Fair Value
Definition of Fair Value
Say Mr. Apple is offered to buy shares of Mr. Orange’s company at Rs. 1000 per share. Mr. Apple evaluates the business and figures out that he can sell the same shares for Rs. 1200, even though Mr. Orange is content to sell the shares at Rs. 200 lower. Both parties agree on the deal at Rs. 1000 because both view it as a good deal.
The formula for the fair value of a stock or index is:
Fair Value = Cash * { 1 + r (X / 360)} - D
Where,
Cash = Latest stock or index value
r = interest rate on purchase
x = number of days to contract expiry
Dividend = Dividends
The definition of fair value is slightly different in the futures market. In the futures market, the fair value is reached when the supply meets the demand, which simply means that the spot price is equal to the futures contractprice.
However, due to inherent volatility of the markets, the price of a futures contract is known to fluctuate around the fair value of a stock or index. Thus, in the fair value in the context of futures is what the price of the contract should be, given the value of the stock or index, dividends, and others.
Related Terms
Firm Allotment
The complete list of firm allotments for investors by allocation is as follows.
- Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs): 30%
- Development Financial Institutions (DFIs): 20%
- Mutual Funds: 20%
- Regular Employees (permanent): 10%
- Employee of Promoting Company: 10%
- Lead Bankers: 5%
Circuit Breaker
That’s why circuit breakers are also known as trading curbs and are put in place when an index or market reaches a specific level. These are the current circuit breaker limits on NSE:
| Circuit Breaker Trigger | Trading Halt Duration |
|---|---|
| 10% | 0-45 minutes |
| 15% | 45 minutes; 1 hour 45 minutes; rest of the day |
| 20% | Rest of the day |
Zero-Coupon Bond
Cheapest To Deliver
- Short position: Current price of security + accrued interest
- Long position: Settlement price x conversion factor + accrued interest
American Option
Defensive Stock
Defensive stocks are rare because companies that have defense against every market condition are rare.
While defensive stocks may not generate high returns, they are known to add stability and defense against declining economic conditions. In India, stock of ITC Limited is an example of a defensive stock.

