Clearing
Energy firms call for rise in commodity clearing level
Industry says proposed €1 billion increase would not be enough following spike in wholesale prices
Concentration risk add-ons too low at Ice and ECC, says regulator
Results of European stress test suggest shortfall of collateral for large commodities positions is equivalent to 17% of total required margin
Options expiry triggered $135m liquidity shortfall at NSCC
The CCP collected supplemental liquidity deposits six times during the first quarter
At JSCC, required initial margin up 20% in Q1
The bulk of the increase came from members of the clearing service covering ETPs
Initial margin at Ice Europe up 15% over Q1
IM held against F&O positions hit all-time high, as number of margin breaches nudged higher
Eurex’s fixed income and IRS units hit by almost 700 breaches
Peak breaches in Q1 were €706 million and €214 million in size, respectively
EU pension fund clearing exemption set to be extended
Extra 12 months’ grace from mandatory swap clearing, but some fear effect on EU CCP liquidity growth
JSCC swap surge triggers plea to rethink US client ban
With over two-thirds of yen RFR swaps volumes going to JSCC, calls grow for CFTC to ease clearing restrictions
Nickel debacle weakens UK’s case on clearing supervision
LME episode comes amid scrutiny of UK regime and fresh Brexit row
Liquidity risk down 34% at the OCC
Projected largest payment obligation set at $6.2 billion for Q1
SwapClear incurs record number of margin breaches
LCH’s interest rate derivatives clearing service reported over 4,000 backtesting exceptions in Q1
BoE: regulators could push CCPs to publish margin shocks
Russia-Ukraine war has forced a tenfold margin funding burden, says BNP; Ice says smaller hedgers face disenfranchisement
FTX proposal could prompt wider clearing changes
FCMs say current clearing structure could end up adopting parts of crypto exchange’s novel approach
Clearing industry braces for volatility ‘super-cycle’
Green transition may fuel higher cash demands and more risk events, FCMs warn
Exchange execs clash over LME nickel closure
Ice’s Williams says circuit breakers could have averted shutdown, but LME’s Combe defends ‘tough decision’
LME tear-up may have averted ‘multiple defaults’ – CEO
Decision to cancel nickel trades on March 8 forestalled ‘unprecedented’ margin call, argues exchange chief
Late EU clearing house recognition spooks dealers
Bank capital requirements on exposures to affected foreign CCPs could jump after June 28 deadline
Back in time: a brief history of LME’s nickel meltdown
As prices went haywire, margin remained frozen and calls to suspend trading were rejected
Nickel price chaos triggered $2bn margin breach at LME
The CCP reported its largest breach ever in March, as commodities prices went wild
The customer settlement risk externality at US securities central counterparties
This paper highlights an externality in the clearing of customer securities trades, and it examines the potential benefits and costs of alternative clearing approaches.
FTX proposal prompts calls for CFTC rules review
Current bankruptcy and margin ring-fencing rules are incompatible with direct clearing, FIA says
In the age of bitcoin, buy side braces for 24/7 risk management
Investors forced to rethink “nine to five” mentality, as crypto exchange FTX proposes auto-liquidation model
FTX’s ‘easy-access’ clearing stokes fears over runaway risk
Crypto exchange will auto-liquidate underwater positions, which critics say could fuel a death spiral in prices
After nickel-gate, Esma may seek data from more non-EU CCPs
Supervisor concerned lack of granular data on exposures could leave it flat-footed on LME-style risk events