DERIVATIVES:

INDEX FUTURES

DERIVATIVE

A product whose value is derived from the value of one or

more basic variables, called bases (underlying asset, index
or reference rate ), in a contractual manner. The underlying
asset can be
equity , forex commodity or any other asset.

In the Indian context the securities

contracts
(Regulation)Act, 1956(SC(R)A) defines Derivative to
include :
Asecurityderivedfromadebtinstrument,share,loan
whethersecuredorunsecured,risk
instrumentorcontractfordifferencesoranyother
formofsecurity.
Acontractwhichderivesitsvaluefromtheprices,orindexof
prices,ofunderlyingsecurities.

TYPES OF DERIVATIVES
Forwards
A forward contract is customized contract between two entities, where settlement
takes place on a specific date in the future at todays pre-agreed price.
Futures
An agreement between two parties to buy or sell an asset at a certain time in the
future at a certain price . Futures contacts are special types of forward
contracts in the contracts in the sense that the former are standardized
exchange-traded contracts.
Options
Options are of two types calls and puts. Calls give the buyer the right but not the
obligation to buy a given quantity of the underlying asset, at a given price on or
before a given future date. Puts give the buyer the right, but not obligation to sell a
given quantity of the underlying asset at a given price on or before a given date.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FUTURES & OPTIONS

FUTURES

OPTIONS

Futures contract is an agreement to

buy or sell specified quantity of the
underlying assets at a price agreed
upon by the buyer and seller, on or
before a specified time. Both the
buyer and seller are obliged to
buy/sell the underlying asset.

In options the buyer enjoys the right

and not the obligation, to buy or sell
theunderlyingasset.

Unlimitedupside&downsideforboth
buyerandseller.

Limited downside (to the extent of

premiumpaid)forbuyerandunlimited
upside.Forseller(writer)oftheoption,
profits are limited whereas losses can
beunlimited.

Futures contracts prices are affected

mainly by the prices of theunderlying
asset

Pricesofoptionsarehowever,affected
by a)prices of the underlying asset,
b)time remaining for expiry of the
contract and c)volatility of the
underlyingasset.

Call Option

Put Option

Option Buyer

Buystherighttobuythe
underlyingassetatthe
StrikePrice

Buystherighttosellthe
underlyingassetatthe
StrikePrice

Option Seller

Hastheobligationtosell
theunderlyingassettothe
optionholderattheStrike
Price

Hastheobligationtobuy
theunderlyingassetfrom
theoptionholderatthe
StrikePrice

Illustration on Call Option

An investor buys one European Call option on one share of Reliance
Petroleum at a premium of Rs.2 per share on 31 July. The strike price is
Rs.60 and the contract matures on 30 September. It may be clear form
the graph that even in the worst case scenario, the investor would only
lose a maximum of Rs.2 per share which he/she had paid for the
premium. The upside to it has an unlimited profits opportunity.
On the other hand the seller of the call option has a payoff chart
completely reverse of the call options buyer. The maximum loss that he
can have is unlimited though a profit of Rs.2 per share would be made
on the premium payment by the buyer.

Illustration on Put Options

An investor buys one European Put Option on one

share of Reliance Petroleum at a premium of Rs. 2
per share on 31 July. The strike price is Rs.60 and
the contract matures on 30 September. The
adjoining graph shows the fluctuations of net profit
with a change in the spot price.

OPTION TERMINOLOGY (For The Equity Markets)

Options
Options are instruments whereby the right is given by the option seller to the option buyer to
buy or sell a specific asset at a specific price on or before a specific date.
Option Seller - One who gives/writes the option. He has an obligation to perform, in case
option buyer desires to exercise his option.
Option Buyer - One who buys the option. He has the right to exercise the option but no
obligation.
Call Option - Option to buy.
Put Option - Option to sell.
American Option - An option which can be exercised anytime on or before the expiry date.
Strike Price/ Exercise Price - Price at which the option is to be exercised.
Expiration Date - Date on which the option expires.
European Option - An option which can be exercised only on expiry date.
Exercise Date - Date on which the option gets exercised by the option holder/buyer.
Option Premium - The price paid by the option buyer to the option seller for granting the
option.

WhatareIndexFutures?
Index futures are the future contracts for which underlying is the cash market
index.
For example: BSE may launch a future contract on "BSE Sensitive Index" and NSE
may launch a future contract on "S&P CNX NIFTY".

Future&OptionMarketInstruments

TheF&OsegmentofNSEprovidestrading
facilitiesforthefollowingderivative
instruments:
1. Indexbasedfutures
2. Indexbasedoptions
3. Individualstockoptions
4. Individualstockfutures

Operatorsinthederivativesmarket

Hedgers - Operators, who want to transfer a

risk component of their portfolio.
Speculators - Operators, who intentionally
take the risk from hedgers in pursuit of profit.
Arbitrageurs - Operators who operate in the
different markets simultaneously, in pursuit of
profit and eliminate mis-pricing.

BULLISH
STRATEGIES

LONG CALL

Market Opinion - Bullish

Most popular strategy with investors.
Used by investors because of better leveraging compared to buying the underlying stock
insurance
against decline in the value of the underlying

Profit+

BEP

S
Underlying Asset Price

DR
Stock Price

Loss-

LowerHigher

Risk Reward Scenario

Maximum Loss = Limited (Premium Paid)
Maximum Profit = Unlimited
Profit at expiration = Stock Price at expiration
Strike Price
Premium paid
Break even point at Expiration = Strike Price +
Premium paid

SHORT PUT
MarketOpinion-Bullish
Profit+
0

BEP
S
Underlying Asset Price

Stock Price

Loss-

LowerHigher

Risk Reward Scenario

MaximumLossUnlimited
MaximumProfitLimited(totheextentofoptionpremium)
MakesprofitiftheStockpriceatexpiration>Strikeprice-premium

REFER NSE WEBSITE:

nseindia.com
1.S&PCNXNiftyFutures

2.S&PCNXNiftyOptions
3.FuturesonIndividualSecurities
4.OptionsonIndividualSecurities

S&P CNX Nifty Futures

A futures contract is a forward contract, which is
traded on an Exchange. NSE commenced trading in
index futures on June 12, 2000. The index futures
contracts are based on the popular market
benchmark S&P CNX Nifty index.
NSE defines the characteristics of the futures
contract such as the underlying index, market lot,
and the maturity date of the contract. The futures
contracts are available for trading from introduction
to the expiry date.

S&P CNX Nifty Options

An option gives a person the right but not the
obligation to buy or sell something. An option is a
contract between two parties wherein the buyer
receives a privilege for which he pays a fee (premium)
and the seller accepts an obligation for which he
receives a fee. The premium is the price negotiated
and set when the option is bought or sold. A person
who buys an option is said to be long in the option. A
person who sells (or writes) an option is said to be
short in the option.
NSE introduced trading in index options on June 4,
2001. The options contracts are European style and
cash settled and are based on the popular market
benchmark S&P CNX Nifty index.
Contract Specifications
Trading Parameters

Futures on Individual Securities

A futures contract is a forward contract, which is
traded on an Exchange. NSE commenced trading in
futures on individual securities on November 9,
2001. The futures contracts are available on
41 securities stipulated by the Securities &
Exchange Board of India (SEBI). (
Selection criteria for securities)
NSE defines the characteristics of the futures
contract such as the underlying security, market
lot, and the maturity date of the contract. The
futures contracts are available for trading from
introduction to the expiry date.
Contract Specifications
Trading Parameters

Options on Individual Securities

An option gives a person the right but not the obligation to
buy or sell something. An option is a contract between two
parties wherein the buyer receives a privilege for which he
pays a fee (premium) and the seller accepts an obligation for
which he receives a fee. The premium is the price negotiated
and set when the option is bought or sold. A person who buys
an option is said to be long in the option. A person who sells
(or writes) an option is said to be short in the option.
NSE became the first exchange to launch trading in options on
individual securities. Trading in options on individual securities
commenced from July 2, 2001. Option contracts are American
style and cash settled and are available on 41 securities
stipulated by the Securities & Exchange Board of India (SEBI).
(Selection criteria for securities)

How do I trade in S&P CNX NIFTY

Futures?
Trading on the Nifty futures is just like trading in any other security.
You take a view on the
way the market will move and buy or sell the index. On the
expiration day, if the closing
index value is higher than the value at which you had bought the
index, then you make a
profit. If the closing index is lower than the level at which you bought,
you make a loss.
However, in this case, if you had anticipated a downswing in the
market, and had sold
initially, you make a profit. It is similar to buying low and selling high
or conversely selling
and then buying back when the market goes down

What are the advantages of trading in

S&P CNX NIFTY Futures?
Trading in S&P CNX NIFTY futures have many
advantages :
You, as an investor, will be able to buy or sell
the 'entire stock market' instead of individual
securities when you have a general view of the
direction in which the market may move in the
next few months.

Index based derivatives satisfy the hedging

requirements of investors such as you having
reasonable sized portfolio irrespective of the
composition of the individual securities in your
portfolio.
Index based derivatives are settled in cash and
therefore all problems related to bad delivery,
forged, fake certificates, etc can be avoided.

Since the index consists of many securities (50

securities) it is very difficult to manipulate the
index. This adds to the attractiveness of index
as a base for introducing derivatives trading.
Investors are required to pay a small fraction
of the value of the total contract as margins.
This means that trading in Stock Index Futures
is a leveraged activity since

the investor is able to control the total value of

the contract with a relatively small amount of
margin.

Trading cycle for S&P CNX NIFTY

futures
NSE will permit trading in near 3 months contracts. The
contracts will expire on the last
Thursday of the contract month. New contracts will be
introduced on the next trading day.

Example
If NSE introduces trading in NIFTY from January
2000 :
Contract Month Expiry/settlement
January 2000 January 27th
February 2000 February 24th
March
2000 March 30th
On January 28th which is the first trading day
after January 27th

Initial / up front margin and mark to

market daily settlemenT
Futures trading involves the payment of initial
margins. At the time of starting your trading
activities through the NSE, you would be
required to pay an initial/up front margin to
your broker. The initial margin serves as a
security deposit, which in turn the broker has
to pay to the exchange. Your positions in the
futures market will be revalued or 'marked-tomarket everyday. This is done by the
exchange to assess the value of your positions
on a daily basis. If the market value of your
position shows a loss, then you would be
required to pay the difference. Similarly, in
case your position has gained in value, you will
be paid the profit amount

Initial margin example

If Raju bought 100 units of NIFTY January expiry contract
@ Rs.1450/If daily margin is 5%
Margin money payable up front by Raju will be Rs.7250/(Rs.145000*5%)
Mark to market daily settlement
If Raju bought 100 units of January Expiry contract at
Rs.1450/- on 5/1/2000
Settlement price of January expiry contract = Rs.1460/on 5/1/2000
Raju makes a mark to market profit of Rs. 1000 i.e.,
[100 units * 1460-1450]