Embedded Options Impact On Interest Rate Risk And Capital Adequacy

Abstract

In this article we consider cases in which a bank finances some option-embedded assets with option embedded liabilities and with equity. We show that risk-based capital guidelines that do not account for these interest sensitive options can be very misleading with regard to the actual interest rate exposure. In extreme cases, any change in interest rates can result in a deterioration in the value of such unhedged positions even though there may be no risk-exposure as measured by traditional means.