Derivatives and Quantitative Strategist

Gaudenz Schneider

Equity Derivatives

<ul>
<li>The US post-election rally lifted markets which run a trade deficit with the US alongside US markets. In that period, volatility decreased in all markets, regardless of performance.</li>
<li>Market Specific commentary and option opportunities for <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nifty-index" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:23617:1" rel="noopener">NIFTY Index (NIFTY INDEX)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/s-p-asx-200" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22901:1" rel="noopener">S&amp;P/ASX 200 (AS51 INDEX)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nikkei-225" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22909:1" rel="noopener">Nikkei 225 (NKY INDEX)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nasdaq-100-stock-index" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26197:1" rel="noopener">Nasdaq-100 (NDX INDEX)</a>, <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 (SPX INDEX),</a> and more.</li>
<li>Volatility analytics plus upcoming events and market holidays to the end of January as reference data.</li>
</ul>


The US post-election rally lifted markets which run a trade deficit with the US alongside US markets. In that period, volatility decreased in all markets, regardless of performance.
Market Specific commentary and option opportunities for NIFTY Index (NIFTY INDEX), S&amp;P/ASX 200 (AS51 INDEX), Nikkei 225 (NKY INDEX), Nasdaq-100 (NDX INDEX), S&amp;P 500 (SPX INDEX), and more.
Volatility analytics plus upcoming events and market holidays to the end of January as reference data.


EQD | Global Option Implied Volatility - Opportunities in Nifty 50, Nasdaq, ASX 200, FTSE 100, SMI

Executive Director, Metrical Inc

Aki Matsumoto

Executive Director

Independent Leading Corporate Governance Research

Metrical Inc

METRICAL INC. is an independent leading Corporate Governance research firm in Japan where Corporate Governance is increasingly recognized as an important element on corporate management in these days. Thus, CG research and solutions would become an essential component of global capital markets and play important to contribute to transparency of the markets and maximize shareholders’ value in Japan. 

METRICAL INC. provides Corporate Governance research and analysis including rating services, and  also offers investment research and IR services with solutions and customized profound research on CG and IR issues.

<ul>
<li>Outside directors, initially just a number- matching and “just for show,” gradually improved amid demands for improved capital profitability and board practices as the foreign ownership increased.</li>
<li>It's important to pay outside directors sufficient compensation to enable them to fulfill managerial responsibilities. The company needs to recruit talent with skills and background to achieve its business goals.</li>
<li>People who can make insightful and rational judgments in an independent position to fulfill their role for the long-term expansion of the company's value should be appointed as outside directors.</li>
</ul>


Outside directors, initially just a number- matching and “just for show,” gradually improved amid demands for improved capital profitability and board practices as the foreign ownership increased.
It's important to pay outside directors sufficient compensation to enable them to fulfill managerial responsibilities. The company needs to recruit talent with skills and background to achieve its business goals.
People who can make insightful and rational judgments in an independent position to fulfill their role for the long-term expansion of the company's value should be appointed as outside directors.


Critical Role of Outside Directors Is an Issue Leading to a Majority of Independent Directors

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

<ul>
<li>Overnight, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hulic-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:388:1" rel="noopener">Hulic Co Ltd (3003 JP)</a> announced a placement of 85.37m shares to unwind crossholdings and improve corporate value. There is an overallotment option for another 12.8m shares.</li>
<li>There will be limited passive buying in the short-term and the number of shares offered is a very large percentage of real float of the stock.</li>
<li>A price drop of 20% or more puts <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hulic-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:388:1" rel="noopener">Hulic Co Ltd (3003 JP)</a> at risk of deletion from a global index and could lead to a further price drop.</li>
</ul>


Overnight, Hulic Co Ltd (3003 JP) announced a placement of 85.37m shares to unwind crossholdings and improve corporate value. There is an overallotment option for another 12.8m shares.
There will be limited passive buying in the short-term and the number of shares offered is a very large percentage of real float of the stock.
A price drop of 20% or more puts Hulic Co Ltd (3003 JP) at risk of deletion from a global index and could lead to a further price drop.


Hulic Co (3003 JP) Placement: One Big Price Drop Could Lead to Another

<ul>
<li>Overnight, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sanrio-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:16476:1" rel="noopener">Sanrio (8136 JP)</a> announced a placement of 25.87m shares to unwind crossholdings and improve corporate value. There is an overallotment option for another 3.88m shares.</li>
<li>There will be limited passive buying in the short-term and the shares offered is a large percentage of real float of the stock.</li>
<li>However, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sanrio-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:16476:1" rel="noopener">Sanrio (8136 JP)</a> is the highest ranked non-constituent stock in a global index universe and a drop in the stock price could be used to accumulate positions.</li>
</ul>


Overnight, Sanrio (8136 JP) announced a placement of 25.87m shares to unwind crossholdings and improve corporate value. There is an overallotment option for another 3.88m shares.
There will be limited passive buying in the short-term and the shares offered is a large percentage of real float of the stock.
However, Sanrio (8136 JP) is the highest ranked non-constituent stock in a global index universe and a drop in the stock price could be used to accumulate positions.


Sanrio (8136 JP) Placement: Potential Global Index Migration Leads to Interesting Dynamics

<ul>
<li>The limit is to serve on the boards of two companies concurrently in order to preview the agenda for the monthly board meetings in advance.</li>
<li>There may be challenges to the effectiveness of the nominating committee of a company that nominates a candidate to serve on the board of directors of three or more companies.</li>
<li>With the growing demand for female outside board members, it's hoped that active investment managers will pay attention to the issue of concurrent board membership and make a clear statement.</li>
</ul>


The limit is to serve on the boards of two companies concurrently in order to preview the agenda for the monthly board meetings in advance.
There may be challenges to the effectiveness of the nominating committee of a company that nominates a candidate to serve on the board of directors of three or more companies.
With the growing demand for female outside board members, it's hoped that active investment managers will pay attention to the issue of concurrent board membership and make a clear statement.


Concurrent Directorship Issue Calls into Question Effectiveness of Nominating Committee

Japan

The TOPIX, also known as the Tokyo Stock Price Index, is a capitalization-weighted index of all companies listed on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange. The index is supplemented by the subindices of the 33 industry sectors. The index calculation excludes temporary issues and preferred stocks, and has a base value of 100 as of January 4, 1968.

TSE Tokyo Price Index TOPIX (TPX INDEX)

EQD | Global Option Implied Volatility - Opportunities in Nifty 50, Nasdaq, ASX 200, FTSE 100, SMI

US post-election rally lowers implied volatility across all markets. Specific commentary on NIFTY, S&P/ASX 200, Nikkei 225, Nasdaq-100, S&P 500....

Gaudenz Schneider

Critical Role of Outside Directors Is an Issue Leading to a Majority of Independent Directors

I would like to discuss the issues on the October 19 Nikkei Shimbun article, “Outside Directors Need More than Just a Resume; Their Work is...

Metrical Inc

Hulic Co (3003 JP) Placement: One Big Price Drop Could Lead to Another

The secondary offering in Hulic is US$793m and represents 43x ADV and 37% of real float. A large price drops raises risk of deletion from a global...

Brian Freitas

Sanrio (8136 JP) Placement: Potential Global Index Migration Leads to Interesting Dynamics

The secondary offering in Sanrio is US$865m and represents 10x ADV and 25% of real float. There are some interesting dynamics that will play out...

Brian Freitas

Concurrent Directorship Issue Calls into Question Effectiveness of Nominating Committee

I would like to discuss the issues on the October 29 Nikkei Shimbun article, ““24% of Outside Directors Hold Positions at 3 or More Companies....

Metrical Inc

EQD | Global Option Implied Volatility - Opportunities in Nifty 50, Nasdaq, ASX 200, FTSE 100, SMI

​US post-election rally lowers implied volatility across all markets. Specific commentary on NIFTY, S&P/ASX 200, Nikkei 225, Nasdaq-100, S&P 500....

Gaudenz Schneider

Critical Role of Outside Directors Is an Issue Leading to a Majority of Independent Directors

I would like to discuss the issues on the October 19 Nikkei Shimbun article, “Outside Directors Need More than Just a Resume; Their Work is...

Metrical Inc

Hulic Co (3003 JP) Placement: One Big Price Drop Could Lead to Another

The secondary offering in Hulic is US$793m and represents 43x ADV and 37% of real float. A large price drops raises risk of deletion from a global...

Brian Freitas

Sanrio (8136 JP) Placement: Potential Global Index Migration Leads to Interesting Dynamics

The secondary offering in Sanrio is US$865m and represents 10x ADV and 25% of real float. There are some interesting dynamics that will play out...

Brian Freitas

Concurrent Directorship Issue Calls into Question Effectiveness of Nominating Committee

I would like to discuss the issues on the October 29 Nikkei Shimbun article, ““24% of Outside Directors Hold Positions at 3 or More Companies....

Metrical Inc

US post-election rally lowers implied volatility across all markets. Specific commentary on NIFTY, S&P/ASX 200, Nikkei 225, Nasdaq-100, S&P 500....