Transparency in Credit Default Swap Markets
Over-the-counter derivatives markets, and credit default swap markets in particular, were cast into the limelight during the recent financial crisis and have been criticized as being opaque and lacking transparency. Given the large notional size of OTC transactions and the role played by credit derivatives during the crisis, this has raised concerns among regulators, who have been calling for increased transparency in OTC markets and, in particular, in credit default swap markets.
This paper from ISDA provides an inventory of existing forms of transparency in CDS markets and discuss methods that may be used to increase transparency as well as their benefits and costs.