Feature
Primes push synthetics as Basel III bites
Synthetic benefits
The black art of FVA: Banks spark double-counting fears
Dealers broadly agree that funding costs and benefits should be priced into uncollateralised trades, and some banks have started recognising this in their financial statements. But there is no standard practice, and there are fears of double-counting. By…
Late nights and illegality – but start of clearing in US goes well
The days either side of the first US clearing deadline saw last-minute decisions by clients and regulators, operational niggles and some illegality
Legal clouds hang over RWA-driven netting push
New capital requirements are making it more difficult for banks to trade with counterparties that are not covered by a netting opinion. That is spurring attempts to expand coverage, but can leave banks and lawyers on uncertain ground. By Lukas Becker
Sefs find liquidity comes at a cost
Banks have been reluctant to pick winners and losers from the array of new derivatives trading platforms being set up, but with Citi and Morgan Stanley taking equity stakes in two venues at the end of last year, it looks like some dealers are finally…
Europe goes its own way on CVA
Europe goes its own way on CVA
European CVA rules put Asia banks at disadvantage
Competitive disadvantage
Renminbi liberalisation reduces demand for NDFs
The NDF of the line?
Insurers increase equity exposure despite risk management challenges
Joining the equity rotation
Singapore NDF probe hits market liquidity
Suspect delivery
Bond wave boosts fixed-income ETF issuance
Bonding agents
China ETFs surge as offshore investors look to avoid QFII restrictions
Chasing the dragon
Volatility structurers turn to FX and rates as equity disappoints
The volatility merry-go-round
Perpetual sub debt from insurers appeals to investors
Perpetual dawn
Sefs: Dead on arrival?
Bloomberg is threatening to sue the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission over uneven margin rules that it fears will drive the market away from swaps and into new futures contracts. Peter Madigan reports
Futurisation debate shifts to block trading rules
Different block trading thresholds for economically equivalent swaps and futures could hand exchanges a decisive advantage in the ongoing futurisation fight. But some market participants argue the disparity is fair, as do some regulators. Joe Rennison…
NWE power market coupling struck by delays
A tough nut to crack
Alternative Ucits shaken by regulatory changes
Esma guidelines for Ucits funds and the introduction of the AIFM directive are casting doubt over the future shape of the alternative Ucits industry as demand for the products remains strong
Basel trading book review triggers fight for modelling freedom
Regulators have embarked on a wholesale review of the way trading book exposures are capitalised. The industry responded, and continues to lobby – but is it getting anywhere? Laurie Carver reports
Double trouble: UK banks face threat of twin ringfences
The post-crisis years have been punctuated by calls for big banks to be broken up. Nothing quite that dramatic is happening, but ring-fencing proposals in Europe – and a de facto fence around foreign banks in the US – are nudging the industry towards a…
Chip and win: Banks expand use of GPUs
As computational demands on banks have increased, some have turned to powerful graphics processing units, but these were initially applied at the transaction pricing level. Now, they are starting to cover portfolio valuations and other enterprise-level…
Swap regulations hold key to future of OTC algorithmic trading
The arrival of central limit order books in the interest rate swap market has opened the door to algorithmic trading – but only a little. Its future depends on how the over-the-counter market evolves. By Peter Madigan