Rivalry between Paris and London could jeopardise Europe's competitiveness in the vast "over-the-counter" derivatives markets, France's stock market regulator has warned.Jean-Pierre Jouyet, chairman of the Autorité des Marchés Financiers, the French regulator, told the FT that disagreement between the two countries over how to regulate trading in these complex products could hinder a European solution and drive business to the US."In the US they have seen the threat. They are creating centralised clearing houses. But in Europe we are not there because there is disagreement between Paris, London and Frankfurt," he said. London had "to accept that Paris has a role" in clearing trades in euro-denominated derivatives, while Frankfurt was more neutral in the debate.
Jean-Pierre Jouyet, chairman of the Autorité des Marchés Financiers, the French regulator, told the FT that disagreement between the two countries over how to regulate trading in these complex products could hinder a European solution and drive business to the US.
"In the US they have seen the threat. They are creating centralised clearing houses. But in Europe we are not there because there is disagreement between Paris, London and Frankfurt," he said. London had "to accept that Paris has a role" in clearing trades in euro-denominated derivatives, while Frankfurt was more neutral in the debate.
We don't, they're just concern-trolling... The peak-to-trough part of the business cycle is an outlier. Carnot would have died laughing.
These trades will continue. Since that is the case, they should have a mechanism for avoiding the dangerous parts of them, making them more transparent and making certain that the parties involved can't rig the system.
Having a clearing mechanism seems to fit part of these requirement. I don't know enough to say whether this is true or not, but it seems a good start.
It seems that London hesitates to put any dampers on the freewheeling, while Paris insists that something needs to be done, and Frankfort wouldn't give enough support to either to break the deadlock ...meaning that nothing has been done ...and meaning that traders will go through the now sanctified and user-cuddly trade mechanisms of the US.
If your argument is that there should be no derivatives or trade in them, that's a different argument I suppose...in which I would stand on your side. Never underestimate their intelligence, always underestimate their knowledge.
Frank Delaney ~ Ireland
