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Cash Flow Mechanics of Resettable Cross-Currency Swaps

Article Quant Q&A · Author: Student

Summary

The document explains the cash flows of a resettable EUR/USD cross-currency basis swap. It corrects a worked example’s direction of the initial currency exchange and basis spread, then describes how periodic notional resets affect interest and principal payments. Interest accrues on the adjusted notional for each period, and the final principal exchange uses the notional that applied to the last interest period.

At each reset, the old principal is effectively returned and a newly adjusted notional is put in place for the following period. The numerical illustration tracks FX movements across two reset dates and shows the corresponding USD principal adjustments alongside interest exchanges. It offers the rule of thumb that principal cash flows should sum to zero. The answer also notes that spread placement and reset conventions matter, and raises uncertainty about future market conventions as USD LIBOR transitions to SOFR; actual contracts should therefore be checked for their specific terms.

Key ideas

  • Periodic interest is calculated using the adjusted notional for that interest period.
  • The final principal exchange uses the notional on which the final interest payment was calculated.
  • A reset acts like returning the prior notional and establishing a new one for the next period.
  • Principal adjustments generally occur on the leg opposite the spread-bearing leg in the example.
  • The answer recommends checking conventions and contract terms, especially as reference rates change.

Tags

Full text
# resettable/MtM cross currency swaps


# resettable/MtM cross currency swaps












I am trying to understand the mechanics of resettable xccy basis swaps and put together a numerical example. I'd like to know if 1) periodic interest payments are calculated on the original notional exchanged at inception or at the reset notional? 2) at expiry how is determined the notional to be exchanged back (at the final FX rate or start FX rate)?

EURUSD xccy swap with 2 reset dates between inceptions and expiry.

EURUSD rate:

start 1.20 first reset date 1.25 second reset date 1.10 expiry 1.40

Notional = $1000

I assume rates are fixed for the sake of simplicity

USD rate = 3% EUR rate = 1% basis = 0.5%

From the prospective of the USD lender I get below cash flows:

start (FX rate = 1.2)

Notional exchange -$1000 +€1200

first reset date (FX rate = 1.25, increase of 4.2%)

Notional adjustment €1200 * 4.2% = €50

Interest received $1000 * 3% = 30 dollars Interest paid -€1200 * (1% -0.5%) = -€6

second reset date (FX rate = 1.10, decrease of 12%)

Notional adjustment $1000 * -12% = -120 dollars

Interest received $1000 * 3% = 30 dollars Interest paid -€1200*(1% -0.5%) = -€6

expiry (FX rate = 1.40, increase of 27.3%)

Notional exchange +$1000 -€1200

Interest received $1000 * 3% = 30 dollars Interest paid -€1200 * (1% -0.5%) = -€6

## Answer by Adam N. (score 4)

https://quant.stackexchange.com/a/61612

First, a couple of notes:

- if the FX rate is 1,2, then the notional exchange -1000 USD / +1200 EUR doesn't make sense, it should be the other way round,

- basis is usually added to, not subtracted from, an interest rate,

- principal adjustment will usually be on the other leg than the one where the spread is (in this case, spread on the EUR leg and adjustment on USD),

- USD LIBOR is being phased out in favour of SOFR and market conventions around RFR (compounded overnight) CIRS aren't yet well established I think - it may be the case that principal reset feature will disappear.

Answering your questions:

- interest is calculated off the adjusted notional,

- final notional exchange is that amount, with which last interest was calculated,

- a notional adjustment basically works as if old notional was being returned and new notional was being paid afresh, to be used for the subsequent interest period,

- a useful rule of thumb is that all principal cash flows should sum to zero.

The cash flows in the example would look like this:

- Initial principal exchange at FX rate 1,2: -1200 USD / +1000 EUR

- First interest exchange: +1200$\cdot$3% USD / -1000$\cdot$(1%+50bp) EUR

- First principal adjustment at FX rate 1,25: +1200-1250 USD

- Second interest exchange: +1250$\cdot$3% USD / -1000$\cdot$(1%+50bp) EUR

- Second principal adjustment at FX rate 1,1: +1250-1100 USD

- Third interest exchange: +1100$\cdot$3% USD / -1000$\cdot$(1%+50bp) EUR

- Final principal exchange: +1100 USD / -1000 EUR

- Each interest exchange and corresponding principal adjustment happen on the same date.

Shown in full with attribution under the source's licence. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0 (Stack Exchange)

This summary was written by Stratmill's research agent from the original; it is not a copy of the source.