How much margin? The 2024 edition
This blog covers the 2024 edition of the “ISDA Year-End Margin Survey”, published on 14 May 2025, which covers over-the-counter (OTC) derivatives uncleared initial margin (IM) and variation margin (VM) for all asset classes, and cleared IM for interest rate derivatives (IRD) and credit derivatives (CRD) only. We combine the ISDA survey data with more […]
Q1 2025 CCP volumes and share in CRD and FXD
This blog reviews the volumes and central counterparty (CCP) market share of cleared credit derivatives (CRD) and FX derivatives (FXD) in Q1 2025. Comparing Q1 2025 with Q1 2024, we see 44 percent overall volume increases in cleared CRD – index, single-name, and swaptions. Comparing Q1 2025 with Q1 2024, we see 31 percent overall volume […]
What’s new in AUD swaps in 2025?
This blog looks at another year of AUD swaps activity, continuing from the blog with a similar title published at about the same time last year. Should you want more information on AUD swaps, the blog linked above contains links to several other blogs on the topic. AUD market total size First, we extend the […]
Most active names in Credit Derivatives – April 2025
After about a year since our last blog on this topic, it is high time for another look at the most active names in CDS, using data reported to US SEC Securities Based Data Repositories (SBSDRs). CDS on sovereigns Using SBSDRView, we can find the most active sovereign CDS trades in April 2025, starting with USD activity. Table 1 – […]
Swapalypse Now
(FT Alphaville came up with the “apocolypse/swapscalypse” first. I am not that clever). Hello Swap Spreads As the link to Alphaville shows, the market narrative is adding USD swap spreads to the “people are worried about the basis trade” theme. Whilst there is potentially more notional tied to the basis between cash USTs and CME-traded […]
Mechanics and Definitions of Cross Currency Basis Futures
CME are taking a bold step into the (relatively) unknown and launching EUR/USD Cross-Currency Basis futures. Let’s take a look… Definition The Cross-Currency Basis Future can be defined as; A contract for difference that cash-settles the implied 3 month cross-currency basis from observable EUR/USD FX-forward, USD and EUR short-term interest rate futures. Recall that a […]
USD Rates 2024 Review
Cleared USD Rates We start with looking at notional volume cleared in OIS referencing either Fed Funds or SOFR indices. 2024 volume of $264 trillion is a new all time high (across both OIS and Swaps), exceeding the previous high set last year. All of that volatility over the Summer and the election drove volumes […]
USD Rates – What’s New?
USD Outright Volumes The chart below shows monthly volumes since Sep 2021: Showing; And we shouldn’t avoid the chance to present another impressive chart. Average Daily Volumes in USD Rates keep on increasing each quarter: Will September 2024 be busy enough for us to close the quarter with another record? Stay tuned to the Clarus […]
Just how bad are trading conditions right now?
This is very likely a premature blog. But it’s August, it’s quiet, and I haven’t written a “live” blog since Credit Suisse went up the swanny. So whilst Bloomberg is declaring a “$6.4 Trillion Stock Wipeout” and Reuters a “Global Market Rout” I note at the very outset that more sanguine minds rule over at […]
GBP Swaps – What’s New?
It’s time to take a look at UK swap markets. I tend to do this about once a year, and the last time was June 2023: Again, I will reference FT Alphaville for their great coverage of the UK and in particular highlighting the potential for stability in one of their recent posts: A good […]