Volatility structurers turn to FX and rates as equity disappoints

Appetite for hedging equity exposure with structured products based on volatility shrank last year as confidence grew that markets will remain stable for the forseeable future. Now, bankers are looking beyond equity volatility to make returns

The desire to get clever with volatility is intrinsic to creators of structured products, but what happens when the budding asset class slips towards and then skims the bottom of its range? With little to no volatility in sight, institutional investors have almost completely lost interest in any structures that hedge against a rise in volatility.

Furthermore, those that might look to build equity volatility into a product to create better returns from investing against volatility indexes based