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 - Swaps tightened sharply across the European Financials complex last week. The biggest movers were in Greece, Italy, Germany and Spain. The Greek banks have posted impressive M/M moves, dropping by an average of 238 bps in just the last four weeks. Outside of Greece, the only EU bank that is still trading above our so-called "Lehman line" (+300 bps) is Sberbank of Russia.

European Banking Monitor: CDS Tightens Broadly Across Europe  - bank cds.1

Sovereign CDS – Sovereign swaps were tighter around the world last week. Italy, Spain and Portugal lead the charge lower, dropping by 24, 19 and 26 bps, respectively.

European Banking Monitor: CDS Tightens Broadly Across Europe  - sovereign cds. 2

European Banking Monitor: CDS Tightens Broadly Across Europe  - sovereign cds.3

European Banking Monitor: CDS Tightens Broadly Across Europe  - sovereign cds.4

Euribor-OIS Spread – 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. The Euribor-OIS spread tightened by 2 bps to 13 bps. 

European Banking Monitor: CDS Tightens Broadly Across Europe  - euribor OIS spread.5

Matthew Hedrick

Associate