RiskLatte launches new Asian volatility indexes

RiskLatte, a Hong Kong-based business consultancy, has developed a series of market volatility indexes for customers in Asia.

The company’s chief executive, Rahul Bhattacharya, said he intends to provide "the equivalent of the Chicago Board Options Exchange’s VIX in Hong Kong". VIX provides investors with market estimates of expected volatility by using real-time S&P 100 index option bid/ask quotes.

So far, RiskLatte has developed indexes including HIX for Hong Kong and TIX for Taiwan. "We decided to develop risk indexes because they’re something that’s not in Asia at all. I’ve been working on this for a few months now. I developed an algorithm which would develop the equivalent of VIX in Hong Kong," says Bhattacharya.

"Asian markets are volatile, so there’s a real need for this," he adds.

At present, HIX and TIX are being distributed free of charge over the internet. But Bhattacharya said the company is looking at alternative forms of distribution. It has contacted data providers Reuters and Bloomberg about distributing the indexes.