Inhaltsangabe:Introduction: Credit default swaps are by far the most often traded credit derivatives and the credit default swap markets have seen tremendous growth over the past two decades. Put simply, a credit default swap is a tradeable contract that provides insurance against the default of a certain debtor. Initially, when the first form of a credit default swap (CDS) was traded in 1991, they were mainly used by commercial banks in order to lay off credit risk to insurance companies. However, focus shifted in the subsequent years as new players entered the market. Hedge funds became big players, money managers and reinsurers entered, and banks started to not only buy protection on their assets but also sell protection in order to diversify their portfolios. All this led to today s CDS market being dominated by investors rather than banks and, as a consequence, CDSs are now structured to meet investors needs instead of those of the banks. Over the same time as this shift to an investor orientated market took place, CDS markets grew at an astonishing rate with notional amount outstanding pretty much doubling every year until peaking in the second half of 2007 at USD 62,173.20 billions. The need to effciently transfer credit risk as well as the increasing standardization of CDS contracts by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association propelled this development. Only in 2008 did the notional amount outstanding in CDSs retract for the first time and come down to USD 31,223.10 billion in the first half of 2009. A partial reason was the full blown financial crisis in which CDSs also played a prominent role. The demise of Lehman Brothers, for example, triggered roughly USD 400 billion in protection payments and American International Group needed to be bailed out in 2008 because it had sold too much CDS protection. Amongst other concerns, these incidents highlight the systemic importance of CDSs. Combined with the phenomenal growth of CDS markets, this makes CDSs a highly relevant component of the current ?nancial environment and a fruitful subject for academic research. Today, just like most other financial instruments, CDSs serve a multitude of purposes spanning hedging, speculation, and arbitrage. The aim of this thesis is to explore these uses further and answer the following research questions: What CDS trading strategies are commonly used and how does a selection of these strategies CDS curve trades including forward CDSs, [...]

Credit default swaps and credit derivatives in general are one of the many specialized derivatives that are used for the purpose of hedging, speculation and arbitrage. The primary purpose of a credit derivative or the need behind the creation of such a product is to serve as a credit risk transfer mechanism. Credit risk is one of the four broadly classified types of risks (others being operational risk, market risk and liquidity risk) is the possibility of a loss resulting from a borrower’s failure to repay a loan or meet contractual obligations. Credit Default Swaps and Credit Derivatives gained popularity in the pre and during Global Financial Crisis in 2008. It has earned a bad reputation since then as it is perceived as one of the most dangerous financial derivatives. The decline in trading volume of emerging market sovereign CDS in the years since the 2008 global financial crisis, along with the steady rise in volume of emerging-market-bond ETFs, might have contributed to this increase in the relative efficiency of bond-price discovery. Credit-Default Swaps (CDS) were generally a better source of price discovery than spreads computed from bond prices. Credit-Default Swaps (CDS) tended to be a better measure of value compared to spreads computed from bonds, which may have been traded infrequently. However, since the COVID-19 crisis, the cash bond market appears to have made strong inroads as the better source for investors to compare relative value and risk.

Bond and Money Markets: Strategy, Trading, Analysis explains and analyses all aspects of the bond and money markets and is both an introduction for newcomers and an advanced text for experienced market practitioners and graduate students. Those with experience of the industry at all levels will find the book invaluable as a standard reference work.The book features coverage of: - Government and Corporate bonds, Eurobonds, callable bonds, convertibles - Asset-backed bonds including mortgages and CDOs - Derivative instruments including bond futures, swaps, options, structured products, and option valuation models - Interest-rate risk, duration analysis, convexity, and the convexity bias - The money markets, repo markets, basis trading, and asset / liability management - Term structure models, estimating and interpreting the yield curve - Portfolio management, including total return framework, portfolio strategies, and constructing bond indices and valuable insight into: - Trading and hedging strategy - Charting and technical analysis - The latest market developments, such as value-at-risk, and credit derivatives - Emerging markets and the benefits of international investment The Bond and Money Markets: Strategy, Trading, Analysis is aimed at a wide readership including bond salespersons, traders, corporate financiers and graduate trainees, as well as risk managers, operations professionals and business analysts. Other market participants including fund managers, corporate treasurers, management consultants, regulators and financial journalists will also find the content useful. - This book is virtually a stand alone reference book on interest rate swaps, the money markets, financial market mathematics, interest-rate futures and technical analysis - Includes some introductory coverage of very specialised topics (for which one requires specialised texts) such as VaR, Asset & liability management, credit derivatives - Combines accessible style with advanced level topics, plus review of latest research

The definitive report on what caused America's economic meltdown and who was responsible. The financial and economic crisis has touched the lives of millions of Americans who have lost their jobs and their homes, but many have little understanding of how it happened. Now, in this very accessible report, readers can get the facts. Formed in May 2009, the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission (FCIC) is a panel of 10 commissioners with experience in business, regulations, economics, and housing, chosen by Congress to explain what happened and why it happened. This panel has had subpoena power that enabled them to interview people and examine documents that no reporter had access to. The FCIC has reviewed millions of pages of documents, and interviewed more than 600 leaders, experts, and participants in the financial markets and government regulatory agencies, as well as individuals and businesses affected by the crisis. In the tradition of The 9/11 Commission Report, "The Financial Crisis Inquiry Report" will be a comprehensive book for the lay reader, complete with a glossary, charts, and easy-to-read diagrams, and a timeline that includes important events. It will be read by policy makers, corporate executives, regulators, government agencies, and the American people.

Trading the Fixed Income, Inflation and Credit Markets is a comprehensive guide to the most popular strategies that are used in the wholesale financial markets, answering the question: what is the optimal way to express a view on expected market movements? This relatively unique approach to relative value highlights the pricing links between the different products and how these relationships can be used as the basis for a number of trading strategies. The book begins by looking at the main derivative products and their pricing interrelationships. It shows that within any asset class there are mathematical relationships that tie together four key building blocks: cash products, forwards/futures, swaps and options. The nature of these interrelationships means that there may be a variety of different ways in which a particular strategy can be expressed. It then moves on to relative value within a fixed income context and looks at strategies that build on the pricing relationships between products as well as those that focus on how to identify the optimal way to express a view on the movement of the yield curve. It concludes by taking the main themes of relative value and showing how they can be applied within other asset classes. Although the main focus is fixed income the book does cover multiple asset classes including credit and inflation. Written from a practitioner's perspective, the book illustrates how the products are used by including many worked examples and a number of screenshots to ensure that the content is as practical and applied as possible.

A clear, practical guide to working effectively with derivative securities products Derivatives Essentials is an accessible, yet detailed guide to derivative securities. With an emphasis on mechanisms over formulas, this book promotes a greater understanding of the topic in a straightforward manner, using plain-English explanations. Mathematics are included, but the focus is on comprehension and the issues that matter most to practitioners—including the rights and obligations, terms and conventions, opportunities and exposures, trading, motivation, sensitivities, pricing, and valuation of each product. Coverage includes forwards, futures, options, swaps, and related products and trading strategies, with practical examples that demonstrate each concept in action. The companion website provides Excel files that illustrate pricing, valuation, sensitivities, and strategies discussed in the book, and practice and assessment questions for each chapter allow you to reinforce your learning and gauge the depth of your understanding. Derivative securities are a complex topic with many "moving parts," but practitioners must possess a full working knowledge of these products to use them effectively. This book promotes a truly internalized understanding rather than rote memorization or strict quantitation, with clear explanations and true-to-life examples. Understand the concepts behind derivative securities Delve into the nature, pricing, and offset of sensitivities Learn how different products are priced and valued Examine trading strategies and practical examples for each product Pricing and valuation is important, but understanding the fundamental nature of each product is critical—it gives you the power to wield them more effectively, and exploit their natural behaviors to achieve both short- and long-term market goals. Derivatives Essentials provides the clarity and practical perspective you need to master the effective use of derivative securities products.

A comprehensive guide to alternative investments and a valuable study companion for the CFA, CAIA, FRM and other professional examinations that include hedge fund investing The 2nd Edition offers new material related to portfolio financing, how funds are sold, liquid alternatives, and the challenges faced when trying to value hedge fund management companies. This edition includes updated power point slides, and a companion workbook with an updated set of end of chapter problems and a revised set of over 150 test bank questions. Hedge Fund Investing is a complete guide to alternative investments for students and professionals alike. Written to align with the CAIA curriculum, this book is much more than just an exam preparation resource—it's a fully comprehensive guide to hedge fund investing in today's market, designed to provide professionals with the deep understanding they need to operate effectively. Broad coverage under the alternative investment umbrella includes discussion about hedge funds, derivatives, investment banking, and commercial banking, with specific guidance toward trading, strategy, portfolio management, performance metrics, due diligence, and more. A full set of ancillary materials helps bring this book into the classroom, and provides rigorous reinforcement of the material presented in the text. Alternative investment expertise has become central to the asset management and institutional investment community. This book facilitates clear understanding of the intricacies of the field and guides you through the practical skills needed to successfully navigate this diverse set of asset classes. Recognize hedge fund trends, flows, and characteristics Examine major hedge fund strategies and how they interact Learn the technical side of financing, settlement, and clearance Measure fund performance and optimize contributing factors Hedge funds and other alternative investments are known for their high reward, but they also come with significant risk. The investment professional's role is to minimize these risks while maximizing reward, but the nuanced nature of these assets dramatically complicates the task. Hedge Fund Investing details every aspect to give you the deep and instinctual understanding you need to operate effectively within the alternative investment sphere.