Evaluate the Credit Default Swaps

Question: Explain how derivatives are used by the investment bankers and critically evaluate the Credit Default Swaps (CDS) and systemic risk. Answer: Derivatives are contract, the value of which is derived from the asset that is underlying. The underlying asset may be in the nature of stock, market index, security, etc. The investments bankers use derivatives to take a position and hedge the position accordingly. The position is hedged through the tools like options, forwards, future, and swaps. The investment banker buys an asset and sells it through a futures contract (Teoh, 2009). The investment banker that leads to a better opportunity takes arbitrage opportunity. Credit Default Swap It is an agreement of financial swap that the CDS seller will pay the buyer if the default happens in case of a loan. The CDS buyer makes a payment series to the seller and in this regard gets a payoff of the default happens. The existence of CDS can be traced to 1990 and its use has increased after 2003. It is not traded on the stock exchange and needs no reporting of any transactions to the government (Teoh, 2009). CDS data is of great use as financial professionals, regulators, as well as media to evaluate how the market takes a stand of credit risk on which a CDS is available can use it. A CDS can even be unsecured in nature and will carry a higher risk for a default (Zhang, 2005). The International Swaps and Derivatives Association document most CDS utilizing the standard formats that are drafted. Systemic Risk Systemic risk is the risk of collapse of a total financial system or entire market as contrast to the risk associated with any single entity, component, or a group. This risk can be stated as the instability of the financial system, potential harm, events in financial intermediaries. Moreover, it reflects the risk that is imposed by interlinkages in a total system (Zhang, 2005). It is inherent in the system and hence termed as systematic risk. References Teoh, M 2009, Does Size Matter in the Hedge Fund Industry?, SSRN Working Paper. Zhang, L 2005, The Value Premium, Journal of Finance, vol. 60, pp. 67à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ 103.