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Extracted Text (OCR)
Week in review (Europe)
The FTSE100 reached 13 months highs last week as the BOE exceeded market
expectations by announcing a 25 bp rate cut (its first rate cut in 7yrs}, a further £60bn
of QE purchases (vs forecasted £50 bn) while also hinting at more potential stimulus in
the autumn. Unsurprisingly, GBPUSD fell further on the back of this. The better-than-
expected US nonfarm payrolls that beat all surveyed forecasts helped drive US markets
to new all-time closing highs also helped European equities rebound from a mid-week
trough. As a result, the V2X has retraced close to its 11 month lows as foreseeable
catalysts are behind us for a potentially quieter end to the summer.
« Long dated ESTX50 var term structure is historically elevated; vol term
structure is not: The dislocation of 3y var convexity (var strike/ATMf volatility)
vs that of ly, which in itself is near extremes, is particularly striking
- European issuance of ESTX50-linked structured products picked up in July:
We estimate issuance of ~€120Mn/day in July, which compares to €5Mn daily
issuance in June and €55Mn daily issuance in 1H16 (excluding June).
¢ The current vega outstanding in SX5E-linked products is €143Mnh, which is in
its 97 percentile since Jan-14 (when our records begin}. Moreover, this could
rise to as much as €169Mnh if the SX5E rallied to 3280.
Long-dated ESTX50 var term structure is steep; vol term structure is not
Despite a significantly steep longer dated ESTX50 variance term structure (vs its
average since 2008), the volatility term structure is nearly flat. As a result, the level of
ESTX50 long dated variance is historically elevated vs the level of long dated vol. The
dislocation of 3y var convexity (varswap strike/ATMf vol ratio) vs 1y var convexity (which
in itself is near its historic highs) is particularly striking.
Chart 21: Longer dated ESTX50 variance term structure is significantly Chart 22: ESTX50 variance convexity (varswap strike/ATMf vol ratio) is
elevated vs long term average — the extreme steepness is not mirrored near extremes — the dislocation of 3y var convexity vs that of ly, which
in the ATMf volatility term structure in itself is near extremes, is particularly striking
30% 1.40 4 99.7 percentile
28% 4.35 ie ee ee
26% oe
1. 96.1 percentile 7
24% ; i a
20
22% 4.45
20% 1.10
18% 1.05
1.00
==O= = vol surface - Current === var surface - Current ; ;
; ; m= SX5E 1y var convexity = ==="SX5E 3y var convexity
== =~ vol surface - Avg since 2008 ==@== var surface - Avg since 2008
Source: BofA Merrill Lynch Global Research. Data: 02-Jan-08 to 5-Aug-16. Current represents Source: BofA Merrill Lynch Global Research. Data: 02-Jan-08 to 5-Aug-16.
snapshot as of 5-Aug-16
Structured product Jul update: EU issuance picked up; Korean issuance lagged
We estimate issuance of ESTX50-linked structured products in Europe was
~€120Mn/day in July, much higher than the €5Mn daily issuance in June and €55Mn daily
issuance in 1H16 (excluding June). This compares to ~€20Mn daily issuance in July out of
Korea.
ig docs Bankof America
12 Global Equity Volatility Insights | O09 August 2016 Merrill Lynch
HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_025989