| Patent application number | Description | Published |
|---|
| 20080249958 | FACTORIZATION OF INTEREST RATE SWAP VARIATION - Methods are described for processing and clearing derivative products such as interest rate swaps (IRSs). A swap value factor (SVF) may be generated to calculate the mark-to-market value of an IRS. The SVF may be a function of interest rates derived from a yield curve. Cash flow may be generated between the buyer and the seller to reflect the change in the market price of the derivative, i.e., the mark-to-market process. The results of a cleared swap may be used to determine or alter the margin deposit required by the buyer or seller. | 10-09-2008 |
| 20080294572 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF MARGINING FIXED PAYOFF PRODUCTS - A system and method is disclosed for determining performance bonds related to fixed payoff products, i.e. contracts which payoff a fixed amount based on the outcome of an underlying event regardless of the particular value of the underlying event. The worst outcome of the overall portfolio, which may contain more than one instrument, is calculated. This permits the portfolio to have both long and short positions on the same underlying event and offsets, e.g. long (bought but not closed out) and short (sold but not closed out) positions, among instruments in the portfolio are factored in. A universe of outcomes is constructed including single events with single outcomes, and the probability thereof, an single events with multiple outcomes, each with a probability thereof. This universe is implemented in a matrix probabilities on different outcomes, also referred to as “strikes.” Each strike/outcome then has an associated price and probability, typically factored together as single value reflective of both. Events with low probability will have low values, resulting in a lower margin requirement, as will be explained below. The margin requirement/performance bond is then set equal to the amount of the maximum loss that the portfolio can sustain for any possible outcome of the underlying event, adjusted for the probability of the outcome. | 11-27-2008 |
| 20080294573 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR HYBRID SPREADING FOR RISK MANAGEMENT - A risk management system and method is disclosed which utilizes a flexible and configurable set of spreading techniques which may be incorporated into existing risk management software to enhance functionality, flexibility and accuracy. In the disclosed embodiments, multiple different types of spreading are combined to allow for a more accurate assessment of risk. In one exemplary embodiment, a subset of the derivative products held by a futures trader are first analyzed by the scanning based spreading methodology. Typically, futures products in the same class of products (e.g. equity futures or agricultural futures) would be analyzed together by the scanning based spreading methodology. Then an average delta would be calculated for that subset. Using that delta, that subset would then be analyzed in relation to the remaining derivative products (not in the subset) using a delta based spreading methodology. The delta for the subset could be computed in a variety of ways including scaling the deltas for each product, tying the delta to a fixed time period or other methods. | 11-27-2008 |
| 20080301062 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR EFFICIENTLY USING COLLATERAL FOR RISK OFFSET - A system and method for analyzing correlation between the assets given by the trader for collateral and that trader's open positions is disclosed. Thus, if the collateral is correlated to the trader's open positions, then some offset can be given. If there is no correlation than the collateral is valued in the conventional way. For example, if a trader provides t-bills as collateral for an account that has open positions (e.g. short futures) in T-bills, than that trader's account can be credited with some offset since the value of T-bills and T-bill futures are highly correlated. | 12-04-2008 |
| 20090171824 | MARGIN OFFSETS ACROSS PORTFOLIOS - A method for managing a risk associated with a plurality portfolios wherein each of the plurality of portfolios includes a plurality of positions representative of products traded on an exchange is disclosed. The method includes determining a risk assessment for each of a plurality of portfolios, calculating a margin offset associated with each of the plurality of portfolios, adjusting the risk assessments associated with each of the plurality of portfolios as a function of the margin offset, determining a portfolio risk assessment for the plurality of portfolios, and calculating a margin requirements for the plurality of portfolios, wherein the margin requirement calculated as a function of the portfolio risk assessment. | 07-02-2009 |
| 20090177571 | PROCESSING BINARY OPTIONS IN FUTURE EXCHANGE CLEARING - Systems and methods are disclosed for processing binary options (also referred to as digital options) in existing clearing systems, such as futures clearing systems. The binary option is treated, or processed, similar to standard options on a non-tradeable cash-settled underlying futures contract. A hypothetical instrument, referred to as a book instrument is created to facilitate clearing of the binary option. The book instrument has an expiration date after the expiration of the binary option, such as the day after the expiration of the binary option. For each binary option that expires in the money, a transaction is created for the book instrument future. The underlying book future has an assigned price that is a fixed amount less that the final price for the underlying statistical or actual value of the binary option at expiration. Transactions are loaded in the clearing system and processed and all positions are liquidated. Options exercise and assignment processing is performed in the clearing system as well as an associated clearing firm bookkeeping system. | 07-09-2009 |
| 20090177592 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR FLEXIBLE SPREAD PARTICIPATION - A system and method for risk analysis of a portfolio of derivative products is disclosed which is conducted based on a set of flexible rules. The system and method allow creating predefined sets of products for the purpose of future risk offsets. If a futures trade as a subset of that set of products that met a threshold level, then the subset is assigned the offset value (or a pro rata or other portion of the offset value) of the predefined set. For example, assume that the predefined set consists of one S&P 500 futures, one NASDAQ futures, one S&P Midcap 400 futures and one Russell 1000 futures and the threshold is three. If the futures trader holds any three of those four futures, the three futures can be grouped, assigned an offset value, and this group can be used as one asset for purpose of further risk offsets. | 07-09-2009 |
| 20090248588 | SCANNING BASED SPREADS USING A HEDGE RATIO NON-LINEAR OPTIMIZATION MODEL - The disclosed embodiments utilize hedge ratios to determine the optimal hedge ratio and associated scanning spread. This tells traders what ratios of the quantities of products they should have in their portfolio in order to maintain the status of the portfolios as delta neutral, i.e. be delta hedged, and receive optimal margin credits therefore. | 10-01-2009 |
| 20090299916 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR USING DIVERSIFICATION SPREADING FOR RISK OFFSET - A computer-implemented method for analyzing a risk offset associated with a portfolio including a plurality of products traded on an exchange is disclosed. The method includes analyzing, by a processor, a first product in a portfolio, wherein the first product has a first market response in response to market data, analyzing, by a processor, a second product in a portfolio, wherein the second product has a second market response in response to the market data, determining, by a processor, a diversification spread, the diversification spread representative of an offsetting effect between the first product and the second product, wherein the offsetting effect results from the first market response being substantially different than the second market response in response to similar market data, determining, by the processor, a diversification spread credit based on the diversification spread of the plurality of products, and adjusting, by the processor, a margin requirement for the portfolio based on the diversification spread credit. | 12-03-2009 |
| 20100017345 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MULTI-FACTOR MODELING, ANALYSIS AND MARGINING OF CREDIT DEFAULT SWAPS FOR RISK OFFSET - A system and method for determining a margin requirement associated with a plurality of financial instruments within a portfolio is disclosed. The system and method include receiving a plurality of data associated with the plurality of financial instruments within the portfolio, determining a systematic risk margin based on at least a portion of the received plurality of data, determining a curve risk margin based on at least a second portion of the received plurality of data, determining a convergence and divergence risk margin based on at least a third portion of the received plurality of data, determining a sector risk margin based on at least a fourth portion of the received plurality of data, determining an idiosyncratic risk margin based on at least a fifth portion of the received plurality of data, determining a liquidity risk margin based on at least a sixth portion of the received plurality of data, determining a basis risk margin based on at least a seventh portion of the received plurality of data, and calculating a multi-factor risk margin based on one more of the determined risk factors. | 01-21-2010 |
| 20100088209 | OPTION PRICING MODEL FOR EVENT DRIVEN INSTRUMENTS - Systems and methods are provided for valuing event driven option contracts. A jump diffusion based model, such as a Merton jump diffusion based model, is modified to assume arithmetic movement of an underlying price and a single jump. The arithmetic movement of the underlying price may be modeled with a Bachelier based arithmetic model. Calculated values may be used to determine margin account requirements. | 04-08-2010 |
