LCH and Ice prepare to battle it out over options clearing
A fully cleared market for CDS options is getting closer, with the two largest central clearing counterparties (CCPs) set to expand their services.

Narrowly tailored event protocol set to go live in weeks
Investors have until 14 October to sign up to an Isda protocol aimed at stamping out narrowly tailored credit events (NTCEs) from the CDS market.

Guidelines fail to assuage fears over loose reporting standards
The Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Institute’s new hedge fund reporting guidelines come into play next year, but some say they fall short of a much-needed overhaul.

Big questions for CDS shorters as Isda protocol countdown begins
With only a month to go until the International Swaps & Derivatives Association rolls out its protocol for narrowly tailored credit events, big net buyers of CDS protection should think hard about both its value and maintaining liquidity, says law firm Kramer Levin

Regulators delay final initial margin deadline and add extra roll-out phase
Regulators have granted a one-year reprieve to smaller counterparties from a requirement to post initial margin on derivative trades, while introducing an additional implementation phase. But while a relief for large numbers of firms struggling to meet the deadline, the concession still ignores calls from industry bodies to deploy a higher final capture threshold

Leveraged loans pose credit risk but not systemic risk, conference told
Regulators and the press need to understand the difference between credit risk and systemic risk, claimed panelists at the IMN European CLOs and Leveraged Loans conference

European regulators lower Solvency II capital charges for private debt
The European Commission has amended Solvency II rules to make it easier for insurance companies to invest in private debt and private equity

CDS relative value traders shift their bets as Europe trades inside US
Credit derivative markets have hit a point of position cutting and resetting, with the iTraxx Europe index having dipped inside its US counterpart CDX IG for the first time since December even as the European Central Bank’s new funding programme underwhelmed financials traders

Initial margin relief falls short of industry calls
Reprieve for many smaller counterparties from a requirement to post initial margin (IM) on derivative trades looks likely, following a statement from regulators this week

US dollar three-month is focus point for benchmarks, finds Ice Libor survey
One-, three- and six-month US dollar and sterling are the focus points for Ice Benchmark Administration to seek agreement with banks, according to the results of IBA’s survey on uses of Libor

US and UK sound post-Brexit derivatives regulatory accord
The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and the Bank of England have issued a joint statement assuring derivative market participants of continued access to trading and clearing after the UK’s exit from the European Union

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

SEC proposal could strengthen BDCs’ power to purchase funds
The Securities and Exchanges Commission (SEC) has released proposals to allow regulated US funds, including listed funds, closed-end funds and business development companies (BDCs), to acquire shares of other regulated funds in excess of current limitations

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

CDS food fight as UNFI sues Goldman Sachs over SuperValu deal
United Natural Foods Inc (UNFI) has summoned Goldman Sachs to court, accusing the bank of bad faith in the way it handled the US retailer’s buyout of SuperValu last year, a transaction which caused the target firm’s CDS spread to bloat by over 200bp in one day

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

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

BlackRock BDC seeks shareholder approval to fast-track leverage increase
BlackRock TCP Capital Corp has become the latest business development company to seek shareholders’ approval to double its use of leverage

US regulation drives insurance money towards credit ETFs
Institutional investors are increasingly allocating to credit exchange-traded funds (ETFs), but their motivations are changing. These vehicles are famed for their liquidity, but several investors are said to be pouring money into them for the long term amid regulatory changes which have made ETF investments more favourable

Sears CDS battle lines set out in market-defining legal fight
Legal sides have set out their arguments in the high-stakes Sears Roebuck Acceptance Corp credit event external review, in what an industry group of asset managers claims is a “unique opportunity to provide clarity on one of the most important definitions for the credit default swap product”

Creditex obtains CFTC swap execution facility exemption
Creditex, the electronic brokerage for corporate bonds and credit default swaps, has been granted an exemption from a requirement to register with the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission as a swap execution facility

Golub Capital BDC looks to become fourth largest publicy traded BDC with merger
Golub Capital is seeking approval from its shareholders to merge its Golub Capital business development company (GBDC)  with another one of its business development companies, Golub Capital Investment Corporation (GCIC)