Goldman Sachs 2013 Annual Report Download - page 138

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Valuation Techniques for Derivatives
The firm’s level 2 and level 3 derivatives are valued using
derivative pricing models (e.g., discounted cash flow
models, correlation models, and models that incorporate
option pricing methodologies, such as Monte Carlo
simulations). Price transparency of derivatives can generally
be characterized by product type.
Interest Rate. In general, the prices and other inputs used
to value interest rate derivatives are transparent, even for
long-dated contracts. Interest rate swaps and options
denominated in the currencies of leading industrialized
nations are characterized by high trading volumes and tight
bid/offer spreads. Interest rate derivatives that reference
indices, such as an inflation index, or the shape of the yield
curve (e.g., 10-year swap rate vs. 2-year swap rate) are
more complex, but the prices and other inputs are
generally observable.
Credit. Price transparency for credit default swaps,
including both single names and baskets of credits, varies
by market and underlying reference entity or obligation.
Credit default swaps that reference indices, large corporates
and major sovereigns generally exhibit the most price
transparency. For credit default swaps with other
underliers, price transparency varies based on credit rating,
the cost of borrowing the underlying reference obligations,
and the availability of the underlying reference obligations
for delivery upon the default of the issuer. Credit default
swaps that reference loans, asset-backed securities and
emerging market debt instruments tend to have less price
transparency than those that reference corporate bonds. In
addition, more complex credit derivatives, such as those
sensitive to the correlation between two or more underlying
reference obligations, generally have less
price transparency.
Currency. Prices for currency derivatives based on the
exchange rates of leading industrialized nations, including
those with longer tenors, are generally transparent. The
primary difference between the price transparency of
developed and emerging market currency derivatives is that
emerging markets tend to be observable for contracts with
shorter tenors.
Commodity. Commodity derivatives include transactions
referenced to energy (e.g., oil and natural gas), metals (e.g.,
precious and base) and soft commodities (e.g., agricultural).
Price transparency varies based on the underlying
commodity, delivery location, tenor and product quality
(e.g., diesel fuel compared to unleaded gasoline). In general,
price transparency for commodity derivatives is greater for
contracts with shorter tenors and contracts that are more
closely aligned with major and/or benchmark
commodity indices.
Equity. Price transparency for equity derivatives varies by
market and underlier. Options on indices and the common
stock of corporates included in major equity indices exhibit
the most price transparency. Equity derivatives generally
have observable market prices, except for contracts with
long tenors or reference prices that differ significantly from
current market prices. More complex equity derivatives,
such as those sensitive to the correlation between two or
more individual stocks, generally have less
price transparency.
Liquidity is essential to observability of all product types. If
transaction volumes decline, previously transparent prices
and other inputs may become unobservable. Conversely,
even highly structured products may at times have trading
volumes large enough to provide observability of prices and
other inputs. See Note 5 for an overview of the firm’s fair
value measurement policies.
Level 1 Derivatives
Level 1 derivatives include short-term contracts for future
delivery of securities when the underlying security is a
level 1 instrument, and exchange-traded derivatives if they
are actively traded and are valued at their quoted
market price.
Level 2 Derivatives
Level 2 derivatives include OTC derivatives for which all
significant valuation inputs are corroborated by market
evidence and exchange-traded derivatives that are not
actively traded and/or that are valued using models that
calibrate to market-clearing levels of OTC derivatives. In
evaluating the significance of a valuation input, the firm
considers, among other factors, a portfolio’s net risk
exposure to that input.
136 Goldman Sachs 2013 Annual Report