Derivatives and Quantitative Strategist

Gaudenz Schneider

Financial Economist with over 20 years of investment experience across all asset classes. He has worked as a sell-side derivatives researcher and trader on one of London’s largest trading floors, and as a structurer and portfolio manager for the buy-side in Switzerland. As head of Quantitative Strategy at an Asian WealthTech company, Gaudi and his team designed over 50 distinct investment strategies for institutional clients in Australasia.

Gaudi’s analysis follows a scientific approach based on empirical research and quantitative evidence.

KOSPI 200 (KOSPI2 Index) Hits 99th Percentile Implied Volatility Amid US Tariff Impact

Chart of the Day: Implied Volatility Soars Globally, US and Bitcoin Hit Hardest

Nikkei 225 Bounce: Setting Up for Tactical Shorts

Nikkei Volatility Update (Mar 21st – Mar 28th)

Ohayo Japan | Trump Announces 24% Tariffs on Japan

Equity Derivatives

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<li>
Market Reaction: The announcement of US reciprocal tariffs led to significantly lower market open throughout Asia-Pacific. In the US, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/s-p-500-index" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22886:1" rel="noopener">S&amp;P 500</a> futures dropped -3.5%, with the VIX spiking to 23.45.</li>
<li>
Impact on Japan: Japan faces a 24% tariff, with specific sectors like automobiles hit with 25%. This led to a 4.5% drop in the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nikkei-225" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22909:1" rel="noopener">Nikkei 225</a>, stabilizing at 34,600 (-3.2%).</li>
<li>
Volatility Increase: The Nikkei 225 VIX index jumped from previous levels in the low 20's to rise above 38 before retreating to 32.8, indicating the 99th percentile of implied volatility.</li>
</ul>



Market Reaction: The announcement of US reciprocal tariffs led to significantly lower market open throughout Asia-Pacific. In the US, S&amp;P 500 futures dropped -3.5%, with the VIX spiking to 23.45.

Impact on Japan: Japan faces a 24% tariff, with specific sectors like automobiles hit with 25%. This led to a 4.5% drop in the Nikkei 225, stabilizing at 34,600 (-3.2%).

Volatility Increase: The Nikkei 225 VIX index jumped from previous levels in the low 20's to rise above 38 before retreating to 32.8, indicating the 99th percentile of implied volatility.


Mitsubishi UFJ Financial (MUFG) (8306 JP)

Nikkei 225 (NKY INDEX) Drops Amid US Tariffs: Implied Volatility Hits Extreme Levels