Global Derivative Debacles

This book analyzes in depth all major derivatives debacles of the last half century including the multi-billion losses and/or bankruptcy of Metallgesellschaft (1994), Barings Bank (1995), Long Term Capital Management (1998), Amaranth (2006), Société Générale (2008) , AIG (2008) and JP Morgan-Chase (2012). It unlocks the secrets of derivatives by telling the stories of institutions which played in the derivative market and lost big. For some of these unfortunate organizations it was daring but flawed financial engineering which brought them havoc. For others it was unbridled speculation perpetrated by rogue traders whose unchecked fraud brought their house down. Should derivatives be feared "as financial weapons of mass destruction" or hailed as financial innovations which through efficient risk transfer are truly adding to the Wealth of Nations? By presenting a factual analysis of how the malpractice of derivatives played havoc with derivative end-user and dealer institutions, a case is made for vigilance not only to market and counter-party risk but also operational risk in their use for risk management and proprietary trading. Clear and recurring lessons across the different stories in this volume call not only for a tighter but also "smarter" control system of derivatives trading and should be of immediate interest to financial managers, bankers, traders, auditors and regulators who are directly or indirectly exposed to financial derivatives. The book groups cases by derivative category, starting with the simplest and building up to the most complex — namely, Forwards, Futures, Options and Swaps in that order, with applications in commodities, foreign exchange, stock indices and interest rates. Each chapter deals with one derivative debacle, providing a rigorous and comprehensive but non-technical elucidation of what happened. What is new in the second edition? A new chapter on JP Morgan-Chase's London Whale, an in-depth discussion of credit-default swaps, and an update of the revamped regulatory framework with Basel 2.5 and Basel III against the backdrop of the Euro crisis, along with a revised and expanded discussion of the AIG debacle. Contents:Derivatives and the Wealth of NationsForwards:Showa Shell Sekiyu K KCitibank's Forex LossesBank Negara MalaysiaFutures:Amaranth Advisors LLCMetallgesellschaftSumitomoOptions: Allied LyonsAllied Irish BanksBaringsSociété GénéraleSwaps:Procter & GambleGibson Greeting CardsOrange CountyLong-Term Capital ManagementAIGJP Morgan Chase London WhaleFrom Theory to Malpractice: Lessons Learned Readership: Economists; undergraduates and graduates majoring in finance, economics and business administration; professionals, financial managers and CPAs in the financial service industry. Key Features:Includes simple graphs or numerical illustrations to enhance readers' understanding of the complex world of derivatives and financial engineering step-by-step, story-by-storyUses actual case studies to introduce college students, finance professionals and general readers to the world of high finance which shapes their day-to-day livesDemystifies the mysterious world of financial derivativesBrings alive difficult concepts by profiling the protagonists in each debacle and the corporate setting within which the derivative debacle unfoldedProvides a glossary of key concepts to discuss the respective derivatives product, how it is valued, trading strategies, and the workings of the market where it is tradedKeywords:Derivatives;Debacles;Options;Swaps;Futures;Forwards;Financial Engineering;Market Manipulation;Rogue Traders;Speculation;London WhaleReview: Reviews of the First Edition: “This timely and well-written book is a ‘must read’ for anyone directly or indirectly involved in financial markets and instruments as well as risk management. By telling actual stories of how rogue traders and incompetent managers put their firms at risk, the author demystifies the complex world of financial derivatives. His incisive and in-depth analysis of all major derivatives debacles should help the reader understand what happened and avoid future disasters.” Gabriel Hawawini The Henry Grunfeld Professor of Investment Banking INSEAD “The author has written a book whose clarity makes it accessible to a wide range of practitioners and executives, and he brings the technical subject matter to life through the concrete examples of the highest profile failures in the use of derivatives” B Craig Owens Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Campbell Soup “The book is a timely contribution to a subject that has been at the epicenter of the current financial crisis … Learning from past mistakes and applying the lessons is what sets this book apart and should make it a useful guide for practitioners.” Dr Oliver S Kratz Head of Global Thematic Equities Deutsche Bank

This book offers a comprehensive analysis of the ways that politics and financial markets impact one another. In this relationship, politics is the ultimate controlling force. The kinds and prices of financial instruments that get traded and the individuals and institutions that get to trade them, not to mention the rules under which everyone trades, are all matters decisively influenced by an array of political variables - sometimes for the better, but all too often for the worse. The fault for this political skewing of the markets chiefly lies with democracy. Through its commitment to equality and its inclination towards fiscal profligacy, democracy hinders the markets from acting as a greater force for social good. To fix this skewing of finance, democracy’s troubling tendencies must be squarely faced and curbed by a return to its monetary roots. Democracy must reinstall gold at the monetary foundations of our financial markets.

FINANCIAL ENGINEERING Financial engineering is poised for a great shift in the years ahead. Everyone from investors and borrowers to regulators and legislators will need to determine what works, what doesn't, and where to go from here. Financial Engineering part of the Robert W. Kolb Series in Finance has been designed to help you do just this. Comprised of contributed chapters by distinguished experts from industry and academia, this reliable resource will help you focus on established activities in the field, developing trends and changes, as well as areas of opportunity. Divided into five comprehensive parts, Financial Engineering begins with an informative overview of the discipline, chronicling its complete history and profiling potential career paths. From here, Part II quickly moves on to discuss the evolution of financial engineering in major markets fixed income, foreign exchange, equities, commodities and credit and offers important commentary on what has worked and what will change. Part III then examines a number of recent innovative applications of financial engineering that have made news over the past decade such as the advent of securitized and structured products and highly quantitative trading strategies for both equities and fixed income. Thoughts on how risk management might be retooled to reflect what has been learned as a result of the recent financial crisis are also included. Part IV of the book is devoted entirely to case studies that present valuable lessons for active practitioners and academics. Several of the cases explore the risk that has instigated losses across multiple markets, including the global credit crisis. You'll gain in-depth insights from cases such as Countrywide, Société Générale, Barings, Long-Term Capital Management, the Florida Local Government Investment Pool, AIG, Merrill Lynch, and many more. The demand for specific and enterprise risk managers who can think outside the box will be substantial during this decade. Much of Part V presents new ways to be successful in an era that demands innovation on both sides of the balance sheet. Chapters that touch upon this essential topic include Musings About Hedging; Operational Risk; and The No-Arbitrage Condition in Financial Engineering: Its Use and Mis-Use. This book is complemented by a companion website that includes details from the editors' survey of financial engineering programs around the globe, along with a glossary of key terms from the book. This practical guide puts financial engineering in perspective, and will give you a better idea of how it can be effectively utilized in real- world situations.

A thorough introduction to corporate finance from a renowned professor of finance and banking As globalization redefines the field of corporate finance, international and domestic finance have become almost inseparably intertwined. It's increasingly difficult to understand what is happening in capital markets without a firm grasp of currency markets, the investment strategies of sovereign wealth funds, carry trade, and foreign exchange derivatives products. International Corporate Finance offers thorough coverage of the international monetary climate, including Islamic finance, Asian banking, and cross-border mergers and acquisitions. Additionally, the book offers keen insight on global capital markets, equity markets, and bond markets, as well as foreign exchange risk management and how to forecast exchange rates. Offers a comprehensive discussion of the current state of international corporate finance Provides simple rules and pragmatic answers to key managerial questions and issues Includes case studies and real-world decision-making situations For anyone who wants to understand how finance works in today's hyper-connected global economy, International Corporate Finance is an insightful, practical guide to this complex subject.

Governing Global Derivatives analyzes the role of the most important financial innovation of the last two decades - financial derivatives - in a global dimension. The evolution of derivatives, especially Over the Counter (OTC), and the possibility of managing risks tailored to customers' needs, are the basic recipe for the success of derivatives. This book focuses on the role of derivatives from a macroeconomic point of view, considering how monetary theory and policy, fiscal policy and the growth process are affected. It fills a gap by rethinking the way financial markets are considered in the macroeconomy and the transmission mechanism of impulses.

In 2020, the global lockdowns caused by the COVID-19, or coronavirus, pandemic had resulted in a sharp drop in demand for crude oil. This impact was so severe that on April 8, 2020, a proposal to update the Chicago Mercantile Exchange Holdings Inc. (CME) trading rule to permit negative prices was applied to CME's WTI Oil futures contracts; this led to a novel phenomenon in which the closing clearing price of WTI Oil May future was $-37.63/barrel based on fewer than 400 contracts' trading volume in the last three minutes, reflecting less than 0.2% of the total trading contracts volume on April 20, 2020. This occurrence of negative closing clearing price for CME's WTI Oil futures trading, cannot be explained simply by just the principle of supply and demand; instead, it highlights vulnerabilities caused by CME's allowance of negative price trading (based on its trading platform), a decision which brings potential and fundamental challenges to the global financial system.This event challenges not just our basic concepts of 'value' and trading 'price' of commodities and goods that underline our understanding of the framework for the invisible hand and general equilibrium theory in economics established by a few generations of scholars since Adam Smith in 1776 for market economies, but also have wider implications on the fundamentals that underpin our ideas of value and labor in the organization, activity, and behavior of civilizations and individual liberties.The scope of this book is limited to covering the impact of the negative oil futures derivatives' trading between April 20 and 21, 2020. This book focuses on exploring the issues, challenges, and possible impacts on global financial markets due to the negative clearing prices of WTI Oil futures contracts and related problems from different perspectives. Topics covered include the responsibilities and liabilities of the CME; critique to the fundamental theory of economics and the modern understanding of value and labor; and challenges to the global financial systems and businesses and introduction to new methods of application.

Der schlechte Ruf der Derivative gründet sich auf Mißbrauch und das hohe Risiko, das mit diesem oft exotisch wirkenden Finanzinstrument verbunden ist. Sie wollen sich unvoreingenommen, besser informieren? Anhand signifikanter Fallstudien führt dieses Buch Sie unter anderem in Techniken des Risikomanagement und Kontrollstrukturen ein.