Below are key European banking risk monitors, which are included as part of Josh Steiner and the Financial team's "Monday Morning Risk Monitor".  If you'd like to receive the work of the Financials team or request a trial please email .

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European Financial CDS - Bank swaps were narrowly tighter across Europe last week with negative divergences in Italy and Greece. 

European Banking Monitor: Negative Divergences in Italy and Greece - vv. banks

Sovereign CDS – Sovereign swaps were mostly uneventful last week with two exceptions. Portugal widened by 73 bps to 474 bps, while Japan tightened by 5 bps to 73 bps. All other major markets were unchanged.

European Banking Monitor: Negative Divergences in Italy and Greece - vv.sov1

European Banking Monitor: Negative Divergences in Italy and Greece - vv.sov2

European Banking Monitor: Negative Divergences in Italy and Greece - vv.sov3

Euribor-OIS Spread – The Euribor-OIS spread widened by 1 bps to 12 bps. The Euribor-OIS spread (the difference between the euro interbank lending rate and overnight indexed swaps) measures bank counterparty risk in the Eurozone. The OIS is analogous to the effective Fed Funds rate in the United States.  Banks lending at the OIS do not swap principal, so counterparty risk in the OIS is minimal.  By contrast, the Euribor rate is the rate offered for unsecured interbank lending.  Thus, the spread between the two isolates counterparty risk. 

European Banking Monitor: Negative Divergences in Italy and Greece - vv.euribor ois

ECB Liquidity Recourse to the Deposit Facility – Deposits rose by 11.5 billion Euros last week. The ECB Liquidity Recourse to the Deposit Facility measures banks’ overnight deposits with the ECB.  Taken in conjunction with excess reserves, the ECB deposit facility measures excess liquidity in the Euro banking system.  An increase in this metric shows that banks are borrowing from the ECB.  In other words, the deposit facility measures one element of the ECB response to the crisis.  

European Banking Monitor: Negative Divergences in Italy and Greece - vv.facility