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

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

London CCPs to be given 12-month EU equivalence in no-deal Brexit scenario
The European Commission will continue to grant equivalence to UK central clearing counterparties for 12 months in the case of a “no deal” Brexit, it has been variously reported

Cash-CDS basis set for comeback after "falling knife" mishap, predicts BNP Paribas
The beginning of 2019 should revive interest among credit investors to trade the basis between cash bonds and credit default swaps, according to BNP Paribas strategists – following what they term “falling knife” dynamics in this year’s fourth quarter

Cairn sheds light on single-investment SRT fund
Fresh details have emerged on Cairn Capital’s new significant risk transfer (SRT) funds with the manager informing Creditflux that Pathfinder Fund III was structured such with US requirements in mind

Cairn adds two SRT funds to its roster
Cairn Capital has raised $150 million across two significant risk transfer (SRT) funds - with differing mandates - according to an announcement by the firm

Astaldi CDS auction sets 30.875 final price as physical settlement boosts recovery
An auction today to settle credit default swaps referencing Astaldi has determined the final price to be 30.875 cents on the euro, meaning a 69.125 cents pay-out per euro for protection buyers

Crossover converges on CDX HY as Fed, earnings and heavy technicals take hold
Big moves of single name credits continue to hold sway over the iTraxx Europe Crossover credit default swap index, whose underperformance of US counterpart CDX HY has extended during the past week amid a big technical repositioning of flows

Market favours retrospective over forward-looking approach to Ibor benchmark fallbacks, says Isda
New benchmark fallbacks for derivatives contracts that reference interbank offered rates are likely to be based on the “compounded setting in arrears rate” and the “historical mean/median approach to the spread adjustment”, the International Swaps and Derivatives Association has said

Credit sell-off has room to run and pricing is out of whack, says BNP Paribas
The credit market sell-off could have further to go despite recent widening and is “in the process of a late-stage business cycle unwind”, according to a strategist note seen by Creditflux

10 bidders line up for Astaldi CDS auction as Morgan Stanley swaps in for Mizuho
There will be 10 participating bidders to an auction to settle Astaldi credit default swaps, with the Determinations Committee unanimously approving Morgan Stanley’s involvement as Mizuho dropped out

Astaldi credit event auction deadline looms for participating bidders
Firms wishing to take part next week in a credit event auction to settle Astaldi credit default swaps have until 5pm London time today (23 November) to submit participating bidder letters to the Determinations Committee

European CDS index tightens inside US even as bonds languish
Credit derivatives markets have hit a key point of trend reversal this week, with the iTraxx Europe five-year CDS index trading inside its US counterpart CDX IG for the first time since May

UK and EU seek to quell post-Brexit derivatives hiatus fears, but race is on
The UK has ramped up efforts to avoid a cliff edge and minimise hiatus risk for over-the-counter derivatives after Brexit, with the UK Treasury publishing draft regulations to amend onshored European Market Infrastructure Regulation. But, with the 30 March exit looming large, lawyers warn that transitional uncertainty will continue to rattle the market until the plans find European Union accord

Astaldi CDS holders face Thursday deadline on auction deliverables
Market participants with exposure to Astaldi have until 5pm London time tomorrow (8 November) to submit any other potential deliverable obligations into the auction to settle the company’s credit default swaps

UK prepares derivative regs for no-deal Brexit
The UK Treasury is seeking to amend onshored European Market Infrastructure Regulation (EMIR) legislation as it battles to avoid the risk that the country will leave the European Union without an effective regulatory framework for over-the-counter derivatives, central clearing counterparties and trade repositories in the event of a no-deal Brexit

Astaldi credit event auction will have two deliverables, says DC
Only two Astaldi bonds are deliverable into an auction to determine the final price of its credit default swaps, the Determinations Committee has indicated

Experienced SRT specialist parts ways with Apollo
A big name in the significant risk transfer (SRT) market has left Apollo Global Management in London

Isda extends deadline for derivatives benchmark consultation
The International Swaps and Derivatives Association has extended the fast-approaching deadline for its consultation on derivatives benchmark fallbacks, to allow more time for responses

Hard Brexit threatens systemic cliff edge for derivatives, warns joint paper
A no-deal Brexit could have a systemic effect on derivatives markets as it would immediately restrict EU 27 firms from transacting with UK entities and acting as clearing members to UK central counterparties, a group of major trade bodies has warned in a paper published today

ArrowMark builds in London with big SRT hire
ArrowMark is one of the biggest investors in the SRT market, but unusually it conducts most of its business out of the US. It has now added to its presence in London with an experienced official joining its SRT business

Astaldi triggers first credit event in iTraxx on-the-run indices for nine years
Astaldi has triggered a bankruptcy credit event, the Isda-hosted EMEA Credit Determinations Committee has ruled

Astaldi credit event question hangs in balance as EMEA DC meets
The fate of credit default swap contracts referencing Astaldi could be decided today, with the Isda-hosted EMEA Credit Determinations Committee meeting to decide if the Italian builder has triggered a bankruptcy credit event