Risk magazine
Are the CFTC, SEC and Fed equipped for their new powers?
Despite a last-minute hitch, the final text of ambitious financial regulatory reform legislation was agreed last month, which would hand supervisors sweeping new powers over financial institutions. But are regulators equipped for their new…
Riksbank's Persson: Making the European financial system safer
Regulators and politicians know what needs to be done to put the eurozone on an even keel and fix the holes exposed by the subprime crisis, says Mattias Persson, head of financial stability at the Sveriges Riksbank, Sweden’s central bank. The result will…
Data not judgement required for Nordic banks' Basel approach
Nordic banks want to use the Basel framework’s advanced approach to credit risk capital, but local regulators are insistent that data – rather than judgement – has to be the basis for the calculations. Banks don’t have enough instances of default in…
Nordic markets warm to central clearing
Regulators across the globe are intent on forcing over-the-counter derivatives through central clearing. How are supervisors in the Nordic region responding, and could the relative lack of liquidity in domestic markets hamper their efforts? By…
Profile - Federal Reserve Bank of New York's Theo Lubke
The Federal Reserve Bank of New York has been shepherding global efforts to improve the over-the-counter derivatives market since 2005 and continues to push dealers to improve in areas such as transparency and central clearing. Theo Lubke, senior vice…
CDS lessons from the emerging markets
Eurozone politicians are pushing for a ban on naked sovereign credit default swaps (CDSs) – but the eurozone CDS market is relatively young. In emerging markets, where it has a longer history, CDSs are sometimes the hero, sometimes the villain – and…
Questioning collateral
European financial markets have been turned upside down by the sovereign debt crisis, with eurozone government bonds no longer regarded as completely risk-free. As a result, dealers are more wary of the correlation inherent in collateral denominated in…
EU regulators ready to act in concert?
The European Union is close to reaching agreement on a new supervisory framework, designed to reduce the room for national discretion. But Germany’s recent short-selling ban shows domestic supervisors are not afraid to go their own way to protect…
Surviving skew
Skew skyrocketed in May, breaking through levels last reached in 2008 after the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers, while volatility and correlation also spiked. The dislocations are rumoured to have caused losses for some exotic equity books. How did dealers…
Energy companies face up to clearing requirements
Elimination of a catch-all clearing exemption in US financial reform legislation looks like bad news for big energy companies – the industry warns mandatory derivatives clearing will do untold harm. Peter Madigan reports
Dodd-Frank raises stakes in CFTC's push for energy position limits
With the Commodity Futures Trading Commission poised to implement position limits in energy markets, how will a dramatic expansion of the regulator’s power affect those plans? By John Ferry
Northern exposures
Nordea tops this year's Nordic Risk derivatives rankings
The dangers of a more liquid gold market
With other safe haven assets looking increasingly risky, investors are turning to gold in unprecedented numbers – but a more liquid market may turn out to have pitfalls in the long term. By Alexander Campbell
Sparring over global valuation
Dealers have typically used a variety of pricing models that are specific to certain asset classes and instruments. But is it possible for banks to build global models that can be used to price instruments across asset classes? Matt Cameron reports
Pick and choose from social media tools: BIS’s Laurmaa
Bank for International Settlements’ head of web publishing Timo Laurmaa says Twitter more beneficial to profit-making companies; short releases help when reaching out to wider-than-usual audience
Dodd-Frank: forex swap clearing exemption at Treasury secretary’s discretion
Blanket forex exemption dropped from final bill; Treasury to determine issue
Liquidity risk management sponsored forum: Experience shared is a lesson learned
The financial crisis showed that not nearly enough attention had been paid to liquidity risk management by either banks or supervisors. Extensive regulation has been proposed in response, but what will this mean for the financial sector? A group of…
FSA pans auditors and seeks more regulatory power
Auditors were too willing to follow management's line before the crisis, FSA charges
Finger-pointing masks officials’ failures, says Sarb’s Marcus
South African Reserve Bank governor Gill Marcus says knee-jerk reforms ignore failure of policymakers to raise standards before crisis; sober, measured approach to reform only credible way forward
IASB positive about progress on new loan loss standard as consultation ends
The findings of a group of credit risk experts should help IASB staff find a way to make its proposals operational, board member John Smith tells Risk
Hawkish BIS warns on dangers of ultra-low rates
Bank for International Settlements says degree of slack likely to be smaller than suggested by output gap models
US regulatory changes weigh on consumer ABS
Analysts declare Talf a success but say consumer ABS growth could be hampered by regulatory and accounting uncertainty