Non-collateralized Nature of Structured Products


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CBBCs Guidebook

Introduction to the Call Price and Mandatory Call Event (MCE)

Call price is an important characteristic of CBBC. When the price of the underlying asset reaches or lower than the Call price in a Bull Contract in any trading day during the trading session (reaches or higher than the Call price in a Bear contract), this contract will be immediately called before expiry. Take Category R CBBC as an example, the CBBC holder may receive a small amount of cash payment (residual value), (which is the difference between the price of underlying asset and the strike price) upon the occurrence of an MCE but in the worst case, no residual value will be paid.

Suppose the investor expects the HSI (Hang Seng Index) to rise and buy a HSI Bull contract. However, if the price of HSI adjusts during this trading session and reaches the call price, this bull contract will then be called before expiry. Therefore even if the HSI rebounds as expected later on, because the CBBC has already been called and the trade has been terminated , the investor will not be benefited by any subsequent rebounce in the underlying price later.

MCE is a weakness as well as a strength in CBBC. When a CBBC is being knocked out before expiry, the investor may lose some or all of his investment, but in another point of view, it helps to rigidly limit the loss and the amount of loss can be foreseen. Also, the risk level of Mandatory Call depends on whether the trend of underlying price meets with the expectations, and the difference between the call price and the underlying price. If the call price is close to the underlying price, the price of a CBBC may be more volatile and the bid-ask spread may be widen and the risk of CBBC being called before expiry is higher, but the amount of investment can be reduced; and the gearing effect will be relatively higher.