Risk magazine
Continued high default rate in 2010 predicted by S&P
Standard & Poor’s (S&P) expects between 55 and 75 West European companies with speculative-grade credit ratings to default in 2010, continuing an above-average default rate.
Sponsored statement: Bucking the trend
OpenLink enjoys healthy double-digit growth, despite the downturn in the economy, thanks to a diversification of clients, asset classes and geographies. Kevin Hesselbirg, OpenLink’s chief executive officer, talks about the firm’s key projects and…
Sponsored forum: Settlement risk
Unlike other asset classes, the settlement mechanisms in the foreign exchange market appear to have worked well, even when market turmoil was at its height late last year. Risk and roundtable partners CLS, Citi, Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank and HSBC…
OTC reforms built to last?
Reform of derivatives markets is gathering pace in the US ahead of a crucial debate in the House of Representatives. But questions remain over exemptions for corporate hedgers and foreign exchange swaps and forwards, meaning the final architecture of the…
Scaling the peaks on 3s/6s basis
Some banks are drawing attention to a widening in the basis between three-month and six-month Euribor, as financial institutions are forced to use longer-term funding to eliminate mismatches on their balance sheets. How are banks responding? By Duncan…
Loan loss dynamics
The International Accounting Standards Board unveiled a new expected loss approach in November, following criticisms of the current incurred loss model. But European regulators have declared their preference for dynamic provisioning – and have even…
Capital punishment?
At a landmark meeting early this month, the Basel Committee will finalise its proposals for a host of measures, including counter-cyclical capital buffers and a leverage ratio. The consultation in early 2010 will be the industry’s last chance to fight…
Risk technology rankings 2009
Financial institutions are under pressure to improve risk management processes, with a particular focus on liquidity risk, counterparty credit risk and enterprise risk management. It means many have had to turn to third-party vendors to upgrade their…
CDS tested to the limit
Auctions to settle credit default swaps on media firm Thomson in October tested both the small bang protocol and the nerves of dealers. The outcome puzzled some market participants, while others have called for the removal of restructuring as a credit…
ABS retention tension
A report by the Committee of European Banking Supervisors last month criticised aspects of a proposal to require securitisation originators to retain 5% of exposures from 2011, while practitioners maintain the move will do little to align incentives…
Index clampdown
The growth of commodity index investments has lured an increasingly diverse investor base into commodities in recent years. But with new regulations due to be announced in December, could this process be thrown into reverse? Mark Pengelly reports