Global Dollar Liquidity Shortage Explodes – Worse Than European Crisis

Very quietly, in the last few days, cross currency basis swaps (CCBS) related to the dollar have reversed their rise and started collapsing deeper into negative territory… again. This might not be of much interest to buyers of global equity markets at this point, but it is signalling ominous signs of growing funding stress in the financial ‘plumbing’.

As Bloomberg notes ‘cross-currency basis swaps, which money managers and corporate treasurers outside the U. S. can use to borrow in dollars, remain close to the widest levels since January even after quarter-end, when such financing strains typically dissipate. The market was a key indicator of stress during the financial crisis, and while it’s nowhere near the alarming levels of that era, it’s still garnering the attention of analysts.’

This post was published at Zero Hedge on Dec 15, 2017.