Interest Rate Derivatives
What are Interest Rate Derivatives?
An interest rate derivative is an instrument where the underlying asset is the right to pay or receive an (usually notional) amount of money at a given interest rate. In other words, interest rate derivatives are financial instruments based on an underlying financial security whose value is affected by interest rate changes. These products are used by a variety of participants in order to hedge their exposures against adverse interest rate movements. Such instruments are also used for speculation purposes, which broadly serve as an indicator for interest rate expectations. In India, the interest rate derivatives segment is at a growing stage. As of now, the interest rate derivatives permitted by regulatory guidelines in India include Interest Rate Swaps, Interest Rate Futures and Interest Rate Options.
What are the commonly traded Interest Rate Derivative Instruments?