Financial Stability Paper No. 29
By David Murphy, Michalis Vasios and Nick Vause
The initial margin requirements for a portfolio of derivatives are typically calculated using a risk model. Common risk models are procyclical: margin requirements for the same portfolio are higher in times of market stress and lower in calm markets. This procyclicality can cause liquidity stress whereby parties posting margin have to find additional liquid assets, often at just the times when it is most difficult for them to do so. Hence regulation has recognised that, subject to being adequately risk sensitive, margin models should not be ‘overly’ procyclical. There is, however, no standard definition of procyclicality.
An investigation into the procyclicality of risk-based initial margin models