US election risk is a large blip on the FX options radar
Oct 4 (Reuters) -The outcome of the Nov. 5 U.S. election is now included within the benchmark 1-month FX option expiry on Nov. 6 and a significant jump in related premiums warns of the realised volatility risk to FX markets.
FX volatility is a key yet unknown parameter of an FX option premium, so dealers use implied volatility as a substitute. If realised volatility matches implied volatility over the life of the option it should cover the premium. While this makes volatility a tradable asset, implied volatility is also a bellwether for realised volatility expectations, especially short-term expiries when including a major event like Friday's U.S. jobs data.
One-month expiry AUD/USD options were the first of the major G10 FX pairings to include the U.S. election from Thursday - jumping from 9.6 to 10.6 and now around 10.9, which is just shy of the 2024 highs at 11.25 from early August.
One-month expiry EUR/USD implied volatility has increased from 6.2 to 7.5 - a new high since June. One-month USD/JPY was already elevated around 12.5 amid the recent spot volatility/gains, but has added another 1.0 to 13.5 since including the U.S. election - a new high since early August. One-month USD/CHF is 8.4 from 7.25 and GBP/USD 1-month now 8.75 from 7.7 before including the U.S. election.
For more click on FXBUZ
1-month expiry FXO implied volatility https://tmsnrt.rs/3Nd8emv
Richard Pace is a Reuters market analyst. The views expressed are his own; editing by David Evans
Related Assets
Latest News
Disclaimer: The XM Group entities provide execution-only service and access to our Online Trading Facility, permitting a person to view and/or use the content available on or via the website, is not intended to change or expand on this, nor does it change or expand on this. Such access and use are always subject to: (i) Terms and Conditions; (ii) Risk Warnings; and (iii) Full Disclaimer. Such content is therefore provided as no more than general information. Particularly, please be aware that the contents of our Online Trading Facility are neither a solicitation, nor an offer to enter any transactions on the financial markets. Trading on any financial market involves a significant level of risk to your capital.
All material published on our Online Trading Facility is intended for educational/informational purposes only, and does not contain – nor should it be considered as containing – financial, investment tax or trading advice and recommendations; or a record of our trading prices; or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instruments; or unsolicited financial promotions to you.
Any third-party content, as well as content prepared by XM, such as: opinions, news, research, analyses, prices and other information or links to third-party sites contained on this website are provided on an “as-is” basis, as general market commentary, and do not constitute investment advice. 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, it would be considered as marketing communication under the relevant laws and regulations. Please ensure that you have read and understood our Notification on Non-Independent Investment. Research and Risk Warning concerning the foregoing information, which can be accessed here.
