Abstract

The CDS Big Bang (the protocol changes for the CDS market in April 2009) increased the upfront funding requirements for trading CDS contracts, especially for those with credit spreads further away from 100 and 500 basis points. Exploiting this natural experiment, we document direct evidence that a higher funding requirement reduces market liquidity, increases the absolute value of the CDS-bond basis, and CDS spread volatility. Our evidence highlights an unintended consequence of the ongoing standardization of OTC markets — while its intention is to reduce systemic risk, standardization may jeopardize market liquidity precisely during periods of financial distress.

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.