Dentons boosts derivatives practice in London with two partner
Dentons has added two partners to its derivatives practice in London

Esma grants no-deal Brexit recognition for UK central clearers
The European Securities and Markets Authority (Esma) has moved to avoid a derivatives market debacle by agreeing to recognise three UK-based central counterparties (CCPs) in the event of a no-deal Brexit

Crossover sell-off risks heightened after Brexit vote, says BNP Paribas
The risk of a bearish pullback in European crossover credits has increased as a result of yesterday’s UK parliament vote against Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit approach, according to a BNP Paribas trading note

Behave yourselves: EBA policy advisor warns against misuse of securitisation rules
The European securitisation market has come a long way over the last decade, and the message from one policy advisor is clear – don’t do anything to mess it up.

DTCC appoints Deriv/Serv board chairman to replace Thompson
The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC) has appointed a replacement board chairman of its Deriv/Serv credit derivatives repository following the retirement of Larry Thompson in December

Generali seeks high yield analysts in Milan as credit research head builds team
Generali Investments’ head of global credit research has relocated within the firm from Paris to Milan and is seeking hires to build a team in the Italian city

Former BlackRock portfolio manager lands at start-up credit firm Tresidor
Tresidor Investment Management – the new credit manager led by BlackRock’s former head of European credit Michael Phelps and ex-Goldman Sachs synthetic CDO head Edgar Senior – has added a credit portfolio manager to its team ahead of its maiden fund launch

European sub-financials shake-off Santander AT1 shock, outperforming senior fins and corps
Santander’s decision yesterday not to call a €1.5 billion additional tier one (AT1) bond shocked investors in the asset class. But while this may have been expected to bring a wider reverberation of pain, investors and strategists have noted a firming up of the European financial bond sector today

HSBC boosts single name CDS and index trading with experienced hire
HSBC has added a former index trading head to its credit team in London

Deutsche plots single name CDS return and index push with two senior hires
Deutsche Bank has made two senior credit trading hires to its London office, with sources saying these portend a revival of its CDS market-making business

CDS lives to bring more fights as it steers past Ziggo and Sears
Credit default swaps have navigated two big tests of their rules, holding up to scrutiny on Ziggo Bond Finance (ZBF) and Sears Roebuck Acceptance Corp (SRAC), despite warnings they could weaken the product

Isda sets 27 February deadline for German bank CDS protocol adherence
The International Swaps and Derivatives Association (Isda) has launched a protocol for German bank CDS, as the industry looks to adapt to a change in the country’s law regarding senior financial debt

CDS sell-off brings profit-taking opportunity for basis trade players
Profit-taking on basis trades between CDS and cash bonds has begun, with the strong run for credit markets since the start of the year having hit a bump yesterday

GAM launches quantitatively-managed credit Ucits fund
The new fund is anticipated to offer “strategic allocation to credit with tactical ability to reduce exposure in challenging markets”.

Bank of England agrees post-Brexit recognition of UK central clearers with Esma
The Bank of England and the European Securities and Markets Authority (Esma) have agreed to continue to recognise central counterparties (CCPs) and the central securities depository (CSD) established in the United Kingdom in the event of a no-deal Brexit

Isda seeks fallback spread vendor for derivatives
The International Swaps & Derivatives Association is seeking an independent service provider to calculate and publish adjustments to fallbacks it will use in interest rate benchmarks for its Isda definitions

Esma requests derivatives clearing reprieve for smaller counterparties as deadline looms
With time running out for market participants to comply with a 21 June deadline to start centrally clearing over-the-counter credit and interest rate derivatives, the European Securities and Markets Authority (Esma) has pleaded with national regulators to overlook the failure of smaller counterparties who may subsequently be absolved from the requirement in any case since thresholds are not yet finalised

Central counterparties need to improve after Nasdaq Clearing member default, says Isda
Derivative central counterparties (CCPs) must look to make a number of improvements to risk practices, the International Swaps and Derivatives Association has said in a paper that follows a clearing member default at Nasdaq Clearing in September

Ziggo CDS protection buyers get a lift as DC votes for successor
Holders of credit default swap protection on Ziggo Bond Finance have received a boost, with the EMEA Determinations Committee ruling that contracts structured under the 2014 Isda credit derivative definitions have a successor – dispelling fears they would be orphaned.

Dealers gear up to settle Sears CDS and rule on Ziggo successor
The long wait to settle the final price of Sears Roebuck Acceptance Corp credit default swaps will end today with a credit event auction, while investors could also learn whether there is successor to contracts referencing deregistered Ziggo Bond Finance

Credit spread improvement is calm before the storm, warn strategists
European and US credit markets have begun 2019 with a more buoyant tone than they ended 2018, but strategists warn that bearish factors still outweigh and suggest the overall direction of spreads this year is likely to be wider

Muzinich poaches Neuberger Berman MD for top fund distribution role
Muzinich has hired a global head of distribution, according to an announcement today, picking up the role previously held by Joshua Hughes, who left for CIFC Asset Management in May

Former London Stock Exchange CEO joins CQS
CQS has moved into 2019 under a new leadership structure with Xavier Rolet being appointed chief executive officer.

Derivatives market jumps forward on Ibor fallbacks
The derivatives market has moved closer to a consensus on how to replace interbank offered rates (Ibors) in contracts, with the International Swaps and Derivatives Association (Isda) finding that most market participants favour a retrospective rather than forward-looking approach for benchmark fallbacks

Europe/US relative value play opens up in battle of the bears
All indications point to 2019 being a tough slog for credit on both sides of the Atlantic, but a consensus is forming that US high yield has the most to worry about. That, say strategists, could present opportunities for those looking to trade one region against the other