Central banks
Widening the spectrum
Credit risk
Brick by brick
Mortgage risk
Counting on coal
NRG Energy's move to buy Texas Genco seems a wise one for a company with strong dark-spread exposure, but it has its risks, despite the target company being backed by an active hedging programme. Joe Marsh reports
RiskNews
RiskNews
End of an era for the world
Risk analysis
Building a capital plan
Banks are required under Basel II to have a process in place for assessing their overall capital adequacy in relation to their risk profile. Bernard Manson and Christopher Hall outline how to construct a capital plan to ensure minimum capital…
Trouble in paradise
Healthy balance sheets, swollen liquidity reserves and positive cashflows should be the words every bondholder wants to hear, but they could spell bad news for credit investors in the US as companies prepare to reward equityholders
Under Scrutiny - Regulators focus on credit
Well-publicised risk issues and a recent growth spurt have brought credit markets firmly under the scrutiny of global regulators. Nikki Marmery investigates whether the attention will prove to be a boon for attracting more investment - or a barrier to…
ECB warns of hedge fund risk to European banks
The European Central Bank (ECB) has warned that European banks could be vulnerable to credit market volatility through their growing exposure to hedge funds.
Belgium punches above its weight
Market view
The evolution of Freddie Mac
Mortgages
Raising the standard
Growth in energy trading has led to a need for better standardisation of contracts and integration of exchanges and trading hubs. But more needs to be done to simplify and streamline the trading process, says Wolfgang Ferse
Finance and faith
Islamic shari’a law may prohibit interest, but far from discouraging investment, shari’a-compliant structured project finance looks set to grow – particularly in the energy arena, as Maria Kielmas reports
The credit congress USA
The annual Credit Congress hosted by Credit magazine in New York on September 19-20 took the theme 'Innovations in CDO Structuring and Trading'. Below is a selection of the Congress highlights. Reports by the Credit team
Dan Gardner
Q&A
East meets West - Asia's hunger for Latin American perpetual bonds
Emerging markets
Inside Close Brothers
Profile
Under Scrutiny - Regulators focus on credit
Regulation
Trouble in paradise
Bondholder Rights
Talking point - The price of oil and its effect on credit
The devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina has pushed oil prices to highs of nearly $70/bbl. Credit asks market participants what impact this spike in prices has had on the credit market
Asia comes of age
Regional focus