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>The US election is the ultimate of known unknowns. The markets have endured both Trump and Biden/Harris so impactful policy surprises should be limited. </li>
<li>Hedging cost are running high for Asian equities post August unwind and September stimulus combined with election. </li>
<li>Markets have some momentum and in some cases mean reversion to the price move on the day after the election. </li>
</ul>


The US election is the ultimate of known unknowns. The markets have endured both Trump and Biden/Harris so impactful policy surprises should be limited. 
Hedging cost are running high for Asian equities post August unwind and September stimulus combined with election. 
Markets have some momentum and in some cases mean reversion to the price move on the day after the election. 


EQD | US Election -  Hedge Considerations

Derivatives and Quantitative Strategist

Gaudenz Schneider

<ul>
<li>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> has been trading sideways between 35,000 and 40,000 for the past eleven weeks.</li>
<li>A short straddle allows investors who believe that the Nikkei 225 continues to trade sideways to earn a profit of up to 7% in six weeks.</li>
<li>This Insight presents the strategy rationale, profit and loss profile, back-testing and risk management measures. </li>
</ul>


The Nikkei 225 (NKY INDEX) has been trading sideways between 35,000 and 40,000 for the past eleven weeks.
A short straddle allows investors who believe that the Nikkei 225 continues to trade sideways to earn a profit of up to 7% in six weeks.
This Insight presents the strategy rationale, profit and loss profile, back-testing and risk management measures. 


EQD | Nikkei 225 Option Opportunity – Earn Premium in Sideways Markets with Straddles

<ul>
<li>This strategy exploits relative value in implied volatilities and combines it with a long Nifty 50 vs. short Nikkei 225 directional view over a period of two months.</li>
<li>The strategy performs well if the Nifty 50 rises <em>and</em> outperforms the Nikkei 225. If both indices decline, neither profit nor loss is incurred.</li>
<li>Leverage increases both the strategy's payoff and probability of success.</li>
</ul>


This strategy exploits relative value in implied volatilities and combines it with a long Nifty 50 vs. short Nikkei 225 directional view over a period of two months.
The strategy performs well if the Nifty 50 rises and outperforms the Nikkei 225. If both indices decline, neither profit nor loss is incurred.
Leverage increases both the strategy's payoff and probability of success.


EQD | Long Nifty 50 Vs. Short Nikkei 225 - A Relative Value Option Strategy with a Kicker

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 market turmoil over the last few trading sessions has not been kind to a simple index rebalance strategy of buying the forecast adds and selling the forecast deletes.</li>
<li>The overall returns and stock specific returns indicate that trades are more crowded in some indices as compared to others and traders should consider that when position sizing.</li>
<li>Anecdotally, periods of negative returns are followed by periods of strong returns for the strategy as weak hands are shaken out of their positions.</li>
</ul>


The market turmoil over the last few trading sessions has not been kind to a simple index rebalance strategy of buying the forecast adds and selling the forecast deletes.
The overall returns and stock specific returns indicate that trades are more crowded in some indices as compared to others and traders should consider that when position sizing.
Anecdotally, periods of negative returns are followed by periods of strong returns for the strategy as weak hands are shaken out of their positions.


How Has the Index Rebalance Strategy Performed During Market Turmoil?

Focus on Smaller Cap Value Names, Altay Capital

Altay Capital

Focus on Smaller Cap Value Names

Long time value investor. Long/Short portfolio that’s always net long (between 30-80%). I have extensive experience in the video game industry as I founded a leading media company in the space, which I have since exited after an acquisition. Gaming companies only make up ~15% of my portfolio, but its a sector where I believe I have an edge. A newsletter about value investing! Mostly focus on smaller cap value names that aren't widely covered.

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul><li>I initially began my cheap Japanese basket in March 2023 and now that 2023 has come to an end, let’s take a look at how everything worked out.</li><li>But first, a quick summary of the themes in my basket and why I’m broadly still bullish on deep value Japan.</li><li>Within my basket of cheap Japanese companies, there are 3 broad themes: higher quality businesses with better RoEs and P/TBV closer to 0.7x, dirt cheap deep value net nets with P/TBV of 0.2-0.4x, and deeply discounted companies with underappreciated land assets</li></ul>

I initially began my cheap Japanese basket in March 2023 and now that 2023 has come to an end, let’s take a look at how everything worked out.But first, a quick summary of the themes in my basket and why I’m broadly still bullish on deep value Japan.Within my basket of cheap Japanese companies, there are 3 broad themes: higher quality businesses with better RoEs and P/TBV closer to 0.7x, dirt cheap deep value net nets with P/TBV of 0.2-0.4x, and deeply discounted companies with underappreciated land assets

The Cheap Japanese Basket: Year-End Portfolio Review and Reasons Why I Remain Bullish

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 | US Election - Hedge Considerations

The US election brings uncertainty, but market impact should be limited due to enduring Trump and Biden/Harris policies. Asian equities face high...

John Ley

EQD | Nikkei 225 Option Opportunity – Earn Premium in Sideways Markets with Straddles

Investors can earn a premium by using a short straddle strategy on the Nikkei 225, which has been trading sideways for the past eleven weeks.

Gaudenz Schneider

EQD | Long Nifty 50 Vs. Short Nikkei 225 - A Relative Value Option Strategy with a Kicker

Option strategy: exploit relative value in implied volatilities combined with directional positioning for a leveraged payoff in a long Nifty 50 vs....

Gaudenz Schneider

How Has the Index Rebalance Strategy Performed During Market Turmoil?

The market turmoil over the last week has resulted in the forecast adds underperforming the forecast deletes. There is large variability in...

Brian Freitas

The Cheap Japanese Basket: Year-End Portfolio Review and Reasons Why I Remain Bullish

I initially began my cheap Japanese basket in March 2023 and now that 2023 has come to an end, let’s take a look at how everything worked out.

Altay Capital

EQD | US Election - Hedge Considerations

​The US election brings uncertainty, but market impact should be limited due to enduring Trump and Biden/Harris policies. Asian equities face high...

John Ley

EQD | Nikkei 225 Option Opportunity – Earn Premium in Sideways Markets with Straddles

​Investors can earn a premium by using a short straddle strategy on the Nikkei 225, which has been trading sideways for the past eleven weeks.

Gaudenz Schneider

EQD | Long Nifty 50 Vs. Short Nikkei 225 - A Relative Value Option Strategy with a Kicker

Option strategy: exploit relative value in implied volatilities combined with directional positioning for a leveraged payoff in a long Nifty 50 vs....

Gaudenz Schneider

How Has the Index Rebalance Strategy Performed During Market Turmoil?

The market turmoil over the last week has resulted in the forecast adds underperforming the forecast deletes. There is large variability in...

Brian Freitas

The Cheap Japanese Basket: Year-End Portfolio Review and Reasons Why I Remain Bullish

I initially began my cheap Japanese basket in March 2023 and now that 2023 has come to an end, let’s take a look at how everything worked out.

Altay Capital

The US election brings uncertainty, but market impact should be limited due to enduring Trump and Biden/Harris policies. Asian equities face high...

Investors can earn a premium by using a short straddle strategy on the Nikkei 225, which has been trading sideways for the past eleven weeks.