Spot against end month, End of the month = Value spot against the last
business day of the month.
Spot-next S/N = Value spot against the following business day.
Tom-next T/N = Value tomorrow (next business day) against the following
business day (spot).
Tom-week, One week over tomorrow = Value tomorrow (or next business day)
against one week from that date.
Turn of the month = Value last business day of the month against first business
day of the next month.
Turn of the year = Value last business day of the year against the first business
day of the next year.
c) Terminology relating to currency options transactions:
American (style) option = An option which can be exercised on any business
day up to and including the expiration day.
ARO, (Average Rate Option) = These are options, which refer to the average
rate of the underlying exchange rate that existed during the life of the option. This
average will be used to determine the intrinsic value of the option by comparison
with the predetermined fixed strike. If the option is a call option and the average
rate exceeds the strike, the buyer will receive a cash flow (i.e. the difference
between the average rate and the strike). For a put option, the average must be
below the strike.
At-the-money = An option is at-the-money when the forward price of the
underlying instrument is very close to or equal to the option’s strike price.
Buyer (holder) = The party which purchases an option by the payment of a
premium and who has the right but not the obligation to buy (call) or sell (put) the
currency.
Call option = The right to purchase a specified amount of a specified currency
against another currency by a certain date at a certain price.
Compound = A compound option is an option on an option: the buyer has the
right to buy a plain vanilla call or put option at a predetermined date and at a
predetermined rate. The strike of the plain vanilla option is also predetermined.
Cut off time, Expiration time = The time at which the right to exercise expires
on the expiration date. In general, for interbank transactions in the European and
American markets it is 10.00 am New York time or 3.00 pm Tokyo time for Asian
markets.
Delivery date = The date on which delivery of the two currencies involved is
conducted based on the exercise of an option. Normally, it is two business days
after the expiration date.
Delta = Also known as the hedge ratio, delta is the ratio of change in the option
price compared with change in the price of the underlying instrument, when all
other conditions are fixed.
Delta hedge = A foreign exchange transaction which squares up the potential
foreign exchange position created when an option transaction is concluded. The
amount to be hedged is calculated by multiplying the notional amount of the option
by the delta.
Digital = A digital option is a transaction where a specified amount will be paid if
the spot rate is above the strike at expiry for calls (or below the strike for puts).
The intervening path of spot between the trade date and expiry is irrelevant: the