1 FX Options Traded

2 FX Options Definition An option is the right but not the obligation to buy (call) or sell (put) a currency at an agreed rate (strike price or exercise price) over a certain period of time. For this right a premium is paid (usually at the start).

3 FX Options Terminology American, the option may be exercised (or not) at any time in the option period European, the option may be exercised (or not) only at expiry OTC, over the counter or bespoke options Traded, where options are traded on an exchange and therefore the contracts have to be precisely specified

4 FX Options The Specification Contract size Premium Expiry date

5 FX Options In, At and Out of the Money GBP call i.e. (call for GBP give USD) SP 1.43 Current Spot Option is In At Out of the money

6 FX Options Dec call, SP 1.46, premium 1 cent 2 cents 1 cent Rate at expiry cent - 2 cents Value in cents

7 FX Options Which cash price is the underlying? September GBP call with SP 165 Today is June 20 th Current spot is Mo fwd is You have two alternatives. Exercise today or sell sterling forward, Which action will give you most profit as it is against this that the seller will base the price? 1) Exercise today Give USD Get GBP 1 Get USD Give GBP 1 Net 430 Or Sell GBP forward at expiry day and exercise on expiry Give USD Get GBP 1 Get USD Give GBP 1 Net 285 So underlying is spot

8 FX Options Ref the underlying Note GBP is at a discount to the dollar therefore is strongest at spot so Call = spot is underlying Put = forward is underlying For currencies at a premium to the USD, then vice versa

9 FX Options Effective rate Suppose we decide to buy a GBP call i.e. will give USD to get GBP Then if the SP is 1.65 and the premium is 1 cent the effective rate if we exercise will be If this had been a put but using same SP and premium, then the effective rate would be Note that the premium is always a cost therefore for the call we pay more USD and for the put we receive less USD

10 FX Options Better to sell than to Exercise Today is July 23rd We have a September GBP call, SP 165 Todays spot rate is And the current premium for the option in the market is 5.62 cents We need the GBP today We could exercise in which case the cost would be (ignoring the sunk cost of the premium paid) Or we could sell and receive 5.62 cents = We would need to buy GBP spot Net cost

11 FX Options Intrinsic and Time Value GBP Call at1.8250for September Current Spot cents:Intrinsic Value Premium Time Value

12 FX Options Time Value x Value at expiry x Out of the money At the money In the money

13 FX Options Time Value SP Call underlying March Premium Intrinsic Value Time Value

14 FX Options Time value Value Time to Expiry TodayExpiry

15 FX Options Pay offs for USD I,000, GBP s Forward Option SP Leave open

16 FX Options Strategy Decide whether to use options or not versus leave open or cover. Issues:- cost, policy, view of fx movements If yes then, 1.Puts or calls? 2.How many contracts? 3.Expiry Date, sometime beyond exposure date but how far? 4.Strike price?

17 FX Options Strategy If yes then, 1.Puts or calls? Well what is the exposure? 2.Assuming traded options to be used -How many contracts? 3. Expiry Date? - Sometime beyond exposure date but how far? - Cost of time, versus decay, versus view of volatility

18 FX Options Strategy Strike price? - In, At or Out of the money - Need to know underlying - Premium