Newbee question. Please explain me the risks of the following strategy involving index futures.

Discussion in 'Index Futures' started by Kust, Jun 28, 2021.

  1. Kust

    Kust

    Hello.

    Currently, I am thinking about doing the following:
    1. Buy Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLU).
    2. Sell short an equivalent number of E-mini Utilities Select Sector (XAU=F) index futures to hedge against the price drop.

    It looks like a risk-free way to collect dividends 3% per year minus taxes.

    What's the catch here?
     
    murray t turtle likes this.
  2. The price of the index futures will include dividends and interest rates. You'll earn precisely nothing (ignoring taxes and comissions, and assuming there is no cash/futures arbitrage).

    GAT
     
    gkishot and murray t turtle like this.
  3. Kust

    Kust

    How? It is not options.

    As I understand, the price of the index futures depends on today spot index value only.

    Say, yesterday was ex-dividend day. Today the price of index ETF drops somewhat and the value of index futures drops the same. So no change in the overall value except for the dividends collected, if exclude futures bid-ask spread.

    What is wrong here?
     
    murray t turtle likes this.
  4. xandman

    xandman

    The futures curve will be discounted to reflect the estimated dividends. The discount is applied to the whole futures curve over time. It will also be buffered to the downside.

    Over the medium to long term, your offsetting positions will be a wash less the "carry" you pay for the Futures over time.

    If it looks like a free lunch, your missing something. People will sell their mother for a fraction of a percent.
     
    Last edited: Jun 28, 2021
  5. Kust

    Kust

    yes, now I see it, thanks
     
    murray t turtle likes this.
  6. Girija

    Girija

    Search for dividend arbitrage. You need a combination of cheap option and a high dividend on underlying to get this to work in ur favor. Don't use futures.
     
  7. %%
    HALF right/most likely, collect the dividends.
    NOTHING is risk free+ add a bid/ask spread /oops; add 2 bid asks of
    them like you did= /Oops/oops. But the dividend yield also is not risk fee/ may beat inflation this year with that +may not beat inflation in 2021. Good volume
     
  8. newwurldmn

    newwurldmn

    are you senile? The question was answered succinctly above and an hour later you post a completely inaccurate and irrelevant rambling.
     
    murray t turtle likes this.
  9. Nobert

    Nobert

    Ditto situations happens all the time. Sometimes folks just don't read previous posts before they answer (including me)

    Everyone is participating best to their abilities (most of the time). That's what makes this forum enjoyable.
    Criticising others - creates an opposite atmosphere.
     
    murray t turtle likes this.
  10. newwurldmn

    newwurldmn

    He’s specifically spouting misinformation.
     
    #10     Jun 28, 2021