Key Risks & Features

Key risks and features

• Market Risk

  • Market risk can materialise due to macroeconomic factors and may have an impact on a particular instrument or more broadly on currency markets as a whole.
  • There is direct Market Risk with this product suite as the outcome at maturity is dependent upon the prevailing FX spot market rate at maturity.
  • Whilst Market Risk exists, a Ratio Forward provides a known ‘worst-case’ protected rate, however depending on the prevailing FX spot market rate at maturity, a client may be obliged to execute a higher notional amount at a less favourable rate.

• Credit Risk

  • By entering into a bilateral contract a client is taking on a credit risk to Investec Bank plc. In the event that Investec should default on its obligations or become insolvent a client may not receive back the full value of their transactions.

• Volatility Risk

  • In adverse market conditions, volatility can increase and this will lead to greater market risk. In normal market conditions volatility in FX markets will vary between currency pairs. Major currency pairs such as G10 currencies offer more stability than emerging market currencies where volatility is more significant.
  • In more volatile market conditions clients may be subject to a wider spread with regards to pricing available.
  • Changes in volatility will have an impact on the mark to market of a derivative contract i.e. the fair value of the contract during the holding period. 

• Liquidity Risk

  • FX markets are generally liquid however similarly to volatility this can depend on the currency pair. G10 currency pairs will offer greater liquidity than more obscure emerging market currency pairs.
  • In markets with less liquidity clients may be subject to a wider spread with regards to pricing available.

• FX Risk

  • Clients entering into FX derivative contracts with Investec are exposed to direct FX risk as fluctuations in the prevailing FX spot market rate will have a direct impact on the client's market risk as outlined above. 

• Concentration Risk

  • Concentration Risk is not applicable to these products.

• Conflicts

  • Investec may take and /or hold positions that conflict with those of our clients, more details around the treatment and execution of client orders can be found in the Foreign Exchange Order Execution Disclosure which can be found on the website.
  • Conflicts arising from Investec’s business model, such as those noted above, are managed through internal controls and processes detailed in the Conflicts of Interest policy which can be found on the website.

• Transparency

  • FX Spot markets are highly transparent with up to date pricing available online. Pricing around other FX instruments such as these structured FX derivatives is far less transparent.
  • Where markets are less transparent it can be challenging to form an independent assessment of a contract’s fair value. 
  • In line with regulatory requirements, the Investec website will provide indicative pre-trade cost disclosure for all of the above products.
  • Additionally, transaction specific post-trade cost disclosures will be provided for all OTC FX derivatives on trade confirmations.

• Margin

  • Investec may, from time to time, request that a client posts collateral against a trading position, subject to the specific arrangements agreed between Investec and client. These funds are required in order to protect Investec from losses should a client default on their obligations or become insolvent. 
  • Funds held by Investec as collateral will be held in one of two ways depending on a client’s MiFID Classification.
    • MiFID Retail clients: Collateral held against positions opened with MiFID Retail clients will be held on deposit by Investec as ‘Banker’. Clients must sign a Collateral Deed in order that Investec can use these deposited funds to offset their exposure to the client in case of client default.
    • MiFID Professional clients: Collateral held for MiFID  Professional clients will be held in a margin account under a Title Transfer Collateral Arrangement (“TTCA”). A TTCA is a legal arrangement that gives Investec ownership of the client's margin funds whilst they are in possession of the Bank. Investec can therefore utilise these funds as required for liquidity or investment purposes as is deemed necessary.
  • A client that has funds held by Investec as collateral is also exposed to the credit risk outlined above.

• Contingent Liabilities

  • Contingent Liabilities are not applicable to these products.

• Exit Costs

  • There is no cost associated with exiting a product on expiry or at the end of its recommended holding period provided a client satisfies their contractual obligations.
  • A Ratio Forward does not have explicit early exit fees that are payable above and beyond a client's mark to market and contractual obligations. Should a client wish to close a position early, there may be costs involved depending upon market conditions at the time the client wishes to exit. A client may not be able to redeem the full original value of the contract.
  • A client's ability to exit early will be dependent upon the liquidity of the market at the time, should a market be illiquid at the point of early exit then the exit costs are likely to be more significant.

• Leverage

  • A Ratio Forward is a leveraged product, the impact of this is that dependent upon market conditions at maturity the client may be obliged to transact in greater volume at a pre-defined less favourable rate.
  • A client using leverage will not have the certainty offered by an unleveraged product, as the volume transacted will not be certain until maturity.
  • Incorporating leverage creates an adverse effect on the risk reward balance.

• Interest Rate Risk

  • Clients entering into contracts such as these are taking on an indirect Interest Rate risk. Changes in interest rates will have a direct impact on FX Forward pricing, as such fluctuations in interest rates will have an impact on the market risks facing clients.