The method may further comprise the step of assigning symbols to the FRO that comply with the symbol conventions of standard exchange-traded options. The method may further comprise the step of processing transactions involving the FRO using existing trading, clearance, margin, and settlement systems based on the symbols assigned to the FRO. The method may further comprise the step of calculating the closing settlement value of a security underlying the FRO using a volume weighted average price (VWAP) of the security. In one embodiment, the VWAP of the security may be calculated over a pre-determined amount of time on the last regular trading day prior to expiration of the FRO. The method may further comprise the step of assigning a multiplier code for the FRO which provides information about the FRO for the systems used on the exchange to clear and settle standardized, non-binary options.Another embodiment of the invention is a system for trading a FRO, comprising an electronic order delivery and execution system in an exchange-trading environment, wherein the same electronic order delivery and execution system used to execute transactions in and deliver the FRO is used to execute transactions in and deliver standard, non-binary options. The system may further include a means for assigning symbols to the FRO that comply with the symbol conventions of standard exchange-traded options. The system may further include a means for processing transactions involving the FRO using existing trading, clearance, margin, and settlement systems based on the symbols assigned to the FRO. The system may further include means for calculating the closing settlement value of a security underlying the FRO using a VWAP of the security. In one embodiment, the FRO may be traded through an on-floor auction in the trading crowd. The system may further include means for assigning symbols to the FRO that comply with the symbol conventions of standard exchange-traded options. The system may further include means for calculating the closing settlement value of a security underlying the FRO using a VWAP of the security. In one embodiment, a multiplier code for the FRO provides information about the fixed return option for the systems used on the exchange to clear and settle standardized, non-binary options.Another embodiment of the invention is a computer program product for listing FROs on an exchange, comprising instructions for assigning symbols to the FRO that comply with the symbol conventions of standard exchange-traded options. In one embodiment, the symbols provide sufficient information for existing trading, clearance, margin, and settlement systems to process transactions involving the FRO based on the symbols assigned by the computer program product to the FRO. In one embodiment, a second computer program product computes a closing settlement value of a security underlying the FRO using a VWAP of the security. The second computer program product may include means for inputting data from an exchange or exchanges comprising the number of shares of the underlying security and the price of the underlying security for a predetermined amount of time before market close. The computer program product may comprise an instruction for assigning a multiplier code for the FRO that provides information about the FRO for the systems used on the exchange to clear and settle standardized, non-binary options.For simplicity and illustrative purposes, the principles of the present invention are described by referring mainly to the embodiment as intended to be employed by the Amex. However, one of ordinary skill in the art would readily recognize that the embodiments of the invention are equally applicable to, and can be implemented in, many types of organized exchange processing systems, and that any such variations do not depart from the true spirit and scope of the present invention. Moreover, while in the following detailed description, references are made to the accompanying figures, which illustrate specific embodiments, changes may be made to the embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense and the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.An embodiment of the invention generally relates to the trading of a FRO financial product, i.e., a type of derivative security commonly known as a binary option, in a standardized format on an organized exchange. In one embodiment, the performance or payoff of the FRO financial product is based on the predicted performance of an underlying security over a predetermined amount of time. In various embodiments, the underlying security may be stock, security indexes, exchange-traded funds, bonds, commodities, or other types of financial instruments, assets or any other item of economic significance. FROs are unique compared to existing standardized options trading on national securities exchanges due to their non-linear, fixed amount payout structure. No existing standardized option currently trading on organized exchanges has such structure.
