Single Stock Futures (SSF) are a tool used to improve financing of equity positions. Utilizing our Exchange Future for Physical (EFP) transaction allows customers holding long stock or short stock to transfer into an equivalent delta position at a competitive, market derived interest rate built into the SSF. In addition it can be used to put idle cash to work by both buying a stock while simultaneously selling the SSF. The resulting position is perfectly hedged as the two legs will move in lock step with each other as expiration approaches and with the passage of time the premium built into the SSF decays as yield into the customer’s account. Below are bids and offers in EFPs available for trading at OneChicago with the implied interest rates displayed.

1. • Securities futures allow participants to carry equity positions at more favorable financing rates due to the embedded interest rate component.
2. • The OCX.NoDivRisk exchange for physical (“EFP”) is equivalent to a stock loan transaction. More information on EFPs can be found here.
3. • The EFP is the economic equivalent of an equity swap or equity repo in a central counterparty, exchange traded, transparent environment. More information on EFPs can be found here.

Single-stock futures are securities that share some of the features of Equities and also some of traditional commodity. There are interest rate benefits that cannot be found with other products.

Theoretical Pricing Models

Traditional 1C Products

F = P ∙ (1 + r) – Div where F is the single-stock futures contract price, P is the underlying stock price, r is the annualized interest rate which may be negative due to hard to borrow pressure, and Div is the expected dividend.

Another valuation of single stock futures can be found through the following:

F = [S – PV (Div)] ∙ e^r∙(T-t) where F is single stock futures contract price, S is the underlying stock price, PV(Div) is the present value of any dividends entitled to the holder of the underlying between T and t, r is the interest rate which may be negative due to hard to borrow pressure, and e is the base of the natural log.

OCX.NoDivRisk Products

F = P ∙ (1 + r) where F is the single-stock futures contract price, P is the underlying stock price, r is the annualized interest rate which may be negative due to hard to borrow pressure.

Another valuation of single stock futures can be found through the following:

F = S ∙ e^r∙(T-t)where F is single stock futures contract price, S is the price of the underlying (the stock price), T-t is the days to expiration, r is the interest rate which may be negative due to hard to borrow pressure, and e is the base of the natural log.

Click Here to learn more about how to price an EFP.

About OneChicago:
OneChicago is an all-electronic exchange for trading Single Stock Futures (SSFs). Founded in 2002, we provide liquidity, anonymity, and market price transparency for equity alternative products. Contracts are cleared through the AA+-rated Options Clearing Corporation and regulated by both the SEC and CFTC. We also offer, OCX.BETS^®, the only off-exchange electronic matching system for Block and EFPS transactions.
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Single Stock Futures- An Alternative to Securities Lending:
Securities lending is a process that involves both market and counterparty risk. Securities lending is similar to an EFP transaction utilizing single stock futures (SSF) with some very stark differences that simplifies the procss, significantly enhances the total return, and removes counterparty risk from the process.
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Basis Point Discussion:
When an investor buys an asset, they expect the return to be commensurate to a certain level of risk. Too often the investor is disregarding the opportunity cost of receiving a risk-free rate of return as well. Single stock futures lower this opportunity cost by enabling an investor to finance an equity position more efficiently, thus improving the risk-reward ratio of their investment.
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EFPs Using Single Stock Futures:
OneChicago has brought the financing of equity positions onto an exchange traded format through an Exchange Future for Physical (EFP) transaction. An EFP is the simultaneous selling of a stock and buying of a Single Stock Future (SSF) for a long equity position or buying of a stock and selling of a SSF for a short equity position. SSF have an interest rate built into their price that is determined by a true competitive marketplace. Like repos and reverse repos in the debt markets, EFPs provide a cheap and efficient financing vehicle.
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How futures can simplify securities lending/borrowing:
Single stock futures provide significant cost advantages and flexibility for both the lenders and borrowers of stock by enabling them to exchange positions without many of the restrictions and intermediaries that exist with existing programs. As a result, the lenders and borrowers are able to reduce revenue sharing agreements, fees, counterparty risk, and the risk of the recall of positions.
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Calculate the savings with Single-Stock Futures:
When looking to raise capital, single stock futures provide efficiency, transparency, and anonymity to the financing process. In the bond world, investors have the repo market. In the equity world, investors have the securities futures market. By utilizing the securities futures market, investors have the ability to utilize their equity positions as collateral for short-term loans at rates that are competitively determined by the marketplace.
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As world financial markets progress, expand and link into a global marketplace and as counterparty credit risk multiplies and becomes more complex, OCC’s guarantee function continues to protect clearing members and their customers. OCC has received an ‘AA+’ credit rating from Standard & Poor’s (S&P) because of its ability to fulfill obligations as the counterparty for exchange-traded derivatives.

OCC stands behind every cleared trade that has been executed on the markets and exchanges it serves, in addition to stock loan transactions executed through the Stock Loan program. OCC assures performance to selling (lending) and purchasing (borrowing) clearing members, eliminating counterparty risk. OCC in effect becomes the buyer (borrower) to every clearing member representing a seller (lender) and the seller (lender) to every clearing member representing a buyer (borrower). The substitution of OCC as counterparty is achieved through a legally binding novation process that has withstood the test of time. This process supports fungibility for the contracts OCC clears and facilitates a liquid secondary market.

The structure of the single stock futures (SSF) market makes it as ideally suited for borrowing and lending money at the AA+ credit rating of the Options Clearing Corporation as European-exercise index options on the S&P 500 (SPX). The reason is simple: Just as trades in European-exercise options cannot be exercised until the expiration date, neither can trades in SSFs.

In addition, as long and short positions in SSFs deliver into long and short positions, respectively, in the underlying stock or exchange-traded fund, there is no basis risk. The future will be priced at the stock plus the interest rate cost of carry minus the future value of the expected dividend. As expiration approaches, the future’s price converges to the stock’s price and then delivers into the stock itself.

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The following is an abridged version of a column that appeared on RealMoney.com on July 22, 2008.

The entire sturm und drang about naked short selling last week might have been interesting had it not been so unnecessary. Single stock futures (SSFs) can and have been used to do the exact same trade since November 2002. Advocates on both sides of the debate are arguing about the best way to escape a room whose door is and has been open.
Using Single Stock Futures
Let’s distinguish between short-selling and naked short-selling. The former involves locating a stock, borrowing the shares and selling them; the latter skips the location of the stock and borrowing same. As option market makers in particular have emphasized in recent days, their ability to engage in naked short-selling until such time as shares can be located and borrowed is vital to their ability to function in today’s electronic markets. Both market makers and normal short-sellers have a vital role to play in markets. (more…)

The above SSFs are currently offered below the stock offer. Meaning that you can buy the future, hold to expiration and get the stock at a discount to the current cash price. All prices above were last updated at 15:58:01 EST on 2012-03-14, and will have fresh updates throughout the trading day. HOVER over the symbol to see the range of the implied annualized discount for 2012-03-14.

If you are currently long the stock, you can buy the exchange for physical (EFP), thus converting your long stock position to long futures, capturing the discount. See current EFP prices at EFP prices. More information on EPF can be found here. 

Disclaimer

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The above SSF are currently bid above the bid on the stock. Meaning you can sell the future, hold to expiration and get the short stock at a premium to the current cash price. All prices above were last updated at 15:58:01 EST on 2012-03-14, and will have fresh updates throughout the trading day. HOVER over the symbol to see the range of the implied annualized discount for 2012-03-14.

If you are currently short the stock, you can sell the exchange for physical (EFP), thus converting your short stock position to short futures, capturing the premium and eliminating your short interest charges. See current EFP prices at EFP prices. Learn more about EFPs at EFP education.

Disclaimer

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