OTC markets stagnated in 2010, BIS says

Notional volumes in the over-the-counter (OTC) derivatives markets grew 3.2% in the second half of 2010, according to figures released by the Bank for International Settlements today. The lacklustre growth follows a semester in which notional values fell 3.6% – overall, the derivatives market shrank slightly over the course of 2010, going from $603.9 trillion at the start of the year to $582.7 trillion at the end of June, and then recovering slightly to $601.1 trillion at the end of the year. It