Volatility, correlation and skew too

Skew skyrocketed while volatility and correlation spiked in May, reviving memories of the carnage inflicted in the months that followed the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers in 2008. The dislocations are rumoured to have caused losses for some exotic equity books. How did dealers respond? Matt Cameron reports

Volatility and skew sent dealers on a rollercoaster ride

Painful memories of the 2008 market dislocations were evoked in May, as banks were presented with a remarkably similar set of violent upsets in volatility, skew, dividends and correlation.

In the second half of 2008 and early 2009, a spike in volatility and correlation, combined with a collapse in dividend expectations, was disastrous for virtually all dealers. Turmoil was particularly acute in the months following the Lehman Brothers collapse in September 2008, with some equity derivatives