Derivatives and Quantitative Strategist

Gaudenz Schneider

Index Rebalance

<ul>
<li>Timing expiration, assessing volatility, and managing event risk are crucial for effective option trades.</li>
<li>Exchange holidays, expiries, central bank rate decisions, and index changes can significantly impact volatility and market direction.</li>
<li>The attached document provides key dates to help navigate the complexities of option trading in Australia, Hong Kong, India, Japan, South Korea, and the USA.
</li>
</ul>


Timing expiration, assessing volatility, and managing event risk are crucial for effective option trades.
Exchange holidays, expiries, central bank rate decisions, and index changes can significantly impact volatility and market direction.
The attached document provides key dates to help navigate the complexities of option trading in Australia, Hong Kong, India, Japan, South Korea, and the USA.



2025 Essential Calendar for Option Traders in Asia: Key Dates & Insights

HK/China Equity Long-Short

Osbert Tang, CFA

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>2024 marks another year that our "Buy the worst" strategy underperformed the HSI. The strategy yielded -1.7% YTD, against HSI's +17.9%. <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/meituan" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26970:1" rel="noopener">Meituan (3690 HK)</a> is the only winner.</li>
<li>For 2025, the strategy will switch to <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/budweiser-brewing-co-apac-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28077:1" rel="noopener">Budweiser Brewing (1876 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/chow-tai-fook-jewellery-group" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:549:1" rel="noopener">Chow Tai Fook (1929 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hang-lung-properties-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:49:1" rel="noopener">Hang Lung Props (101 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/wuxi-apptec" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:23679:1" rel="noopener">Wuxi Biologics (2269 HK)</a>, and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/cspc-pharmaceutical-group-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:229:1" rel="noopener">CSPC Pharmaceutical (1093 HK)</a>.  </li>
<li>The top five HSI winners YTD 2024 have generated an average gain of 92.7%, outperforming the HSI massively. Given their current high valuations, this is unlikely to repeat in 2025.</li>
</ul>


2024 marks another year that our "Buy the worst" strategy underperformed the HSI. The strategy yielded -1.7% YTD, against HSI's +17.9%. Meituan (3690 HK) is the only winner.
For 2025, the strategy will switch to Budweiser Brewing (1876 HK), Chow Tai Fook (1929 HK), Hang Lung Props (101 HK), Wuxi Biologics (2269 HK), and CSPC Pharmaceutical (1093 HK).  
The top five HSI winners YTD 2024 have generated an average gain of 92.7%, outperforming the HSI massively. Given their current high valuations, this is unlikely to repeat in 2025.


"Buy the Worst" HSI Strategy: Another Disappointing Year in 2024, Let's See 2025

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

Event-Driven

InnoScience Suzhou Technology / Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/innoscience-suzhou-technology" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:44185:1" rel="noopener">InnoScience Suzhou Technology (2577 HK)</a> has priced its IPO at HK$30.86/share, the low end of the range. Over half the shares have been allotted to cornerstone investors.</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/innoscience-suzhou-technology" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:44185:1" rel="noopener">InnoScience Suzhou Technology (2577 HK)</a> should be added to the HSCI in March and will be added to Southbound Stock Connect early March.</li>
<li>Inclusion in global indices will take place in 2026 and there will be supply in mid- and late-2025 following lock-up expiries.</li>
</ul>



InnoScience Suzhou Technology (2577 HK) has priced its IPO at HK$30.86/share, the low end of the range. Over half the shares have been allotted to cornerstone investors.

InnoScience Suzhou Technology (2577 HK) should be added to the HSCI in March and will be added to Southbound Stock Connect early March.
Inclusion in global indices will take place in 2026 and there will be supply in mid- and late-2025 following lock-up expiries.


InnoScience (2577 HK): Prices at Low End & Lists Today; Index Inclusion Timeline

Quantitative Researcher, MRM Research

Nico Rosti

Quantitative Researcher

MRM Research

Quantitative Research

Korea Stock Exchange KOSPI 200 / Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>
As the year comes to its end, the trading calendar is impacted by two shortened weeks, with the Christmas holiday and New Year’s Day both falling midweek.</li>
<li>Holidays market trends can be affected by various non-market factors but it's always good to check the indexes probability of trend reversals, to avoid surprises.
</li>
<li>In this insight, we’ll take a quick look at the major Asia-Pacific market indices—a 'Christmas Carousel of Odds' for Asian markets, if you will.</li>
</ul>



As the year comes to its end, the trading calendar is impacted by two shortened weeks, with the Christmas holiday and New Year’s Day both falling midweek.
Holidays market trends can be affected by various non-market factors but it's always good to check the indexes probability of trend reversals, to avoid surprises.

In this insight, we’ll take a quick look at the major Asia-Pacific market indices—a 'Christmas Carousel of Odds' for Asian markets, if you will.


HSI, Nikkei 225, NIFTY 50, Kospi 200, ASX 200, CSI 300: Year-End Trends and Holiday Market Moves!

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

<ul>
<li>Top Ten most active contracts for the week all traded on Monday. Most of the active contracts were Calls with December expiries.</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/xiaomi-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:24409:1" rel="noopener">Xiaomi Corp (1810 HK)</a> makes the Top Ten non-Tencent most active contracts with both Puts and Call active – likely stock replacement and hedges following torrid run higher.</li>
<li>Tencent implied vols trading at their lowest levels of the past year.</li>
</ul>


Top Ten most active contracts for the week all traded on Monday. Most of the active contracts were Calls with December expiries.

Xiaomi Corp (1810 HK) makes the Top Ten non-Tencent most active contracts with both Puts and Call active – likely stock replacement and hedges following torrid run higher.
Tencent implied vols trading at their lowest levels of the past year.


EQD | Hong Kong Single Stock Options Weekly December 09 – 13

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)

2025 Essential Calendar for Option Traders in Asia: Key Dates & Insights

Timing expiration and managing event risk are essential for successful option trading. This document provides key dates for option traders across...

Gaudenz Schneider

"Buy the Worst" HSI Strategy: Another Disappointing Year in 2024, Let's See 2025

The 2024 "Buy the worst" strategy has underperformed HSI, and the new picks for 2025 are Budweiser APAC, Chow Tai Fook, Hang Lung Properties, Wuxi...

Osbert Tang, CFA

InnoScience (2577 HK): Prices at Low End & Lists Today; Index Inclusion Timeline

InnoScience raised US$180m in its IPO, valuing the company at US$3.5bn and the H-shares at US$1.95bn. Float will be 2-4% till Dec25, so no chance...

Brian Freitas

HSI, Nikkei 225, NIFTY 50, Kospi 200, ASX 200, CSI 300: Year-End Trends and Holiday Market Moves!

Trading calendar has 2 upcoming shortened weeks, this insight is offer analysis of the major Asia/Pacific indices to highlight potential sudden...

Nico Rosti

EQD | Hong Kong Single Stock Options Weekly December 09 – 13

Top Ten most active contracts traded on Monday, mostly Calls with December expiries. Xiaomi Corp makes most active contracts list with Puts and...

John Ley

2025 Essential Calendar for Option Traders in Asia: Key Dates & Insights

Timing expiration and managing event risk are essential for successful option trading. This document provides key dates for option traders across...

Gaudenz Schneider

"Buy the Worst" HSI Strategy: Another Disappointing Year in 2024, Let's See 2025

​The 2024 "Buy the worst" strategy has underperformed HSI, and the new picks for 2025 are Budweiser APAC, Chow Tai Fook, Hang Lung Properties, Wuxi...

Osbert Tang, CFA

InnoScience (2577 HK): Prices at Low End & Lists Today; Index Inclusion Timeline

InnoScience raised US$180m in its IPO, valuing the company at US$3.5bn and the H-shares at US$1.95bn. Float will be 2-4% till Dec25, so no chance...

Brian Freitas

HSI, Nikkei 225, NIFTY 50, Kospi 200, ASX 200, CSI 300: Year-End Trends and Holiday Market Moves!

​Trading calendar has 2 upcoming shortened weeks, this insight is offer analysis of the major Asia/Pacific indices to highlight potential sudden...

Nico Rosti

EQD | Hong Kong Single Stock Options Weekly December 09 – 13

​Top Ten most active contracts traded on Monday, mostly Calls with December expiries. Xiaomi Corp makes most active contracts list with Puts and...

John Ley

The 2024 "Buy the worst" strategy has underperformed HSI, and the new picks for 2025 are Budweiser APAC, Chow Tai Fook, Hang Lung Properties, Wuxi...

Trading calendar has 2 upcoming shortened weeks, this insight is offer analysis of the major Asia/Pacific indices to highlight potential sudden...

Top Ten most active contracts traded on Monday, mostly Calls with December expiries. Xiaomi Corp makes most active contracts list with Puts and...