Interest Rate Swaps
Interest Rate Swaps
October, 2007
Primary Analyst: Jason Stipanov
(212)-761-2983
jason.stipanov@morganstanley.com
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part of his/her/their compensation was, is or will be directly or indirectly related to the specific views or recommendations contained herein.
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                                     Fixed Payments
                            5.05% Semiannually on 30/360-Day Count
             Party A                                                                Party B
                         3-Month LIBOR Quarterly on Act/360-Day Count
Floating Payments
•   Swap: Contractual agreement to exchange fixed for floating cash flows over a
    specified period of time
•   Floating rate reference: USD LIBOR
•   LIBOR: British Banker Association’s (BBA) fixing of the London Inter-Bank Offered
    Rate. A contributor bank contributes the rate at which it could borrow funds, if it
    were to do so by asking for and accepting inter-bank offers in reasonable market
    size just prior to 11 AM London time. 16 banks contribute, the top and bottom 4
    fixings are eliminated, and the remaining 8 fixings are averaged.
3M LIBOR in 6 months
3M LIBOR in 1 year
3M LIBOR in 1YR 6M
Pay LIBOR
                                                  You
                         Pay Repo
                                                     Swap Spread =
                                                     Systemic Risk
                           Company
                          Specific Risk
 Eurodollar Exchange
                                                                                                                                   OAS
                                        Corporates                                     ABS/CMBS
Volatility
                       Global                                                                 Mortgages
                    Rate/FX/Credit                                                           (Residential)                         Asset
                      Arbitrage                     Swap Market                                                                    Swaps
                                                                                                                                   Convexity
                                                                                                                                   Hedging
                                                                                                                          Discount
       Repo                                                                                Agencies                       Notes
                                   Treasuries
                                                         UST +
                                                 Credit Spread
                                                                                  Investor
    Corporate Bond
        Issuer                                             Swap Spreads Widen
                                                                            New
                             Interest                                       Swap
                              Rates                     Mortgage
                            Increase                    Portfolio          Swap
   Mortgage    Swap
   Portfolio   Hedge                                                       Hedge
– OR –
                              Interest
                               Rates                                       Unwind
   Mortgage    Swap          Decrease                                      Swap
   Portfolio   Hedge                                                       Swap
                                                        Mortgage
                                                        Portfolio          Hedge
Treasury Bonds
         Agency Bonds
                             Money Manager                          Swap Market
          Mortgages
                          Pay or receive fixed in the swap market
        Corporate Bonds
      −   Technical factors
           • Treasury-specific factors
           • Supply/demand effect
•   Supply/Demand effect: swaps are often a better hedging tool than Tsys
    as they also include systematic market risk. In times of crisis, for
    instance, the Treasury curve decouples from other assets since it is risk-
    free by definition.
wider 20
                                                                                                        7
                                                7
                                                                                                                             7
                                              /0
/0
/0
/0
/0
                                                                                                                           /0
                                                                9/
6/
                                                                                                      3/
                                            11
25
23
20
17
                                                                                                                         /1
                                                              7/
8/
9/
                                                                                                                       10
                                          6/
6/
7/
8/
                                                                                                             9/
     wide for the next 6-12
     months.                                             2y and 10y Swap Spreads
                                                  10                                                                                                                      60           Oct-11 Close
                                                                                                                                                                          50
                                                   0
                                                                                                                                                                          40
                                                  -10                                                                                                                                                                    2
                                                                                                                                                                          30
                                                                                                                                                                                                                        R = 0.6212
                                                  -20
                                                                                                                                                                          20
                                                                                                                                                                            2.00      2.50     3.00     3.50     4.00        4.50   5.00     5.50
                                                  -30
                                                        180   160   140   120     100    80     60    40     20     0     -20   -40   -60   -80
                                                                                                                                                                                               Mortgage Index Duration
                                                                                Interest Rate Scenario (parallel shift, bp)
 •                                         Since mortgage durations are volatile and the mortgage market is large,
                                           mortgage hedging needs are typically the most important driver of 10-
                                           year swap spreads.
Carry
    •    Can be locked in on trade date
    •    Example: 6M carry on a 10Y swap:
(short) (long)
                                                        carry
                                     bp running =
                                                     swap duration
•Thus the approximate carry on a 2s10s flattener would be: 0.288 - (-4.822) = 5.11 bps running.
•   Example:
     − Spot 10-year Treasury yield = 4.6%
     − 3-month forward yield = 4.75%
     − Thus, if you buy the 10-year note rather than invest in 3-month cash, you will break
       even on the position (relative to the cash alternative) if the 10-year yield increases by
       15 bp over the next three months
•   Given that the LIBOR curve has a constant financing rate and is not impacted
    by idiosyncratic bond risk, it is easier to judge the shape of the forward curve in
    the swap market
• For example:
• Receiving on a 2-year swap does not express this view as the swap will be
an 1-year instrument in one year’s time.
• Thus, the investor needs to consider the 2-year rate one year forward.
• Note that if this rate is trading 100 bp lower than the spot 2-year rate, then
the investor may in fact wish to pay on the forward rate - despite the fact
he/she believes that 2-year rates will fall.
For example…
         Net exposure:
         Receive 5y2y fixed              0y          1y          2y          3y           4y            5y           6y           7y
Note: floating rate components cancel each other out for the first five years
• The usual curve dynamics of bull steepening and bear flattening result in
offsetting influences on forward rates: in a rally, forward rates fall with the
spot rates, but the steepening puts upward pressure on the forward rates;
vice-versa in a sell-off.
         For                                      Swap Tenor                                              We know that for the 10-year rate (for example):
In             01Y    02Y    03Y    04Y    05Y    06Y    07Y    08Y    09Y    10Y    15Y    20Y    25Y
         0M    4.97   4.79   4.83   4.91   5.00   5.06   5.12   5.17   5.22   5.26   5.40   5.47   5.49   • 3m Roll-down = 10y Rate - 9.75y Rate
         1M    4.89   4.76   4.82   4.90   4.99   5.06   5.12   5.17   5.22   5.27   5.40   5.47   5.49   • 3m Carry = 9.75y Rate 3m Forward - 10y Rate
         3M    4.77   4.72   4.80   4.90   4.99   5.06   5.12   5.18   5.22   5.27   5.41   5.47   5.49
         6M    4.63   4.69   4.80   4.92   5.01   5.08   5.14   5.19   5.24   5.29   5.42   5.48   5.50   Hence:
         1Y    4.61   4.76   4.89   5.00   5.08   5.15   5.21   5.26   5.31   5.36   5.46   5.52   5.53
                                                                                                          • 3m Roll and Carry = 10y Rate - 9.75y Rate
Expiry
         2Y    4.92   5.04   5.15   5.22   5.28   5.32   5.37   5.42   5.47   5.51   5.56   5.60   5.60
         3Y    5.16   5.28   5.33   5.38   5.42   5.46   5.50   5.55   5.59   5.61   5.64   5.66   5.65                      + (9.75y Rate 3m Forward - 10y Rate)
         4Y    5.40   5.42   5.46   5.49   5.53   5.57   5.62   5.66   5.68   5.67   5.69   5.70   5.68
         5Y    5.45   5.49   5.53   5.57   5.61   5.67   5.71   5.72   5.71   5.71   5.73   5.72   5.70                      = 9.75y Rate 3m Forward - 9.75y Rate
         7Y    5.61   5.65   5.71   5.77   5.81   5.81   5.79   5.78   5.77   5.77   5.78   5.75   5.72   Similarly:
         10Y   5.99   6.00   5.94   5.88   5.83   5.81   5.81   5.81   5.82   5.82   5.79   5.74   5.70
         15Y   5.70   5.75   5.78   5.80   5.81   5.81   5.80   5.79   5.77   5.76   5.69   5.64   5.60   10y Rate 3m Forward - 10y Spot Rate
         20Y   5.80   5.76   5.73   5.70   5.68   5.66   5.65   5.63   5.62   5.60   5.54   5.50   5.48                                 = Roll and Carry on 10.25Rate
     So: 3m Forward 2s/10s curve - Spot 2s/10s curve = (10y Rate 3m Fwd - 2y Rate 3m Fwd) - (Spot 10y Rate - Spot 2y Rate)
                                                                       = (10y Rate 3m Fwd - Spot 10y Rate) - (2y Rate 3m Fwd - Spot 2y Rate)
                                                                       = Roll and Carry on 10.25 Rate - Roll and Carry on 2.25 Rate
                                                                       = Roll and Carry on a Duration Neutral 2.25y/10.25y Flattener
                                                                       ≈ Roll and Carry on a Duration Neutral 2s/10s Flattener
          2Y    4.92   5.04   5.15   5.22   5.28   5.32   5.37   5.42   5.47   5.51    5.56      5.60     5.60       47.2
          3Y    5.16   5.28   5.33   5.38   5.42   5.46   5.50   5.55   5.59   5.61    5.64      5.66     5.65       33.5
          4Y    5.40   5.42   5.46   5.49   5.53   5.57   5.62   5.66   5.68   5.67    5.69      5.70     5.68       25.3
          5Y    5.45   5.49   5.53   5.57   5.61   5.67   5.71   5.72   5.71   5.71    5.73      5.72     5.70       21.4
          7Y    5.61   5.65   5.71   5.77   5.81   5.81   5.79   5.78   5.77   5.77    5.78      5.75     5.72       11.7
          10Y   5.99   6.00   5.94   5.88   5.83   5.81   5.81   5.81   5.82   5.82    5.79      5.74     5.70      -17.6
          15Y   5.70   5.75   5.78   5.80   5.81   5.81   5.80   5.79   5.77   5.76    5.69      5.64     5.60        0.9
          20Y   5.80   5.76   5.73   5.70   5.68   5.66   5.65   5.63   5.62   5.60    5.54      5.50     5.48      -16.1
 • Is the market really pricing inversion of the 10s/30s curve in 7 years’ time?
 • No: the curve has greater convexity in the 30-year sector...
                    Rate (%)    PV01     Notional (mm)        Risk        Initially, the trade is set up to be duration neutral.
  Pay      10y10y     5.75      4.85        190.91            9.26
 Receive   10y30y     5.60      9.26          100             9.26
            Market rallies - yield curve falls 100 bp in parallel        As the market rallies, higher convexity means the duration on
                    Rate (%)    PV01     Notional (mm)     Risk          the 10y30y rate increases more, leaving the trade needing re-
  Pay      10y10y     4.75      5.64        190.91         10.77         hedging to make it market directional again. The investor
 Receive   10y30y     4.60      11.57         100          11.57         therefore has to pay on around $ 7 mm 10y30y at 4.60%
                           The market has returned to the original levels, suggesting the flattener has had zero P&L -
 So what has               however, during the hedging, the investor has paid at 4.60% and received at 6.60% and 5.60%
 happened?                 resulting in profit. This is due to being long convexity, and so the forward curve demands a
                           premium for this privilege - hence, the 10y30y rate is lower and the forward curve is inverted.
 Levels on 10/15/2007
 Spot 1s10s               35 bp
 1y Fwd 1s10s             65 bp
 Rolldown                 30 bp
 3m Realized Volatility   54.2
 Sig Ratio                0.5
  −   The yield/yield asset swap spread is simply the difference between the yield-
      to-maturity of the bond and the par swap rate to the maturity of the bond
Trade
date:
                                                                     4.75% (S/A Act/Act)
           UST 4.75%   4.75% (S/A Act/Act)
            8/15/17     (coupon payments)           Investor                                               Swap Dealer
                                                                      USDLibor – 60.2 bp
                                                                         (Q Act/360)
Trade
date:
                                                                       4.75% (S/A Act/Act)
           UST 4.75%      4.75% (S/A Act/Act)
            8/15/17        (coupon payments)           Investor                                               Swap Dealer
                                                                       USDLibor – 60.3 bp
                                                                           (Q Act/360)
                                                                     Notional amount = 100.86
                                                                        •Convexity  risk -
                                            •LIBOR   financing
               •Large  upfront                                          trade is duration
                                            assumption on the
               payment creates                                          weighted, not
                                            final payment
               credit/collateral                                        convexity weighted.
               issues                       •Trade effectively
                                                                        •Impliedcurve risk
                                            embeds a LIBOR
       •Cons   •Financing                                               for bonds with off-
                                            based loan
               assumption for the                                       market coupons
               upfront payment              •Spread duration not
                                                                        •Carry estimation for
                                            constant (too many
               •Execution                                               bonds not trading
                                            changing parts)
                                                                        close to par
                                            •Execution
In general, the yield curve steepens in rallies and flattens in sell-offs as central bank movement leads the way.
In general the 2s10s curve is more volatile than the 10s30s curve, so the belly of the 2s10s30s fly tends to cheapen
when the 2s10s curve steepens
 Volatility-adjusted Butterfly
 Risk assigned according to volatility of the curves involved in the butterfly.
 Accounts for relative volatilities but not correlations.
 • Rich-Cheap detection
   •   Regression is time consuming as you would need regressions of 1s/5s, 2s/10s,
       2s/5s/10s, 1s/3s/7s, 1s/4s/8s, 5s/7s/10s etc. to accomplish what PCA does
 • The PCA weights are determined using data since January 01, 1993
 • The lifetime of the butterfly is determined from data since Jan 01 1993
 • An investor who is long a butterfly is positioned for the level to fall. Roll and
   Carry are computed to agree with this. That is, a negative value for carry or
   rolldown works in favor of a long butterfly.
                               Jason Stipanov
                          US Interest Rate Strategy
                     Jason.Stipanov@morganstanley.com
                               (212)-761-2983