Brussels launches probe into swaps

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Series Details 30.4.11
Publication Date 30/04/2011
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The European Commission opened two antitrust investigations concerning the Credit Default Swaps market on the 29 April 2011.

CDS are financial instruments meant to protect investors in the event a company or State they have invested in default on their payments. They are also used as speculative tools.

In the first case, the Commission will examine whether 16 investment banks and Markit, the leading provider of financial information in the CDS market, have colluded and/or may hold and abuse a dominant position in order to control the financial information on CDS. If proven such behaviour would be a violation of EU antitrust rules.

In the second case, the Commission opened proceedings against 9 of the banks and ICE Clear Europe, the leading clearing house for CDS. Here, the Commission will investigate in particular whether the preferential tariffs granted by ICE to the 9 banks have the effect of locking them in the ICE system to the detriment of competitors.

Related Links
EurActiv, 29.4.11: EU hits banks with CDS anti-trust probe http://www.euractiv.com/euro-finance/eu-hits-banks-cds-anti-trust-pro-news-504426
European Commission: RAPID: Press Release, IP/11/509: Antitrust: Commission probes Credit Default Swaps market http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/11/509&format=PDF&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en
ESO: Background information: EU battle ahead over CDS ban proposal http://www.europeansources.info/record/eu-battle-ahead-over-cds-ban-proposal-eu-considers-uncovered-cds-compromise-deal/
EUObserver, 29.4.11: Brussels open anti-trust probes into 16 of world's biggest investment banks http://euobserver.com/9/32243
Deutsche Welle, 29.4.11: EU targets 16 banks in credit default swap probe http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,15039519,00.html

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