French election risk to euro, according to FX options
July 2 (Reuters) -When the French election was first called on June 9, there was a significant increase in FX option premium to reflect the volatility and directional risk to the euro, and these premiums remain a reliable bellwether.
Volatility is an unknown yet key component of an FX option premium, so dealers use implied volatility as a stand-in. Implied volatility changes can therefore show the perceived volatility and directional risk for any currency pair.
Euro-related FX options implied volatility was marked significantly higher in the days after the French election announcement as dealers covered the risk of increased FX realised volatility in its wake. Benchmark 1-month expiry EUR/USD implied volatility reached 8.0 from 5.5 prior, but has since returned to 5.9.
Risk reversal options charge an implied volatility premium for strikes in what is perceived to be the most vulnerable direction, so no surprise to see EUR puts trade new long term highs over EUR calls - the right to sell EUR versus buy it. Benchmark 1-month expiry 25 delta risk reversals in EUR/USD saw that EUR put over call implied volatility premium reach 1.5 from 0.15 - a significant jump and its highest downside strike premium since October 2022. It has since retreated to 0.7.
There's been similar price action in other euro-related FX options, with the setbacks since the first round election results reflecting the lower risk of a far right, or far left majority.
For more click on FXBUZ
1-month expiry FXO implied volatility https://tmsnrt.rs/4eKf5Am
EUR/USD 1-month and 1-year expiry FXO risk reversals https://tmsnrt.rs/3L8tQPO
(Richard Pace is a Reuters market analyst. The views expressed are his own)
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