Interconnectedness and systemic risk in the US CDS market

Abstract

This study assesses systemic risk in the US credit default swap (CDS) market. First, this study estimates the bilateral exposures matrix using aggregate fair value data and theoretically analyze interconnectedness in the US CDS network using various network measures. Second, this study theoretically analyzes the contagious defaults. The default analysis shows the theoretical occurrence of many stand-alone defaults and one contagious default via the CDS network during the global financial crisis. A stress test based on a hypothetical severe stress scenario predicts almost no future contagious defaults. Thus, risk contagion via the CDS network is unlikely.