Goldman Sachs 2015 Annual Report Download - page 151

THE GOLDMAN SACHS GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
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, as described below.
‰Interest Rate. In general, the key inputs used to value
interest rate derivatives are transparent, even for most
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 key 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.
Goldman Sachs 2015 Form 10-K 139