Marking to Market a Cross Currency Swap - Components of NPV MTM

Hello - so I'm not a big math guy and don't really have a derivatives background but I've been asked by the boss to break down why the swap we have on is losing so much money, or rather why the NPV is so negative (bespoke trade with a BB derivatives desk counterparty). Ideally he wants a breakdown of how much $ value decline is due to change in interest rates, how much $ value decline is due to change in FX/basis swap rates? how much $ value decline is due to other components?I'm not really sure if there's a way to think about this properly. I've done some learning and see that a fixed to fixed CCX is basically an interest rate swap + basis swap + interest rate swap in foreign currency. But beyond that as soon as the libor curve shifts, I have no idea how that alone impacts the NPV in a vaccuum. Is it even possible to break this NPV change out by component? Or is there too much interplay between the components (like simple example is if revenue goes from $100 to $200, because price increased from 10 to 40 but quantity decreased from 10 to 5, there's no real way to outline how much of the revenue increase was due to the change in price vs. the change in quantity).

Any help here from swaps traders/sales would be much appreciated on how to think about these components and calc them out!

7 Comments
 

This is way too complicated to explain in a post. I would set up a call with the counterparty asking if they could help you cuff this. Also ask for an unwind fee to see if it matches your NPV. 

My guess is that if it is a float float swap, then it's unlikely to be interest rate driven since there is little duration (and more likely to be basis driven), and since frontend rates have been quiet the past several months. 

Also check your accounting system, it's possible that the trade was set up in a way to have positive accruals, but now has a negative npv of future cashflows as an offset (without market moves having a material net impact). If your npv varies from the dealer unwind fee then this might be it.

 

I think what he is asking you to do is calculate the NPV using the factors he given (if you have notes of what he actually said that would be better). So basically you take the interest rate swap, basis swap etc. and rank them from which one comes first and then calculate your NPV with the plug ins of those values in ranking orders. Feel free to dm me if you want to ask more. And also the LIBOR curve is just the benchmark so if it moves. Expect a variance of movements with the other rates as well. (Best choice here is to make an Excel calculator and reference/tie stuff to each other so it is easier to visualise.

Given you example. You are giving the revenue increase of $100 because the price of the product? Was x4 but quantity is declined by half. So by price change it would be the % of the price change (200%) and the change in quantity is (-50%).

 

Libero non ut consequatur. Facilis nesciunt velit et nam. Corporis eius nam voluptate maiores. Consequatur et quis est ullam qui. Quo quas ab vel ipsa. Sed et ipsum modi aut.

Debitis velit id et quo numquam similique illum. Illo vero dolor unde. Accusantium ut praesentium aliquam eaque.

Eius blanditiis porro non architecto. Ullam dolorem odio voluptas deleniti rerum. A sed consequatur qui sunt facere voluptatibus accusantium. Eius quia modi laboriosam velit excepturi distinctio sint.

Career Advancement Opportunities

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 08 97.8%
  • Goldman Sachs 02 97.3%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.5%
  • Evercore No 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.4%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.8%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.3%

Professional Growth Opportunities

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.8%
  • JPMorgan No 97.3%

Total Avg Compensation

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (50) $259
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (25) $178
  • Intern/Summer Associate (14) $159
  • 1st Year Analyst (84) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (75) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”