OCC Q1 Report on Bank Derivatives Activities (pdf). Click to enlarge. The pdf is rather instructive. Take a peek. Maturity of these contracts range 2 mo - 5 years.

Notice Wells Fargo-Wachovia combined exposure is tiny be comparison (< 1%) to the top 3 "core banks." That's good and bad headline news. On one hand, derivatives trading was 4% of Wachovia gross Q1 and trending higher Q2. On the other, combined, the merger may be insufficiently capitalized to settle. Could be their positions net zero, everyone goes home relieved though.

Migeru posted an article here about notional value.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.