Derivatives
Jeff Sprecher & Sunil Hirani
The chairman and CEO of derivatives exchange ICE and the CEO of derivatives processing firm Creditex talk about the companies' recent merger, and how the CDS markets will cope with a unique set of challenges ahead
Called to account
Dealers have criticised fair value accounting on illiquid assets as exacerbating the subprime crisis. A growing number of banks and industry bodies have called for a suspension of mark-to-market accounting for illiquid instruments. Are the accounting…
What's it all worth?
When financial markets grind to a halt and liquidity dries up, assessing the value of securities is a notoriously difficult process. Andrew Krull, MD of BlackRock Solutions, talks about how the firm goes about determining fair valuation and appraising…
The ABX index: A pricing conundrum
The liquidity crisis in the ABS market has led to investors using the ABX index as a valuation tool for individual securities - something the index was never designed for. Ben Logan explains the ramifications of this valuation practice
The squeeze is on - The clampdown on CDO ratings
The rating agencies have faced a barrage of criticism over their role in last year's subprime meltdown. This year they have been focusing on ensuring that a repeat of the ABS problems do not occur in other segments of the structured credit market. But…
Hybrids - The alchemists
Much like the early scientists of the Middle Ages who tried to turn base metal into gold, today's financial engineers are wrestling with the task of changing relatively worthless structured credit products into commercially viable and marketable assets…
Q&A: Samir Pandiri
Evaluating structured credit deals in the current environment is a challenge. The head of international corporate trust at Bank of New York Mellon talks diversity, independence and standardisation
After the storm
The structured credit market has been battered by recent events, with investors retreating to the high ground. But now that signs of calm are returning, what kinds of structures can investors look forward to? Hardeep Dhillon reports
Drying up down under
Liquidity in Australia's nascent structured credit market has suffered as a result of the subprime squeeze, leading to an inevitable bout of finger-pointing. Marion Williams reports
Herd mentality
The unbridled success of the credit derivatives market over the past few years - until last summer, that is - had led large numbers of investors to adopt similar positions in the sector. Such risk concentration was always likely to cause problems if the…
Bailout time for SIVs
Investors are watching eagerly as banks unveil plans to restructure their ailing SIVs. Hardeep Dhillon looks at the various schemes and how they affect the proposed M-LEC 'super-SIV'
Hedge funds: The bargain hunters
There are rich pickings to be had amongst the ruins of the summer's ravaged credit markets: hedge funds that survived the crisis are now putting together funds to invest in the wide availability of cheap securities. Nikki Marmery meets the executives at…
Q&A - Rohan Douglas
The founder and CEO of Quantifi, the structured credit modelling and risk analysis firm, talks about the effects of the summer's volatility on the structured finance market, in particular how existing models have fared against the turmoil
All fall down - What's the next move for structured credit?
Banks are still counting the cost of the summer's credit crisis yet thoughts are already turning to what shape the structured credit market may take after the recent catastrophe. Are we looking at a new market paradigm or will things be the same as…
Chinese bank picks credit limits provider
Chinese bank monitors exposures as it prepares to build out in derivatives
The CDO manager hit parade
With nearly 300 CDO managers plying their trade in today's global markets, investors are hard-pressed to decide who's top of the pops and who's a one-hit wonder. Rachel Wolcott speaks to influential investors to find out which managers they really rate
Future options
Operational risk derivatives have been touted for a few years now, but interest in them moves in waves. The current tide is high, however. Duncan Wood tests the water
BIS publishes OTC derivatives market report
BIS: CDS growth still strong
Has Asia got the appetite for local currency CDS?
The development of a robust local currency credit default swap market in Asia has come a step closer following the first public won-denominated CDS trade in Korea late last year. Alice Hales looks at whether the ingredients are there for such a market to…
The race to launch credit futures
Eurex, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange and the Chicago Board Options Exchange are locked in a struggle for market share of the new credit futures market. But are investors really sold on the new instruments? Matthew Attwood finds out
Subprime: the burning issue for CDO investors
As the outlook for the US mortgages sector goes from bad to worse, which CDOs, investors, and dealers will be left holding a hot potato? Matthew Attwood finds out
Legal eagles
Clifford Chance has been ranked number one in the first annual OpRisk & Compliance survey of law firms engaged in risk and compliance activities for financial services firms. But as the results attest, risk and compliance is a hot area for global law…
Gearing up for ever higher leverage
Rising leverage in the global system coupled with fears for the accuracy of credit risk pricing dominated discussion at the World Economic Forum in Davos this year. But not everyone is downbeat, as Matthew Attwood finds out