Being September 15 and thus entering the final two weeks of the quarter, it seems appropriate to review all the liquidity bottlenecks (or at least the symptoms of them). Since GC repo rates found themselves retracing the end of Q1 at the end of Q2, it feels appropriate to start there. As you might expect, the repo rates thus far [...]
Just a couple of noteworthy prices/developments around the close: 1. Repo rates have come back down, with the GC rates yesterday below IOER for the first time in 16 trading sessions (MBS). Volume in MBS has been quite light recently, with UST volume making up the difference. I can’t see any particular reason for such a marginal shift except the [...]
The S&P/LSTA Leveraged Loan 100 was updated this weekend through August 13, confirming that market values in those “liquid” names fell below the December 16 levels for the worst prices since before QE3. There isn’t any further information on the reasons for the delay, though revisions to the BofAML High Yield indices suggest an answer. On Friday, the CCC and [...]
On this side of “dollar” funding, risk continues to drain, steadily, but rather methodical about it. While China is taking most of the attention, deservedly, credit markets are not enthused about any of what has taken place. Again, I think that is more the yuan’s relation to the “dollar” than of anything else interpreted for or about the PBOC. It [...]
Given the outward expression of the “dollar” in various proxies, it is not surprising to see the inward development continue in the same pattern. Interbank rates and estimates are in many cases surging, particularly in the second half of July which matches the acceleration in the outward projections. This direction is nearly uniform, which confirms that the latest “dollar” problems [...]
Repo rates absolutely surged at month-end, LIBOR jumped a few more basis points and the eurodollar curve is bid almost everywhere in large chunks. Commodities continue to get smashed, especially crude oil, and currencies are devaluing in almost equally large portions. Even the treasury market is somewhat sporting the tell-tale collateral calls. In short, the “dollar” problems continue into this [...]
Having past the fifteenth of the month, the first month in the new quarter, the repo “cycle” for the quarter end has completed. Repo rates have followed almost exactly the same pattern as three months earlier, pivoting on both the quarter end and the 15th each time. This is not just unusual, it shouldn’t happen. Compared with other quarter-end periods, [...]
At this point, no commentary is necessary though I will point out that repo volume in MBS (through DTCC) is very heavy of late. The 7-day average is the highest since March 4, 2013.
Repo rates made an almost perfect recapitulation, with MBS GC jumping to 28 bps and UST at 24.1 bps. Those July 15 fixes compare to MBS of 27.1 bps on April 15 and UST at 25.6 bps. The remarkable recurrence is all the more remarkable with figures now for the 15th. This might be as close to being able to [...]
With Greece settled and China moving away, for now at least, from the edge, it appears as if the “dollar” has settled back from the collateral calls of last week. That would make July 15 as seemingly as much of a dud as April 15 was, both in sharp contrast to October 15 and then January 15. That does not [...]
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