The European Market Brief 7: Exploring the Mysterious World of Futures

In this episode, the discussion centers around the basics of futures trading, including contract sizes, expiration, and margin requirements. Guests Russell Rhoads (Kelley School of Business, Indiana University), Rich Excel (Gies College of Business, University of Illinois) and Sascha Semroch (Eurex) join the talk, providing insights into how futures compare to stocks, the concept of contango and backwardation, and the nuances of trading VIX versus VSTOXX. The episode also addresses listener questions, covering topics such as the FX market in Europe, potential volatility catalysts in the EU, and strategies for trading VSTOXX.    01:22 Welcome to the European Market Brief 03:38 Meet the Experts: Russell Rhoads, Rich Excel & Sascha Semroch 06:13 Continental Conversations: Diving into Futures 06:54 Futures 101: Basics and Nuances 18:10 Understanding Futures Pricing and Expiration 21:30 Margin Rates and Capital Efficiency in Futures 26:32 Options on Futures: A Deeper Dive 28:38 Analyzing Volatility Futures in US and Europe 29:09 The Evolution of VSTOXX as a Standalone Product 30:31 Systematic Approaches to Trading VIX and VSTOXX 32:04 Pricing Nuances in VSTOXX and VIX Futures 34:46 Comparing Futures and Traditional Asset Classes 37:59 Final Thoughts on Futures Trading 43:50 Listener Questions: FX Market and VSTOXX vs VIX