Initial margin
SwapClear incurs record number of margin breaches
LCH’s interest rate derivatives clearing service reported over 4,000 backtesting exceptions in Q1
BoE: regulators could push CCPs to publish margin shocks
Russia-Ukraine war has forced a tenfold margin funding burden, says BNP; Ice says smaller hedgers face disenfranchisement
Procyclicality of central counterparty margin models: systemic problems need systemic approaches
In this paper the author argues that the focus on initial margin models is misplaced, and the reasons for this are illustrated by empirically testing the performance of standard initial margin models during the March 2020 events.
Clearing industry braces for volatility ‘super-cycle’
Green transition may fuel higher cash demands and more risk events, FCMs warn
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
SA-CCR could spur move to FX futures
Impact of new capital rules on swaps pricing could see shift to the exchange-traded product, say panellists
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
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
Duck! Buy-side plan to dodge IM rules could backfire
Three-quarters of phase six firms do not expect to exchange margin for at least six months
JP Morgan appoints new head of derivatives clearing
Richardson promoted to top job as Rustad takes leave of absence
Ukraine crisis ‘made VM three times IM’ on CME commodities
Isda AGM: Margins spiked in April following rises in oil, gas and wheat prices triggered by Russia’s Ukraine invasion
CME chief’s arguments at FTX hearing raise eyebrows
Terry Duffy’s criticism of exchange’s direct clearing proposal revives debate over ‘skin in the game’
Netting law to push slew of Chinese clients into IM regime
Isda AGM: HSBC legal exec says internal approval process for netting opinion could buy more time to prepare
Rebuilding the broken futures commission merchant paradigm
The futures commission merchant (FCM) model is broken. The $5.5 billion industry is in dire straits. Once considered a low-risk activity supported by initial margin and daily mark-to-market calls, clearing today is a capital-intensive and ‘returns…
UMR phases five and six: grappling with outstanding challenges
At Asia Risk Live, held in Singapore in March, and in partnership with S&P Global Market Intelligence, three market experts discussed the outstanding challenges associated with implementing and adhering to uncleared margin rules (UMR) phases five and six
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
Initial margin – Special report 2022
This Risk.net special report comprises a series of articles that explore the latest developments and key issues emerging in phases five and six, and charts the changing strategies for firms in meeting their initial margin (IM) responsibilities
Initial margin: the final act
Practice makes perfect, the saying goes. When it comes to the final wave of implementation for uncleared margin rules, however, this may not hold true
Lessons from UMR phase five
Sponsored Q&A