul>


While Alibaba Group Holding (9988 HK) rallied, lower in-the-money calls were closed, realizing gains, while higher out-of-the-money strikes gained popularity.
The median strike price lagged the sharp increase in stock price. The median strike currently stands at 107.50.
With 81% of March calls currently in-the-money and higher strikes trading at premium implied volatility, active trading is expected in the 150-170 strike range.


Alibaba (9988 HK): Trends in CALL Strikes and Open Interest Visualized in Animation and Charts

<ul>
<li>As <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/alibaba-group-holding-ltd-d7b798e2-202d-4e01-9a1e-799e2ae8f0c7" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28434:1" rel="noopener">Alibaba Group Holding (9988 HK)</a> rallied, put strike distribution remained largely unchanged with median strikes only rising from 80 to 85, pushing protection increasingly deep out-of-the-money.</li>
<li>With most puts now deep out-of-the-money, active trading is expected in the 120-140 strike range.</li>
<li>The deep out-of-the-money put strikes trade at a significant premium to at the money implied volatility. The 130 strikes trade below, offering an opportunity for an effective hedge.</li>
</ul>


As Alibaba Group Holding (9988 HK) rallied, put strike distribution remained largely unchanged with median strikes only rising from 80 to 85, pushing protection increasingly deep out-of-the-money.
With most puts now deep out-of-the-money, active trading is expected in the 120-140 strike range.
The deep out-of-the-money put strikes trade at a significant premium to at the money implied volatility. The 130 strikes trade below, offering an opportunity for an effective hedge.


Alibaba (9988 HK): Trends in PUT Strikes and Open Interest Visualized in Animation and Charts

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

Rikki Malik

Cross Asset Strategy

<ul>
<li>Few surprises from the Government Work Report, but investor fatigue has set in.</li>
<li>Groundwork continues to be laid for a boost in consumption as a share of GDP</li>
<li>HK/China bull market to broaden out from the technology sector?</li>
</ul>


Few surprises from the Government Work Report, but investor fatigue has set in.
Groundwork continues to be laid for a boost in consumption as a share of GDP
HK/China bull market to broaden out from the technology sector?


NPC- Consumption Put Top of the Agenda, but Another Case of The “Boy Who Cried Wolf?”

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 March rebalance of the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hong-kong-hang-seng-index" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22899:1" rel="noopener">HSI</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hang-seng-china-enterprises-index" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22900:1" rel="noopener">HSCEI INDEX</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hang-seng-tech-index" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:31367:1" rel="noopener">HSTECH</a> and HSIII indices will use today's closing prices to cap the index constituent weights at 8%/12%. This leads to large flows.</li>
<li>The gross round-trip trade across all stocks across the four indices is estimated at HK$41.1bn (US$5.3bn). The net round-trip trade is HK$37.3bn (US$4.8bn).</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/meituan" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26970:1" rel="noopener">Meituan</a> ,  <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/jd-com-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:29043:1" rel="noopener">JD.com</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/baidu-inc-a55ca720-5968-48f0-8194-ac94390d065c" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:32212:1" rel="noopener">Baidu</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/horizon-robotics-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:35637:1" rel="noopener">Horizon Robotics</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/industrial-and-commercial-bank-of-china-limited" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1119:1" rel="noopener">ICBC</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/beigene-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27352:1" rel="noopener">BeiGene</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kuaishou-technology" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:29725:1" rel="noopener">Kuaishou Technology</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-construction-bank-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:45:1" rel="noopener">China Construction Bank</a> are the largest buys. <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/alibaba-group-holding-ltd-d7b798e2-202d-4e01-9a1e-799e2ae8f0c7" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28434:1" rel="noopener">Alibaba</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/xiaomi-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:24409:1" rel="noopener">Xiaomi</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hsbc-holdings-plc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:516:1" rel="noopener">HSBC</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/zhongan-online-p-c-insurance-c" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:23681:1" rel="noopener">ZhongAn Online</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tencent-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26:1" rel="noopener">Tencent </a>are the largest sells.</li>
</ul>


The March rebalance of the HSI, HSCEI INDEX, HSTECH and HSIII indices will use today's closing prices to cap the index constituent weights at 8%/12%. This leads to large flows.
The gross round-trip trade across all stocks across the four indices is estimated at HK$41.1bn (US$5.3bn). The net round-trip trade is HK$37.3bn (US$4.8bn).

Meituan ,  JD.com, Baidu, Horizon Robotics, ICBC, BeiGene, Kuaishou Technology and China Construction Bank are the largest buys. Alibaba, Xiaomi, HSBC, ZhongAn Online and Tencent are the largest sells.


HSI, HSCEI, HSTECH, HSIII Index Rebalance: US$5.3bn of Flows Post Capping (Mar 2025)

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)

HSCEI Index Options Weekly (March 03-07): Strong Gains as Skew Signals Tail Demand

HSCEI rebounds nearly 6%, showing increased demand for tail risk as volatility softens and implieds trend below historic measures.

John Ley

Alibaba (9988 HK): Trends in CALL Strikes and Open Interest Visualized in Animation and Charts

Alibaba stock rally prompts closure of lower in-the-money calls, while higher out-of-the-money strikes gain popularity. Active trading expected in...

Gaudenz Schneider

Alibaba (9988 HK): Trends in PUT Strikes and Open Interest Visualized in Animation and Charts

Alibaba's rally pushes put strikes deep out-of-the-money, creating opportunities in the 120-140 range for effective hedging.

Gaudenz Schneider

NPC- Consumption Put Top of the Agenda, but Another Case of The “Boy Who Cried Wolf?”

Investors feeling fatigued despite expected plans for boosting consumption in China, potential broadening of bull market beyond technology sector...

Rikki Malik

HSI, HSCEI, HSTECH, HSIII Index Rebalance: US$5.3bn of Flows Post Capping (Mar 2025)

The March rebalance of the HSI, HSCEI, HSTECH and HSIII indices will use today's closing prices for capping. The round-trip trade across the four...

Brian Freitas

HSCEI Index Options Weekly (March 03-07): Strong Gains as Skew Signals Tail Demand

​HSCEI rebounds nearly 6%, showing increased demand for tail risk as volatility softens and implieds trend below historic measures.

John Ley

Alibaba (9988 HK): Trends in CALL Strikes and Open Interest Visualized in Animation and Charts

​Alibaba stock rally prompts closure of lower in-the-money calls, while higher out-of-the-money strikes gain popularity. Active trading expected in...

Gaudenz Schneider

Alibaba (9988 HK): Trends in PUT Strikes and Open Interest Visualized in Animation and Charts

​Alibaba's rally pushes put strikes deep out-of-the-money, creating opportunities in the 120-140 range for effective hedging.

Gaudenz Schneider

NPC- Consumption Put Top of the Agenda, but Another Case of The “Boy Who Cried Wolf?”

​Investors feeling fatigued despite expected plans for boosting consumption in China, potential broadening of bull market beyond technology sector...

Rikki Malik

HSI, HSCEI, HSTECH, HSIII Index Rebalance: US$5.3bn of Flows Post Capping (Mar 2025)

The March rebalance of the HSI, HSCEI, HSTECH and HSIII indices will use today's closing prices for capping. The round-trip trade across the four...

Brian Freitas

HSCEI rebounds nearly 6%, showing increased demand for tail risk as volatility softens and implieds trend below historic measures.

Alibaba stock rally prompts closure of lower in-the-money calls, while higher out-of-the-money strikes gain popularity. Active trading expected in...

Alibaba's rally pushes put strikes deep out-of-the-money, creating opportunities in the 120-140 range for effective hedging.

Investors feeling fatigued despite expected plans for boosting consumption in China, potential broadening of bull market beyond technology sector...