Quote from ssternlight:
I'll be the first to admit that I only understand what you are doing generally, but...
Can you define the risk/reward on this one for me. That ER2 position would make me a bit nervous.
I can model @ static volatility... but that would overstate the risks on the downside. The 17 vol-line on the ER2 will be reduced as vol-modality inverts as ER2 approaches the 650 strike.
You can make an assumption that the current atm call or put is representative of what the 650P vols will be if ER2 trades to the 650 strike. Yes, strip vols could increase[increase in VIX as an analogue], but it's likely that 15-16% vol is a good guess for where the 650p will be trading if/when it goes atm. The 665p closed at 13.20, so we use $13.20 as a likely price for the 650p when trading atm[50d].
The skew inverts as the ER2 trades below the strike, but not significantly. I reduce my vol-assumptions very little. Although it can be important to do so with a large position as variance will begin to play a role.
In summary, it's a poorly correlated index pair replication... the edge from long gamma curvature and slope drives the position. YM vol is cheap, as well as it's gamma characteristics. The edge in YM vol + gamma + delta position is hoped to exceed the poor-correlation. Will it? I dunno, that's the bet, as it is. There isn't any adjustments or hedging to be made. I trade directionally as signals arise, offering a fairly passive hedge; i.e., I was short ER2 today.
I don't have to see the corr mean-revert, but that would add value to the trade. Take a look at a chart of the YM/ER2 spread from today's action.


