COVID-19

How has COVID-19 Impacted the Credit Derivatives Market?

Tuesday, November 3, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has severely affected global markets, causing economic disruption at unprecedented speed and on a hitherto unknown scale. With the spread of the virus accelerating by mid-March 2020, the US economy has been severely impacted and there are understandable concerns about the damage caused to the worldwide economy. A number of small businesses have closed, either temporarily or permanently, and even large and well-known companies have declared bankruptcy. This blog explores the effects of the pandemic on the credit derivatives market and more specifically, how recent bankruptcies affected North American high yield CDS index trading, including CDX.NA.HY indices and the options on them. Read More

The IBOR Transition: Challenges and the Road Ahead

Tuesday, October 13, 2020

by Quantifi & Irina Ursachi

Interbank Offered Rates (IBORs) play a pivotal role in the functioning of financial markets. The transition away from IBOR represents one of the biggest challenges facing financial services firms. The reform has been ongoing for more than two years, during which market-infrastructure providers, regulators, buy- and sell-side firms and trade associations have merged their efforts in steering some of the most complex transformation programmes the financial industry has undertaken. This paper explores the development of the IBOR reform. The first part details the status quo, some of the various aspects and challenges involved and outlines the effects of migrating from IBORs to risk-free rates. The second part of the paper outlines the preparations firms need to make to accommodate a smooth transition.

The Challenges and Risks of the IBOR Transition

Wednesday, September 30, 2020

Interbank Offered Rates (IBORs), including the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR), serve as widely accepted benchmark interest rates, and the forthcoming transition is one of the most significant changes for the financial services industry. The unparalleled scale of this industry-wide transition presents considerable challenges, including potential financial, legal, operational, conduct and reputation risks. This blog explores the challenges and risks of navigating the IBOR transition and the adoption of alternative reference rates. Read More

How to Manage Liquidity Risk in a Volatile Market

Friday, July 24, 2020

Historically, liquidity risk has been the poor cousin of market risk and credit risk. While the global financial crisis of 2008/2009 first pushed the issue of liquidity risk to the forefront of attention, the most recent market dislocation due to the COVID-19 pandemic has once again highlighted the salient significance of the topic. This is particularly so for institutional investment managers who have to meet margin calls, perform regular fund rebalancing, execute redemptions, among other potentially liquidity-threatening activities. Read More

The Impact of COVID-19 on Credit Markets

Friday, July 17, 2020

by Quantifi

The COVID-19 (C19) pandemic has severely affected global markets, causing economic disruption at unprecedented speed and on a hitherto unknown scale. With the spread of the virus accelerating by mid-March 2020, the US economy has been severely impacted and there are understandable concerns about the damage caused to the worldwide economy. This paper explores the effects of the pandemic on the credit derivatives market and, more specifically, how recent bankruptcies affected North American high yield (NA HY) CDS index trading, including CDX.NA.HY indices and the options on them.

Quantifi Wins Best Sell-Side Credit Risk Product at WatersTechnology Awards 2020

Wednesday, July 15, 2020

Quantifi has been named Best Sell-Side Credit Risk Product at the WatersTechnology 2020 Sell-Side Technology Awards. These awards recognise market-leading technologies developed specifically for sell-side firms. Whilst credit risk has always been of primary concern for banks, its importance became paramount during the credit crisis. More recently, the COVID-19 pandemic has again highlighted the importance of accurate valuation and robust management of credit risk.  read more

Managing Liquidity Risk in Times of Stress

Monday, July 13, 2020

by Quantifi

Historically, liquidity risk has been the poor cousin of market risk and credit risk. While the global financial crisis of 2008/2009 first pushed the issue of liquidity risk to the forefront of attention, the most recent market dislocation due to the COVID-19 pandemic has once again highlighted the salient significance of the topic. This is particularly so for institutional investment managers who have to meet margin calls, perform regular fund rebalancing, execute redemptions, among other potentially liquidity-threatening activities. Failure to afford liquidity risk management the focus and priority jeopardizes the health of an institution, perhaps fatally so.