Isda signs 700 to novation protocol

Pickel tells of desire to cut across markets and offer a common approach to novation

Over 700 firms have signed up to the International Swaps and Derivatives Association's novation protocol, designed to facilitate the transfer of an existing trade to a third party in privately-negotiated derivatives transactions.

Under the existing terms of the Isda Master Agreement, the prior written consent of the remaining party is required when its counterparty in a trade wishes to 'novate' or assign its position in a trade to a third party. Take, for example, a credit derivative transaction