Contagion in derivatives markets

Mark Paddrick, Sriram Rajan and H. Peyton Young

LSE Research Online Documents on Economics from London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library

Abstract: A major credit shock can induce large intraday variation margin payments between counterparties in derivatives markets, which may force some participants to default on their payments. These payment shortfalls become amplified as they cascade through the network of exposures. Using detailed Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation data, we model the full network of exposures, shock-induced payments, initial margin collected, and liquidity buffers for about 900 firms operating in the U.S. credit default swaps market. We estimate the total amount of contagion, the marginal contribution of each firm to contagion, and the number of defaulting firms for a systemic shock to credit spreads. A novel feature of the model is that it allows for a range of behavioral responses to balance sheet stress, including delayed or partial payments. The model provides a framework for analyzing the relative effectiveness of different policy options, such as increasing margin requirements or mandating greater liquidity reserves.

Keywords: financial networks; contagion; stress testing; credit default swaps (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: F3 G3 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 14 pages
Date: 2020-08
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-rmg
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (20)

Published in Management Science, August, 2020, 66(8), pp. 3603 - 3616. ISSN: 0025-1909

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ehl:lserod:100868

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