Verified Document

Swap In Risk Reduction Derivative Markets Have Essay

¶ … Swap in Risk Reduction Derivative markets have evolved for the last few years and they currently offer contracts on any financial security. They offer contracts to hedge any investment risk. Swap is one such derivative that is used to hedge investment risk. Its use has gained popularity because it is one of the most efficient ways to hedge common and specific financial risks which characterize many portfolios (National Association of Pension Funds, 2005).

The term swap encompasses an extremely wide-ranging variety of instruments namely: interest rate swaps, inflation rate swaps, and portfolio swaps. Perhaps before we delve deep into the different types of swaps it is imperative that we ventilate what swaps really are. Swaps are contractual agreements between two parties to exchange future cash-flows on pre-determined dates over a specified period. Interest rate swaps is the most basic swap contract where party to the contract pays a fixed rate of interest while the other party pays a floating...

Swaps are tailored to the needs of the party paying floating rate of interest and the other paying fixed rate of interest (Whittaker, 1987). Swaps are therefore not traded on an exchange but over the counter (OTC). Brokers normally provide live tradable price quotes for a wide range of swaps. Brokers, by acting as intermediaries between investors, provide liquidity to the market. Swaps are flexible instruments because various details of swap can be amended on mutual agreement between the party paying the floating interest rate and the other paying fixed interest rate. Swaps can be used by companies, pension schemes and insurance schemes, and central banks. Companies can use swaps to reduce risks and manage their debts more efficiently for example by exchanging a floating interest rate exposure for a fixed interest rate exposure (Whittaker, 1987). Pension schemes and insurance schemes basically use swaps to manage interest rate risks. Finally, central banks use swaps to control their balance sheets…

Sources used in this document:
References List

National Association of Pension Funds (2005). Swaps Made Simple: What a Trustee Needs to Know. Retrieved from www.actuaries.org.uk/system/files/documents/pdf/swapsmadesimple.pdf

Whittaker, J.G. (1987). Interest Rate Swaps: Risk and Regulation. Retrieved from http://www.kc.frb.org/PUBLICAT/ECONREV/econrevarchive/1987/1q87whit.pdf
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Derivative Instruments for Hedging Risk Reduction in Banking
Words: 2986 Length: 10 Document Type: Essay

Utility and Benefits of Derivative Instruments A European asset manager believes there is an elevated risk of extreme volatility in the markets during the next 3 months and wish to fully hedge their portfolio against all risks. However, they are mandated to remain fully invested at all times so selling securities is not an option. Their portfolio currently comprises the following positions. Notional/Amount Security Term €1,000,000 Schatz 2-year on-the-run [Futures contract 2-year

International Finance the Use of
Words: 2803 Length: 7 Document Type: Term Paper

DeMarzo and Duffie, (1995), also argue that the presence of hedging may be utilized by shareholders as a way of interpreting the quality of management, with hedging generally deemed to be a beneficial strategy. The perceived lower risk profile may also aid in other areas, such as increasing the ease with which capital raising may take place. It is also speculated that large organizations may be able to benefit from

Credit Swaps
Words: 2960 Length: 10 Document Type: Term Paper

Credit Swap, also known in some circles as a Credit Default Swap is one of the most basic credit derivatives. Here in this transaction, one party called the Protection Buyer in return for a payment by the other party called the Protection Seller makes a periodic payment, which is dependent on the happening of some agreed-upon event that is related to an original credit. To quote a simple example that may

Hedge and Derivatives in the Money Market
Words: 1680 Length: 6 Document Type: Research Paper

Running Head: Money market hedge and derivatives Money market hedge and derivatives 3Money Market Hedge and DerivativesIntroductionA money market hedge is a boundary that protects against the possible exposure to the risks associated with foreign currency; the hedge is created through depositing or borrowing sums of capital to cater for the settlement of regular bills or receipts incurred in domestic currency. Money market hedge generally aims to protect one from

Forecasting Return and Spillover with GARCH's
Words: 12377 Length: 48 Document Type: Essay

57 Spillover Effect on the Stock Market and Bond Prices in Relation with GARCH Abstract This study examines the spillover effect between bond and stock markets in the U.S. using GARCH. The finding of a unidirectional spillover flow from bonds to stocks in the U.S. is discussed in the light of new marketplace variables that have been introduced into the markets in the previous decade. These variables include the rise of HFT, algorithm-driven

Finance and Financial Entrepreneurship. The Basis of
Words: 11684 Length: 34 Document Type: Term Paper

finance and financial entrepreneurship. The basis of the article is on a discussion that was held on this subject among four leading lights of financial entrepreneurship in the United States - Michael Milken, Lewis Ranieri, Richard Sandor and Myron Scholes. These people are famous in their own right and have had a sizeable role in financial entrepreneurship in the U.S. over the last 20 years. We have first discussed

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now