Template:M summ 2018 CSD 13(h): Difference between revisions

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You should not be surprised to hear this should be, more or less, ''when the {{imcsdprov|Chargor}} has actually defaulted and been closed out, the Early Termination Amount calculated, been found to be owed by the {{imcsdprov|Chargor}}, and the {{imcsdprov|Chargor}} having failed to pay it '' — and, really, the control of secured collateral held subject to a “{{imcsdprov|Control Agreement}}” would ordinarily be most suitably dealt ''by that {{imcsdprov|Control Agreement}}''. The clue, surely, is in the name? Well, the {{imcsd}} does its own job or determining when this would be — it does a ''horrible'' job of it, truth be told, but it is a job — so (anecdotally) the market-standard {{imcsdprov|Control Agreement}}s all tend to defer to the {{imcsdprov|Secured Party Rights Event}} as determined under the {{imcsd}}. So here we are.
You should not be surprised to hear this should be, more or less, ''when the {{imcsdprov|Chargor}} has actually defaulted and been closed out, the Early Termination Amount calculated, been found to be owed by the {{imcsdprov|Chargor}}, and the {{imcsdprov|Chargor}} having failed to pay it '' — and, really, the control of secured collateral held subject to a “{{imcsdprov|Control Agreement}}” would ordinarily be most suitably dealt ''by that {{imcsdprov|Control Agreement}}''. The clue, surely, is in the name? Well, the {{imcsd}} does its own job or determining when this would be — it does a ''horrible'' job of it, truth be told, but it is a job — so (anecdotally) the market-standard {{imcsdprov|Control Agreement}}s all tend to defer to the {{imcsdprov|Secured Party Rights Event}} as determined under the {{imcsd}}. So here we are.


===What did they achieve? An unholy mess===
===What ''did'' they achieve?===
Until the {{isdama}} has been fully closed out and the {{isdaprov|Early Termination Amount}} that is, the total amount due following termination and valuation of all {{isdaprov|Transaction}}s following the default — determined, you don’t definitively know what you are owed — even ''if'' you are owed anything: only one party to an {{isdama}} can be owed something, remember — so until then, what business have you got appropriating the {{imcsdprov|Initial Margin}}? Nor do you have any credit risk over it: it is held at a third party and [[secured]] in your favour. ''Cool your jets''.
An unholy mess.  The starting point —  crafted by [[sell-side]]-influenced squad{{tm}}, endeavours to match the ''regulatory'' margin regime as closely as possible to the broker-imposed ''contractual'' initial margin regime.  But — and say what you like about the wisdom of regulation-enforced bilateral initial margin bilateral, regulation enforced initial margin is a different prospect altogether. We suppose the squad may have been in some denial about this, and the worldwide community of regulators may have been in some denial that the sell-side would be in denial about it, too. But for the record, here are the differences:
# '''It is bilateral''': Contractual margin tends not to be: the brokers require their customers to provide it. The customers don’t ask for it from brokers.
# '''It is [[title transfer]]''':<ref>Or there is a wide-ranging right of [[reuse]], which makes it ''effectively'' title transfer.</ref> Therefore, whoever holds initial margin generally has it, to use as it sees fit, at all times. Where initial margin is posted away to a third party custodian with expressly ''no'' right of reuse, things are different.
# '''It is held in [[safekeeping]] by a third party''': Again, if you don’t hold the margin, you can’t reuse it, are not meant to be able raise funds against it, it does not secure present [[indebtedness]],<ref>Okay, this is true of all initial margin. But where you don’t even hold it, there should not be the temptation, you know?</ref> it is there purely as a credit default mitigant.


But that event by our read, a “Failure to Pay Early Termination Amount” isn’t even the default value for a {{imcsdprov|Secured Party Rights Event}}: rather, it is one of a tangled menu of alternatives.
That starting point, therefore “an {{isdaprov|Early Termination Date}} in respect of all {{isdaprov|Transaction}}s has occurred or been designated as the result of an {{isdaprov|Event of Default}} or {{imcsdprov|Access Condition}} with respect to the {{imcsdprov|Chargor}}” is one buy-side counsel are unlikely to like, as it allow a {{imcsdprov|Secured Party}} to spring {{imcsdprov|Posted Credit Support (IM)}} ''out'' of the {{imcsdprov|Custodian}}’s possession at an arbitrary date at which time you do not know whether you are even owed anything. You don’t even know whether you are owed anything ''on'' the {{isdaprov|Early Termination Date}} for that matter (and since it is bilateral, nor, really should [[sell-side]] [[legal eagle]]s like it, either).
 
''Or'' you can elect to let your {{imcsdprov|Control Agreement}} govern.
===What would the JC suggest?===
If you can resist the urge to fire them at ISDA’s headquarters, you can damn the torpedoes and take the [[JC]]’s recommendation, as discussed below.