Quarterly Outlook
Macro Outlook: The US rate cut cycle has begun
Peter Garnry
Chief Investment Strategist
Summary: US election day is here. O/N volatility for the election has gradually come lower over the last month and market is now pricing in around 1% move in both EURUSD and USDJPY.
Saxo Bank publishes two weekly FX Options Market Update reports covering changes and updates on the FX Options and FX Volatility market. They describe changes in FX volatility levels, risk premium and ideas how to trade based on these.
We have finally arrived at the much-anticipated US election. USD has traded stronger over the last week with EURUSD down to 16-handle and USDJPY has moved up from the 104 support to currently trading around 104.70.
Vols for the election have gradually been trading lower over the last months but we have seen a small pick up of vols over the last days as market is doing the last adjustments to their positions. The table above shows the O/N forward vol and the implied expected move for the election day as it was priced on 3 August and 8 October and where it is trading today. USDCNH is the only pair that trades at the highest vol level since August while UDSJPY is significantly lower than where it traded in August. The higher O/N vol in USDCNH is mainly due to the higher underlying vol after China removed the counter cyclical factor from the fix last week.
Notable is the O/N risk reversal is priced around flat in EURUSD and GBPUSD indicating no directional bias from the market. While risk reversals in USDJPY and AUDJPY is priced high for the downside and the USDCNH is priced high for the topside, all in normal risk off fashion, indicating the demand for heading against a contested result.
Flow in the market has been mixed and we have not seen any dominant trade over the last days except for some demand to buy short dated topside USDJPY. As we have discussed in the previous updates on the election, the market still prefers to own options for next week over buying the O/N due to the risk of a delayed result.
You should be aware that in purchasing Foreign Exchange Options, your potential loss will be the amount of the premium paid for the option, plus any fees or transaction charges that are applicable, should the option not achieve its strike price on the expiry date
If you write an option, the risk involved is considerably higher than buying an option. You may be liable for margin to maintain your position and a loss may be sustained well in excess of the premium received.
By writing an option, you accept a legal obligation to purchase or sell the underlying asset if the option is exercised against you; however far the market price has moved away from the strike. If you already own the underlying asset that you have contracted to sell, your risk will be limited.
If you do not own the underlying asset the risk can be unlimited. Only experienced persons should contemplate writing uncovered options, then only after securing full detail of the applicable conditions and potential risk exposure.
Forex Options – An introduction
Forex Options – Exotic options
Forex Options - WebinarsDisclaimer
The Saxo Bank Group entities each provide execution-only service and access to Analysis permitting a person to view and/or use content available on or via the website. This content is not intended to and does not change or expand on the execution-only service. Such access and use are at all times subject to (i) The Terms of Use; (ii) Full Disclaimer; (iii) The Risk Warning; (iv) the Rules of Engagement and (v) Notices applying to Saxo News & Research and/or its content in addition (where relevant) to the terms governing the use of hyperlinks on the website of a member of the Saxo Bank Group by which access to Saxo News & Research is gained. Such content is therefore provided as no more than information. In particular no advice is intended to be provided or to be relied on as provided nor endorsed by any Saxo Bank Group entity; nor is it to be construed as solicitation or an incentive provided to subscribe for or sell or purchase any financial instrument. All trading or investments you make must be pursuant to your own unprompted and informed self-directed decision. As such no Saxo Bank Group entity will have or be liable for any losses that you may sustain as a result of any investment decision made in reliance on information which is available on Saxo News & Research or as a result of the use of the Saxo News & Research. Orders given and trades effected are deemed intended to be given or effected for the account of the customer with the Saxo Bank Group entity operating in the jurisdiction in which the customer resides and/or with whom the customer opened and maintains his/her trading account. Saxo News & Research does not contain (and should not be construed as containing) financial, investment, tax or trading advice or advice of any sort offered, recommended or endorsed by Saxo Bank Group and should not be construed as a record of our trading prices, or as an offer, incentive or solicitation for the subscription, sale or purchase in any financial instrument. To the extent that any content is construed as investment research, you must note and accept that the content was not intended to and has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such, would be considered as a marketing communication under relevant laws.
Please read our disclaimers:
- Notification on Non-Independent Investment Research (https://www.home.saxo/legal/niird/notification)
- Full disclaimer (https://www.home.saxo/en-gb/legal/disclaimer/saxo-disclaimer)