In: Finance
Suppose you open a trading account with Black Hills Brokerage. Considering the producing of shale gas in U.S. you believe gasoline prices will decrease, and you establish a short position of 15 gasoline futures contract. Your initial margin to establish the position is $7,425 per contract and the maintenance margin is $6,500 per contract. Assume that a margin call requires you to fund your account back to the initial margin requirement.
Answer a ) since the number of contracts is 15 and the margin per contract is $7425 so the total margin required to open the trading account is $7425*15 = $111375
The initial value of the position is Zero , any futures contract has an initial value of 0
B) assuming the typical 40% initial margin the initial contract price will be calculated as below
since 40% is $111375
then 100% will be =$111375/40%
= $278437.5
So the initial Price of the contract is $278437.5
now future contract are traded at 1000 barrels per contract and since value of one 15 contract is 278437.5 |
Value of one contract will be 18562.5 |
so price per barrel is 1.856 |
Day | Gasoline price | Margin | Margin call(below 6500) | Total margin | Value of position | Balance in margin AC |
0 | 1.856 | 7425 | 7425 | 0 | 111375 | |
1 | 2.071 | 5275 | 2150 | 7425 | -2150 | 79125 |
2 | 2.099 | 7145 | 280 | 7425 | -280 | 107175 |
3 | 2.118 | 7235 | 190 | 7425 | -190 | 108525 |
4 | 2.146 | 7145 | 280 | 7425 | -280 | 107175 |
C) initial price at which we enter the contract was 1.856 / barrel and one contract is 10000 barrel then it is $18562.5 per contract
now the price rise to 2.146 per barrel pr $21460 per contract so loss per contract is $2897.5 and total loss is $43462.5
initial investment was $111375
sp return % is loss 43462.5/111375 = - 39%