Derivs - Credit

We have become accustomed to Greece dominating the financial markets but this week was quite exceptional even by recent standards.

Credit default swap spreads on corporate names in peripheral countries tightened significantly today.

Baring Asset Management is considering using total return swaps to get exposure to equities indices in its new Baring Dynamic Emerging Markets Fund.

European credit indices widened today after the Greek parliament approved the austerity bill, with concerns remaining over the second round of voting tomorrow.

The summer of 2010 was a volatile one for sovereign credit but this year’s season looks like it could surpass it.

BNP Paribas has reorganized its fixed income business as it looks to build out U.S. dollar, emerging market and Asia Pacific capabilities, according to a memo from the firm.

If we are to glean anything from the Federal Opens Markets Committee meeting this past week, and the accompanying Q&A from Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke, it’s that ‘Team Fed’ is most definitely still in wait and see mode.

The China Banking Regulatory Commission plans to maintain its stance on a 50% of notional collateral requirement for corporates selling credit protection in China.

Société Générale strategists are recommending investors buy a six-month gold variance swap while selling a six-month silver variance swap in anticipation of a drop in silver volatility over the next couple of months.

The International Swaps and Derivatives Association’s credit determinations committee today ruled that a failure-to-pay credit event has occurred on Allied Irish Banks.

Guy Cornelius, co-head of fixed-income sales for Europe, the Middle East and Africa at Nomura in London, has left the firm.

Jared Hullick, an emerging markets credit default swaps trader at UBS in London, has left the firm. Hullick, who left a few weeks ago, departed less than a year after joining from Deutsche Bank where he worked in a similar role.