Etrade options marking methodology

[ajacobson]

In creating prices, OCC will start by taking the mid-point of the highest bid and lowest ask price across all listing exchanges, determining the implied volatility and then smoothing that implied volatility curve (for a given option class, type and expiration) through an iterative process which, in turn, adjusts the option mark prices. There are also rules enforced to cap volatility for certain deep in and deep out-of-the-money options. The resultant edited price is extended out to six decimal places. Due to the operational overhead of computing edited prices for the complete universe of option series, this process is performed only once per day as of the market close.

So it actually turns out we were all wrong. They smooth a volatility curve they derive from the NBBO midpoint. So they are marking off volatility - not price.

Not what I grew up with.

 

[Robert Morse]

In creating prices, OCC will start by taking the mid-point of the highest bid and lowest ask price across all listing exchanges, determining the implied volatility and then smoothing that implied volatility curve (for a given option class, type and expiration) through an iterative process which, in turn, adjusts the option mark prices. There are also rules enforced to cap volatility for certain deep in and deep out-of-the-money options. The resultant edited price is extended out to six decimal places. Due to the operational overhead of computing edited prices for the complete universe of option series, this process is performed only once per day as of the market close.

So it actually turns out we were all wrong. They smooth a volatility curve they derive from the NBBO midpoint. So they are marking off volatility - not price.

Not what I grew up with.

This is the process the OCC uses for the TIMS calculation to determine PM margin and risk. I'm not aware of any clearing broker that uses those closing values for marks and EOD P/L and client equity.

 

[newwurldmn]

Agreed that midpoint is more accurate. This is evident by the fact that CBOE uses the bid-ask midpoint of SPX strikes to calculate VIX:

http://www.cboe.com/micro/vix/vixwhite.pdf

And the vix settlement Is a joke because Goldman and others would manipulate the mids by pushing down on offers or raising bids.

 

[newwurldmn]

I am in the same situation. I bought some cheap tail hedges for 10 cents that are currently marked at $2.1. Huge fake gain

Exactly the problem that used to not occur under the old methodology.

My platinum advisor said that if enough feedback is negative they might change the policy back.

 

[samuel11]

Exactly the problem that used to not occur under the old methodology.

My platinum advisor said that if enough feedback is negative they might change the policy back.

I also have a platinum adivsor. I will reach out to her about this.

 

[beerntrading]

etrade users:

You may or may not be aware but Etrade has changed the way they mark options.

They used to use the following algorithm:
If last trade is between bid/ask then mark=last trade
Elseif last trade < bid then mark=bid
Else Mark=ask

Now they are just using mid price.

The problem is that the option markets for single stocks are unstable. Often prices widening out a lot - one of my underlyings went from .30 at .80 to .30 at 5.00. Under the new methodology my mark moved 2 dollars on a market maker pulling his offer.

This is adding siginificsnt intraday noise to my book and for a less capitalized account could lead to an unnecessary margin call.

Are others who use Etrade experiencing more volatility in their options portfolios these days?

It's just noise...And it's a lot less than it used to be when every tick would shoot the valuation across the spread.

It's a moot point on margin though because you still have a 100% requirement on a spread, and the same 25% on an outright short or naked put. So, you won't get a margin call because of how they mark it.

If the spread is significantly affecting your account on options, that says more about how you're trading than the broker you're using.

 

[stepandfetchit]

In creating prices, OCC will start by taking the mid-point of the highest bid and lowest ask price across all listing exchanges, determining the implied volatility and then smoothing that implied volatility curve (for a given option class, type and expiration) through an iterative process which, in turn, adjusts the option mark prices. There are also rules enforced to cap volatility for certain deep in and deep out-of-the-money options. The resultant edited price is extended out to six decimal places. Due to the operational overhead of computing edited prices for the complete universe of option series, this process is performed only once per day as of the market close.

So it actually turns out we were all wrong. They smooth a volatility curve they derive from the NBBO midpoint. So they are marking off volatility - not price.

Not what I grew up with.

To get better precision, there are a number of steps PRIOR to "using the mid-point" that are necessary to insure IV is more precise. Any perceived need for smothing of IV on high liquidity products suggest a "fly in the ointment", IMHO.
BTW: This is only a response to "OCC will start by taking the mid-point ..."

 

[FSU]

Bid on a long - Ask on a short - same as OCC risk and the marking almost all institutions use.

Funny, I have never dealt with a broker/clearing firm who has used anything other then the mid point for marks, including Goldman, Merrill, Apex, ING, and many other past clearing firms.

 

[newwurldmn]

It's just noise...And it's a lot less than it used to be when every tick would shoot the valuation across the spread.

It's a moot point on margin though because you still have a 100% requirement on a spread, and the same 25% on an outright short or naked put. So, you won't get a margin call because of how they mark it.

If the spread is significantly affecting your account on options, that says more about how you're trading than the broker you're using.

yes. It’s noise and it is creating fake volatility in my pnl. Otm options are specifically affected because bid ask quickly widen to 5 dollars moving the value of the option up 2 dollars. This fake volatility is creating extra work because I have to sift through it to see what my pnl drivers are.

 

[newwurldmn]

Funny, I have never dealt with a broker/clearing firm who has used anything other then the mid point for marks, including Goldman, Merrill, Apex, ING, and many other past clearing firms.

Were you experiencing unnecessary volatility as a result? A two dollar change just because bidask widened out in a single stock are a lot of vegas