Category: Level II

Somewhat surprisingly, a plain vanilla interest rate swap is one of the easiest derivatives to value; once again, as with all derivatives, the formula for the value is: \[Value\ =\ PV(what\ you\ will\ receive)\ –\ PV(what\ you\ will\ pay)\] Because the swap is equivalent to two bonds (one long, one short, one fixed, one floating),…

The formula for computing the value to the long position of a currency forward is: \[V_t\ =\ \frac{S_t}{\left(1\ +\ r_{BC}\right)^{(T\ -\ t)}}\ -\ \frac{F_T}{\left(1\ +\ r_{PC}\right)^{(T\ -\ t)}}\] where: \(V_t\): value of the currency forward (to the PC payer / BC receiver) at time \(t\) (in \(\dfrac{PC}{BC}\)) \(T\): expiration of the forward contract \(S_t\): spot…

A currency forward contract is an agreement to exchange a given amount of one currency for a given amount of another currency at a future date.  The price of a currency forward is the exchange rate for the currencies at the expiration of the contract, and is related to the spot exchange rate by covered…

Recall that an FRA is essentially an agreement to enter into two loans (one long, one short) in the future: a fixed-rate loan and a floating-rate loan.  (The difference between an FRA and an actual agreement to enter into these two loans is that the FRA will be settled at the beginning of the loan…

The formulae for valuing all derivatives are essentially the same: \[Value\ =\ PV(what\ you\ will\ receive)\ –\ PV(what\ you\ will\ pay)\] First, the notation: \(V_t\): value of the forward (to the long) at time \(t\) \(T\): expiration of the forward contract \(S_t\): spot price at time \(t\) \(F_T\): forward price at time \(T\) \(r_f\): effective…