Joint Statement on Opportunistic Strategies in the Credit Derivatives Market

June 24, 2019

Washington, DC and London, UK – U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Chairman J. Christopher Giancarlo, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman Jay Clayton, and U.K. Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) Chief Executive Andrew Bailey issued the following joint statement regarding the credit derivatives markets:

”The continued pursuit of various opportunistic strategies in the credit derivatives markets, including but not limited to those that have been referred to as ‘manufactured credit events,’ may adversely affect the integrity, confidence and reputation of the credit derivatives markets, as well as markets more generally.  These opportunistic strategies raise various issues under securities, derivatives, conduct and antifraud laws, as well as public policy concerns.”

As a result, today the Chairmen and Chief Executive of our respective agencies announce that the agencies will make collaborative efforts to prioritize the exploration of avenues, including industry input which will address these concerns and foster transparency, accountability, integrity, good conduct and investor protection in these markets.  These collaborative efforts would not, of course, preclude other appropriate actions by our respective agencies or authority.