index arbitrage

Index Arbitrage

An investment strategy that attempts to profit from the differences between actual and theoretical futures prices of the same stock index. This is done by simultaneously buying (or selling) a stock index future while selling (or buying) the stocks in that index.

Notes:

This is done with program trading. Using software that monitors both a stock index and futures contracts on the index, traders can be notified when there is a larger than normal gap.

See also: Arbitrage, Futures, Index, Program Trading

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Index arbitrage

An investment trading strategy that exploits divergences between actual and theoretical futures prices. An example is the simultaneous buying (selling) of stock index futures (i.e., S&P 500) while selling (buying) the underlying stocks of that index, capturing as profit the temporarily inflated basis between these two baskets. Often, the point at which profitability exists is expressed at the block call as the number of points the future must be over or under the underlying basket for an arbitrage opportunity to exist. See: Program trading.

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index arbitrage

An investment strategy that takes advantage of the price discrepancies between an asset or group of assets and an index futures contract on the asset. For example, a money manager might attempt to earn a profit for shareholders by selling an overpriced stock index futures index and buying the underlying stock. See also stock-index arbitrage.