FIN 430: Exchange Analysis

1. Select an Exchange from the list below:

· Intercontinental Exchange

· Chicago Board of Trade

· New York Mercantile Exchange

· Kansas City Board of Trade

· Minneapolis Grain Exchange

· New York Board of Trade

· Chicago Mercantile Exchange

· Chicago Board Options Exchange

· Boston Options Exchange

· Euronext

2. Background and characteristics of the Exchange.

· Typical Derivatives traded

· Procedures

· Trading Rules (For ten commodities, Size of contracts, Expiry dates, warehousing arrangements , what ‘grades’ of commodities/securities are acceptable for contracts. )

· How does exchange prepare for defaults.

3. Describe the Margin Rules of the exchange and set up margin accounts for 1 commodity both long and short positions . Assume you can afford 10 contracts and the trading period is the month of November to December. Determine the dollar profit or loss . Use excel to set up the margin accounts.

4. Any recent developments in these exchanges (increase in initial margins, maintenance margins etc) & reasons for changes.

· Background of Exchange: You may talk about its history and changes that have occurred over time (e.g. role electronic trading is playing in its operations now etc) and how these have impacted(or not) trading volume.

· Characteristics:. Margin conditions, contract sizes, other delivery conditions, penalties for nonconformance etc. Investigate how margin calls are settled & what cash equivalents are acceptable.

· Discuss mechanisms in place to deal with defaults(insurance)

2. Report on your investment: Attach spread sheets of margin accounts for the commodity you traded and determine the total dollar return for each.