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8 Jul 2013

OTC Derivatives: Central Counterparties CCPs and its loss-allocation rules

The implementation of post-trading market infrastructure is the leading policy in the OTC Derivatives Market reform. In particular the introduction of Central Counterparties (CCPs) as intermediaries in every OTC derivatives transaction. 

Although there are some expected benefits in terms of greater transparency and better risk management, the major concern is how to regulate the CCP's insolvency. Therefore, effective loss-allocation rules are fundamental to ensure the success of the new post-trading infrastructure. 

Two illustrative documents discussing the topic:

20 Jun 2013

LEI - Legal Entity Identifier

The  LEI - Legal Entity Identifier is a new tool to identify legal entities involved in financial transactions. Arguably, it will provide major benefits to international financial market and regulators in terms of information reporting and risk management.

http://www.treasury.gov/initiatives/ofr/data/Documents/LEI%20Primer_June2013_FINAL.pdf

21 May 2013

Triumph of Wall Street?

Lack of independence of regulators has been largely recognised as a factor of inefficient financial regulation. The new rules on transparency of derivatives market -recently issued by the CFTC- do not seem to pose a different  debate. The level of complicity and complaisance between dominant market actors and national regulators, continues determining the content and enforceability of the new regulation.

1 May 2013

Internationally driven regulation is harming national derivatives markets

Asian markets are not particularly optimistic with the new system of international rules being implemented on financial derivatives markets. The main concern lies on the applicability of the new clearing and reporting regulations for cross-border transactions. The lack of consistency and what is worse, the conflicting rules would adversely affect the OTC derivatives market itself.

More information available on
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/6b6d30b8-b0a9-11e2-9f24-00144feabdc0.html#axzz2S2GVOmgK

30 Apr 2013

The Securities and Exchange Commission with extraterritorial powers?

As broadly known the regulatory powers within US financial market are carried on by the Federal Reserve, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Hence, the regulation implementing the Dodd-Frank Act should be issued by the SEC and the CFTC, in attention to the subject matter. The challenges prompted by financial derivatives regulation are showing, however, a slight turn of those attributions in practice. Tomorrow, the SEC will discuss rules for OTC derivatives to be applicable to cross-border transactions. The CFTC has already manifested disagreement as well as some European regulators. One could ask: are we attending a case of extraterritorial regulation issued by national regulator?

More information can be found
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/04/26/sec-swaps-crossborder-idUSL2N0DD2WF20130426

29 Apr 2013

Changes to Financial Regulatory Authorities in the United Kingdom

The most recent reform contained in the Financial Services Act 2012, replaced the Financial Services Authority (FSA) with two new regulatory authorities: the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA)  as part of the Bank of England. 

A comprehensive explanation about the new regulatory landscape: