Sunday, October 12, 2008

Transparency on commodities and credit default swaps?

Commodities traders are rushing their private bilateral contracts into exchanges and clearing houses as they race to reduce their counterparty risk amid a deepening financial crisis.

The transfer of the opaque over-the-counter deals comes as observers warn that commodities, where trading has ballooned in the past five years, could be the next market hit by counterparty failures.

The LME’s move comes as other exchanges are pushing into the OTC clearing business, in part to capitalise on the strong backing that regulators have given to the
creation of a central clearing counterparty model for the credit derivative markets.

The aim is to reduce the systemic risks inherent when credit derivatives are negotiated bilaterally between traders by having a clearing house guarantee against default.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/aa0c5430-9884-11dd-ace3-000077b07658.html

Countries guaranteeing deposits between banks and credit default swaps and shadowy commodity dealings being put on an exchange?

That's what the market wants!

No comments: