Clearing members
Back in time: a brief history of LME’s nickel meltdown
As prices went haywire, margin remained frozen and calls to suspend trading were rejected
Nickel price chaos triggered $2bn margin breach at LME
The CCP reported its largest breach ever in March, as commodities prices went wild
The customer settlement risk externality at US securities central counterparties
This paper highlights an externality in the clearing of customer securities trades, and it examines the potential benefits and costs of alternative clearing approaches.
FTX’s ‘easy-access’ clearing stokes fears over runaway risk
Crypto exchange will auto-liquidate underwater positions, which critics say could fuel a death spiral in prices
After nickel-gate, Esma may seek data from more non-EU CCPs
Supervisor concerned lack of granular data on exposures could leave it flat-footed on LME-style risk events
Eurex wants regulators to do more to kick-start EU clearing
Around half the end-user accounts opened at the CCP after Brexit remain dormant
Client margin up 43% at Mizuho’s F&O in Q1
US unit of Japanese bank overtakes Credit Suisse, Barclays, UBS and Interactive Brokers
Client margin at CS down $14.6bn since Archegos collapse
Bank’s US clearing units slashed required funds for swaps and F&O since March 2021
JP Morgan appoints new head of derivatives clearing
Richardson promoted to top job as Rustad takes leave of absence
Eurex to debut NDF clearing after mothballing physical FX
Bourse hoping to scoop up EU clients trading on 360T, eyes September non-cleared margining deadline
LME could revamp margining after nickel kerfuffle
Bourse could move to end permitted netting of IM and VM calls, says Chamberlain
Energy market split over emergency government support
German move to backstop margins with liquidity facility welcomed by energy producers – but others say it’s unnecessary
Ice Clear Europe issued $5.4bn VM call in Q4
Price volatility in energy markets behind the largest cash call on record by the CCP
Mind the gap
A default intensity model reveals the risk carried by a highly leveraged counterparty
Ice Clear Europe boosts liquidity buffer by 77%
More than half of the CCP’s loss-absorbing funds is now deposited in central bank balances
Members of CME’s F&O unit added $950m to default fund in Q4
Market volatility triggered a $3.4bn peak initial margin call on one day during the last quarter of 2021
EU banks decry threat of capital hit to UK CCP exposures
EBA says supervisors could apply charges to “excessive exposures” of euro derivatives at all non-EU clearing houses
Ice Clear Europe hit by $1.03bn margin breach
The CCP’s futures and options division reported its second largest IM breach ever in Q4, as energy prices skyrocketed
Liquidity risk up 163% at Ice Clear Credit in Q4
Rate hike expectations led to the highest level on record of contributions to the CCP’s default fund
At CME, central bank balances hit all-time high
Over 70% of the CCP’s loss-absorbing funds stashed at the Fed, as interest rate expectations drive liquidity pool expansion
SwapClear’s required initial margin up 3% at end-2021
IM held against interest rate positions rose to highest level in a year
LCH turns to central banks in rejig of liquidity pools
Central bank balances hit all-time high, despite aggregate fall in liquidity buffer in Q4
Wrong-way add-on helped LCH mop up VTB default
Margin supplement bought precious time to formulate wind-down strategy
Peak IM calls at FICC leapt 13% in Q4
Number of margin breaches at the central counterparty’s GSD also edged higher, as some members increase exposures after margin calculations