How do US interest rate option expiries work?
Hi,
Title sums it up. Only experience is in equity vol where almost everything is exchange settled. Have been told there is potential for me to rotate around other vol desks in other asset classes. I don't really know anyone in rates and so have some fundamental knowledge gaps for that asset class.
To all the (US) rates options traders out there, what does the expiry process look like for you?
- I know there are exchange settled rate options and OTC options, so curious how different types work. That is, what do you actually have to do as the option approaches expiry?
- Are swaptions based on a daily fixing?
Thanks
In the OTC swaption market an exercise can be physically settled or cash settled.
If a swaption is physically settled, the option is exercised and the underlying swap is created. Thus, if you are long an ITM receiver (payer) swaption, and exercise with physical settlement, you enter in an agreement to receive (pay) a fixed rate and pay (receive) a floating benchmark rate observed at some monthly/quarterly/annual increment. The reference index is now largely SOFR after once being Libor.
If a swaption is cash settled, then the the SOFR (Libor) rate at 11am (expiration time for USD swaptions) dictates the net payment to be made. If a receiver swaption was stuck at 5.00%, and the 11am SOFR rate was 4.995%, then the payment to be received would be set via that 11am rate.
Thanks! Do you mind if I DM you some other questions I have about rates?
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