Credit markets
CMA to use Creditex data
Credit Market Analysis (CMA) is to use Creditex's credit default swaps (CDS) pricing data within its credit analytics.
European credit spreads remain tight
Spreads in the credit derivatives market continued to stay tight in Europe this week, based on expectations of a swift war in Iraq. London-based traders said overall liquidity has remained very thin since the official start of the conflict on Wednesday.
Japan’s SMBC to launch ¥1 trillion balance sheet synthetic CLO
Japan’s Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) is preparing to launch its second balance sheet synthetic collateralised loan obligation on March 24, ahead of the fiscal year end, with a ¥1 trillion ($8.35 billion) transaction.
Japanese credit spreads resilient to war on Iraq
Credit protection on Japanese names remained tight today despite the outset of war on Iraq, with volumes traded in the market on the whole fairly subdued.
Confidence of a speedy war in Iraq sparks rise in protection selling
Growing confidence that the US could achieve a swift victory in the pending war in Iraq promoted an increase in sellers active in the credit default swap (CDS) market. Traders said spreads were now contracting in line with the equity market rally.
Japanese banks' spreads widen following Nikkei tumble
Credit protection on the debt of Japan’s major banks widened this week as the Nikkei stock index hit a new 20-year low. Investors were concerned that the Nikkei 225 index's fall below the psychologically important 8,000 level - it plunged to 7,862.43 on…
South Korean CDS spreads tighten after earlier panic protection buying
The cost of protection on South Korean sovereign US dollar credit dropped from this week’s higher levels as market sentiment improved, but dealers said that the market is still nervous and there could be more volatility in the credit default swaps market.
Equity rally prompts tightening of financial spreads
The upswing in equity prices in the second half of the week has prompted a contraction in credit default swap spreads for European banks and insurance companies. But German names, including HVB, were still trading at wider levels for subordinate…
HVB closes $1 billion CDO
Germany’s Bayerische Hypo- und Vereinsbank (HVB) has closed a $1 billion hybrid collateralised debt obligation, according to an official at the German banking group. The transaction was structured by HVB in Singapore, and HVB Asset Management Asia is the…
Advancing op risk management using Japanese banking experience
Junji Hiwatashi and Hiroshi Ashida of the Bank of Japan outline a practical framework for operational risk management, derived from research and experiences in Japan's financial community.
UBS Warburg taps CDO structurers from JP Morgan Chase
UBS Warburg has recruited two senior collateralised debt obligation (CDO) structurers, Jeff Herlyn and Mike Rosenburg, from JP Morgan Chase.
European telco news hits default swap market
European telecoms are back in the headlines this week, causing a surge of buying and selling activity in the market for default protection on active names. Rumours of a possible merger between Olivetti and Telecom Italia have intensified over the week…
Isda muddies debt waters
The International Swaps and Derivatives Association (Isda) has finally released its 2003 credit derivatives definitions, which take effect on March 17.
Risk ’s quant of the year backs Buffett
Peter Carr, recipient of Risk 's 2003 quant of the year award, said that in a [hypothetical] argument between quants convinced of the infallibility of their models and derivatives sceptics such as Warren Buffett, he would probably side with Buffett.
Poor auto sales and Fiat downgrade drives some spreads wider
The downgrade of debt issued by troubled Italian auto manufacturer Fiat to junk status sent the cost of its credit protection wider by about 125 basis points to 875/975bp. And poor US February auto sales released mid-week also prompted the widening on…
Greenspan defends role of derivatives
In a speech today, Alan Greenspan, chairman of the US Federal Reserve, defended the use of derivatives as hedging tools, especially credit derivatives. His comments come in the wake of Warren Buffett’s criticism of derivatives as potential “time bombs”.
Japanese credit default swaps market turns defensive
Japan’s credit default swaps market continued to ignore the threat of war in Iraq, diplomatic tensions with North Korea and weak stock markets, but the mood in Tokyo was nevertheless bearish, and market participants were more keen to buy protection than…
SPV Ruling: Counting the cost
The recent crop of high-profile accountancy scandals has forced the US accounting regulator to clamp down on the 'creative' use of special purpose vehicles to shift liabilities off balance sheet. Saskia Scholtes investigates the ramifications for firms…
US-based Basel opponents cry "foul" on commercial real estate
Small and medium-sized US banks will be hit hard by the treatment of commercial real estate under the proposed revisions to the Basel Accord, according to Sarah Moore, chief operating officer of the Colonial Bank Group, a regional US bank, at…
Credit derivatives employees reap the highest salaries
Staff employed in the credit derivatives divisions at banks on average receive the highest salaries of all staff, with an Asian-based managing director in synthetic structuring at a bulge-bracket firm earning an average basic plus bonus of £1.35 million…
New models for ailing pensions
Pension funds
Basel’s CDO solution
As the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision continues its stately progress towards a revised capital Accord, one area remains under debate: the proposed capital rules for asset securitisations. As some readers will recall, it was securitisations that…
The outsiders
Outsourcing