Top Stories

A number of companies in the consumer discretionary sector have seen substantial inflows as investors buy call options to take advantage of upside exposure and cheap premiums.

Spreads on US corporate credit default swaps are tightening as credit conditions have generally improved or plateaued, motivating investors to seek higher yield.

Investors are tailoring their options strategies to focus on hedging global macro risks and identifying single stock options in lieu of larger market options baskets.

Société Générale Prime Services — formerly Newedge — will clear credit derivative transactions through ICE Clear Credit and ICE Clear Europe following its regulatory approval.

The overall credit default swap and interest rate derivative notionals reported to swap data repositories last week decreased again by a further 35% and 25% respectively compared to the same week last year, according to data from the International Swaps and Derivatives Association.

Global swaps participants should use the BCBS-IOSCO margin rules delay as an opportunity to face new issues posed by initial and variation margin requirements, experts say.

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Ltd. has expanded its Chinese business development by opening a mainland division, which it has populated with new senior hires.

LCH.Clearnet has appointed a seasoned veteran as the new group head of technology and operations.

Société Générale has acquired futures assets at Jefferies Bache in a transaction which will wind down the Bache futures and commodities business at the firm.

Poor liquidity, fluctuations in premium costs, and longer completion times for mergers and acquisitions are driving investors to enter longer term options strategies.

Global swaps participants can benefit from using decentralised, multitool approaches towards regulatory reporting in order to reduce costs and increase efficiency, according to a data vendor.

LCH.Clearnet’s SwapClear has become the first central counterparty to offer global clearing of inflation swaps, which it believes will provide better risk management for buyside firms.