Template:Isda 6 comp

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Redlines


Discussion

Section 6(a)

Redlines


Discussion

No change in the {{{{{1}}}|Early Termination Date}} definition from 1992 ISDA to 2002 ISDA (no real surprise there) but the close-out methodology between the two versions, by which one works out what must be paid and by whom on an {{{{{1}}}|Early Termination Date}}, and which you are encouraged to follow in all its gory detail starting at Section {{{{{1}}}|6(a)}}, is really quite different, and notwithstanding the fact that the 2002 ISDA version was meant to address the many and varied complaints levelled by market practitioners at the 1992 ISDA we still find the 1992 version in use in the occasional market centred in unsophisticated rural backwaters like, oooh, I don’t know, New York.

Those with a keen eye will notice that, but for the title, Section 6(a) of the 2002 ISDA is the same as Section 6(a) of the 1992 ISDA and, really, not a million miles away from the svelte form of Section 6(a) in the 1987 ISDA — look on that as the Broadcaster to the 1992’s Telecaster. There is one key difference, though: the evolution of the {{{{{1}}}|Automatic Early Termination}} provision. And the 1987 ISDA saw no call to have a “Non-Defaulting Party”.

It has its own entire page — {{{{{1}}}|Automatic Early Termination}} — so we have refrained from discussing it here.

Section 6(b)

Between the 1987 ISDA and the 1992 ISDA the changes were very superficial, as this comparison demonstrates.

Between the 1992 ISDA and the 2002 ISDA, there was a but more re-engineering, largely to account for the new Force Majeure Event and some tidying up, but beyond that Section {{{{{1}}}|6(b)}} works in the same general way under the 1992 ISDA and 2002 ISDA. Here is a comparison of that.

Section 6(b)(i)

Template:Isda 6(b)(i) comp

Section 6(b)(ii)

Template:Isda 6(b)(ii) comp

Section 6(b)(iii)

Template:Isda 6(b)(iii) comp

Section 6(b)(iv)

Template:Isda 6(b)(iv) comp

Section 6(c)

The framers of the 2002 ISDA daringly changed a “shall” to a “will” in the final line. We approve, to be clear, but this is kind of out of character for ISDA’s crack drafting squad™. Otherwise, identical.

Section 6(d)

Broadly similar between the versions. Main differences are basic architectural ones (no definition of “Early Termination Amount” or “Close-out Amount” in the 1992 ISDA, for example), and the 2002 is a little more finicky, dealing with what to do if there are two Affected Parties, and also blithering on for a few lines about interest.

Section 6(e)

Redlines


Discussion

The 1987 ISDA was half-cocked and shambolic, and laboured under the wishful illusion that if the other guy blew up, even if he was in the money, it was kind of okay to just flip him the bird and walk off with a windfall (in the form of not owing him the money you like, actually owed him). Not cool these days. Once folks realised this wouldn’t fly from a netting perspective they tried to fix it in the 1992 ISDA, whose close-out methodology is truly hideous.

ISDA’s crack drafting squad™ overhauled whole close-out process, soup to nuts, in the 2002 ISDA, and is now much more straightforward — as far as you could ever say that about ISDA’s crack drafting squad™’s output. But a large part of the fanbase — that part west of Cabo da Roca — sticks with the 1992 ISDA. Odd.

Differences, in very brief:

The 1992 ISDA has the infamous Market Quotation and Loss measures of value, and the perennially-ignored First Method and the more sensible Second Method means of evaluating the termination value of terminated {{{{{1}}}|Transactions}}. The 2002 ISDA has just the Close-out Amount to cover everything. So while the 1992 ISDA is far more elaborate and over-engineered, this is not to deny that the 2002 ISDA is elaborate or over-engineeered.

The 2002 ISDA has a new Section 6(e)(iv) dealing with Adjustment for Illegality or Force Majeure Event. This wasn’t needed in the 1992 ISDA, which didn’t have Force Majeure Event at all, and a less sophisticated Illegality.