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DeafBlindAndDumb's avatar

Just a stupid question, if the clearinghouses keep encouraging transaction volume and low reserves doesn’t that mean that they are setting the scene to become the counterparties at some point in the future if margin can’t be posted? In other words.... aren’t you on to “Big Short” territory?

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Russell Clark's avatar

Nope... when you run out of capital you basically haircut other members. Clearinghouses cant lose..

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Kevin McBride's avatar

Correct me if I’m wrong, but in tri-party repo the clearing house is like an escrow agent ), but is not an insurer of the transaction, so not a counterparty.

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Kevin McBride's avatar

I think clearing houses take repayments up front, so in the event of a repo borrower’s insolvency, the clearing house simply completes the transaction on behalf of the insolvent borrower and no one loses money on the deal. But as an escrow agent, the clearing house has no risk, so no incentive to manage the risk for the borrower/lender.

Is this right?

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Russell Clark's avatar

Correct- except it doesnt work anymore. Nickel was one example. Nordic power another. Gilts would have been the same wothout BOE

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