ECB: Results of the survey on credit terms and conditions in euro-denominated securities financing and OTC derivatives markets

25 January 2017

Credit terms offered to counterparties in the provision of finance collateralised by euro-denominated securities and in OTC derivatives markets became somewhat less favourable for banks and dealers and for hedge funds, but remained basically unchanged for other counterparty types.

Regarding the provision of finance collateralised by euro-denominated securities, survey respondents indicated that credit terms such as the maximum amount of funding, the maximum maturity of funding and haircuts had remained basically unchanged. A small net percentage of respondents indicated less favourable financing rates/spreads offered to clients using government, sub-national and supranational bonds as collateral. The liquidity and functioning of markets for the underlying collateral (as opposed to the securities financing market itself) deteriorated over the three-month reference period for all types of government, sub-national and supranational bond, continuing the significant deterioration in liquidity and functioning reported by survey respondents since mid-2015.

Respondents reported that initial margin requirements had increased for all types of non-centrally cleared euro-denominated OTC derivatives contract over the reference period, partly owing to new requirements to exchange initial margin. Regarding non-price changes in new and renegotiated OTC derivatives master agreements, responses indicated less favourable conditions in relation to margin call practices, acceptable collateral, covenants and triggers, and other documentation features.

Banks reported a decrease in their market-making activities for debt securities and derivatives over the past year. Respondents’ confidence in their ability to act as a market-maker in times of stress was relatively strong for derivatives, government bonds and covered bonds. Their confidence in their ability to act as a market-maker in times of stress was, however, decidedly weaker for the other asset classes covered by the survey.

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