Sovereign Credit Default Swaps
: Market Developments and Factors behind Price Changes
April 2010
Junnosuke Shino, Kouji Takahashi
Financial Markets Department
This paper examines sovereign credit default swaps (CDSs), which have attracted attention since the emergence of the fiscal deficit problem in Greece, with particular focus on the expansion of the sovereign CDS market, the relationship between CDS premiums and fiscal risk variables, and the international co-movement of CDS premiums. The analysis reveals the following: (1) CDS transaction volume has recently expanded rapidly, mainly reflecting the significant increase in fiscal expenditure in some countries and the heightened awareness of European sovereign risk; (2) however, the degree of interrelation between CDS premiums and actual fiscal risk varies by country; and (3) concerns over sovereign risk in some continental European countries may have spilled over to other countries, as seen in the increase in the international co-movement of CDS premiums among major countries.
Notice
Bank of Japan Review is published by the Bank of Japan to explain recent economic and financial topics for a wide range of readers. This report, 2010-E-2, is a translation of the original Japanese issue, Bank of Japan Review Paper No. 2010-J-4, published in April 2010. The views expressed in the Review are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the Bank of Japan.
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