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Derivatives meaning

What does Derivatives mean?
Derivatives are contracts used to transfer or manage risk, whose value is determined by an underlying asset, interest rate, currency, index, commodity, security or credit event. Common types include futures, options, swaps (interest rate and currency), forwards and credit derivatives (such as credit default swaps), traded on exchanges or over the counter. Legally, derivatives create payment or delivery obligations calculated by reference to the underlying. They are typically documented under an ISDA Master Agreement with a Credit Support Annex for collateral, and depend on close-out netting upon default. Key issues include counterparty capacity and authority, governing law and jurisdiction, collateral and margin, set-off/netting, and insolvency treatment. For regulatory purposes the term is defined in the UK under FSMA, the Regulated Activities Order, onshored MiFID II and UK EMIR, and in Ireland under MiFID II and EMIR. These regimes govern authorisation and perimeter, marketing and dealing, reporting, central clearing, risk mitigation and margin for OTC derivatives. Usage and legal effect are broadly consistent across England & Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland, subject to post‑Brexit divergence between UK EMIR and EU EMIR.
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View the related Checklists about Derivatives

CHECKLISTS
Archived: UK FCA 2023 consultation papers tracker with deadlines and resulting Policy Statements, Handbook Notices, rules and guidance

ARCHIVED: This Practice Note is archived and is no longer maintained This tracker outlines the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) consultation papers issued in 2023, together with any subsequent rules and guidance. For FCA consultation papers from other years, see: FCA consultation paper trackers. For Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) papers from 2017 and Financial Services Authority (FSA) papers from 2008 to 2013, see: PRA consultation paper tracker [Archived] FSA consultation paper tracker [Archived] Regulation of capital markets CP23/33: Payments to data providers and forms for Data Reporting Services Providers, including Policy Statement for the framework for UK consolidated tape (CP23/15) The FCA has released consultation paper CP23/33. Responses are invited by 9 February 2024. Publication date: 20 December 2023. End of consultation: 9 February 2024. Policy Statement/Handbook Notice: Handbook Notice 117 (5 April 2024). CP23/32: Improving transparency for bond and derivatives markets The FCA has published consultation paper CP23/32, Improving...

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CHECKLISTS
Legal Entity Identifiers (LEIs) and the Global LEI System: Regulatory and Reporting Developments Timeline, 2019–2023 [Archived]

ARCHIVED : This Practice Note is archived and is no longer maintained. The LEI is a 20-character, alphanumeric identifier created by the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO). Under Article 5 of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/590, a Level 2 instrument under MiFID II, from 3 January 2018 firms carrying out transactions must hold a valid LEI at all times and ensure their LEI is used to identify them in transaction reports. For detail on this obligation, refer to Practice Note: EU MIFID II & MIFIR—Transaction Reporting. The Global LEI System High Level Principles and the FSB’s recommendations were issued in 2012 and received G20 endorsement...

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CHECKLISTS
UK EMIR 2024 onwards: timeline of reporting, clearing and intragroup reforms, CCP margin and trade repository guidance, and UK legislative updates

This timeline shows key developments relating to Assimilated Regulation (EU) 648/2012 (UK EMIR) from 2024 onwards For prior milestones, consult European Market Infrastructure Regulation (EMIR)—timeline [Archived]. 23 January 2026 — ISDA | UK Finance ISDA and UK Finance Respond to FCA and HMT Consultations The International Swaps and Derivatives Association (ISDA) and UK Finance filed joint submissions to a Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) consultation and an HM Treasury (HMT) draft statutory instrument, focused on simplifying the UK EMIR intragroup framework. The measures would create a permanent, streamlined intragroup regime under UK EMIR and codify, on an enduring basis, exemptions available under the temporary intragroup exemption. ISDA backs the approach and encourages additional simplifications. 11 December 2025 — BoE Consultation paper: Exempting post-trade risk reduction transactions from the clearing obligation The Bank of England (BoE) is seeking views on proposals to exclude trades executed as part of a post-trade risk reduction service from the derivatives clearing obligation set out in Article 4 of UK...

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View the related News about Derivatives

NEWS
EU competition litigation update: Livronsa Euribor reference; General Court orders in Feralpi and Kingspan; State aid appeals on Swedish CCS auction and Madeira scheme; trackers and calendar (22 April 2025)

Antitrust The application in Case C-60/25 Livronsa has now been published, an Italian national reference asking whether national courts must regard the Euribor manipulation evidence confirmed by the Commission and the Court of Justice as conclusive, and whether the ensuing competition restriction applies only to the derivatives market or instead to all markets that use the manipulated Euribor benchmark—see also the application The General Court has recently issued an order in Case T-413/21 Feralpi v Commission, an action lodged against the Commission for failing to pay Default Interest as required by the General Court in Cases C-85/15 Feralpi v Commission...

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NEWS
EU competition law daily briefing: Article 101 probe into Deutsche Börse–Nasdaq derivatives; merger clearances (ADIT/Bpifrance; Prima Assicurazioni/AXA–Neurone); €700m Spanish clean-tech State aid; upcoming dates

Antitrust Commission launches Article 101 investigation in derivatives markets The Commission has opened a probe under Article 101 TFEU into possible coordination involving Deutsche Börse and Nasdaq Inc concerning the listing, trading and clearing of financial derivatives markets across the EEA (Case AT.40945)...

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NEWS
Corporate weekly briefing: FCA capital markets reforms and listing regime updates; EU CSDDD and ESRS implementation; Takeover Appeal Board ruling on MWB Group (1 August 2024)

In this issue: Equity capital markets Corporate governance Public company takeovers (Offers) Daily and weekly news alerts New and updated content Dates for your diary Trackers New Q&As Useful information Equity capital markets FCA publishes consultations and policy statement aimed at capital markets reform The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has unveiled a suite of measures intended to reinforce the UK’s capital markets. These include: a consultation on proposed rules to create the new Public Offers and Admissions to Trading Regime (POATRs), which will replace the current UK Prospectus Regulation; a consultation setting out proposals for a new activity of operating a public offer platform; and a consultation on derivatives trading obligations designed to improve secondary market regulation, cut systemic risk and minimise disruption for firms. The package also contains policy statement PS24/9, Payment Optionality for Investment Research. See: LNB News 26/07/2024 25. FCA publishes updated checklists and forms following implementation of UK...

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View the related Practice Notes about Derivatives

PRACTICE NOTES
ISDA Master Agreements (1992/2002) and Schedules: Single Agreement, Flawed Asset, Close-out Netting, Representations, Events of Default, Termination, Tax, Undertakings, Governing Law and Jurisdiction

What does this Practice Note cover? This Practice Note outlines the principal provisions that apply to both the 1992 ISDA Master Agreement (Multicurrency—Cross Border) (the 1992 Agreement) and the 2002 ISDA Master Agreement (the 2002 Agreement), together with their accompanying schedules. Unless indicated otherwise, any reference here to the master agreements (the ISDA master agreement) should be read as a reference to both the 1992 and 2002 Agreements. For a comparison of the two forms, see Practice Note: ISDA documentation—comparison of the 1992 and 2002 master agreements; for the broader ISDA documentation framework, see Practice Note: Derivatives—ISDA documentation framework. The key concepts underpinning the ISDA master agreement The ISDA master agreement rests on three core concepts, outlined briefly below: single agreement flawed asset close-out netting Single agreement Under ISDA’s documentation architecture, every derivative transaction between a pair of counterparties is captured under one overarching agreement (implemented through multiple layers of documentation), as provided in Section 1(c) of the...

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PRACTICE NOTES
Euro interest rate derivatives cartel: EU General Court upholds HSBC Article 101 infringement but annuls fine for insufficient reasons in calculation; clarifies scope of single and continuous infringement

CASE HUB NOTE—appeal lodged before the Court of Justice in Cases C-806/19 P and C-883/19 P ARCHIVED —this archived case hub records the state of play as at the judgment dated 24 September 2019; it is no longer maintained. See further: timeline and relevant/related cases. Case facts Outline: Appeal brought before the General Court challenging the Commission’s decision of 7 December 2016, which found infringements and levied fines on three banks that did not settle, due to their involvement in a cartel in the Euro interest rate derivatives (EIRD) market (Case AT.39914). Latest developments On 24 September 2019, the General Court delivered its judgment, largely confirming the Commission’s conclusion that HSBC Holdings plc took part in a single and continuous infringement of Article 101(1) TFEU. Nonetheless, the General Court set aside the fine imposed on HSBC Holdings plc because the Commission provided ‘insufficient reasons’ for the methodology used to calculate that penalty...

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PRACTICE NOTES
Using OTC derivatives to hedge risks in lending transactions: interest rate, currency and commodity swaps, counterparties and costs

The most common reasons for entering into derivatives are for the purposes of: Speculation — when a party seeks exposure to a given variable, for example taking a view on a commodity’s future price on the assumption it will rise or fall over a chosen period Hedging — aiming to offset exposure to the risk of an unfavourable shift in a variable, or to stabilise expected outcomes over time Arbitrage — seeking to take advantage of price discrepancies (between markets, or within the same market over time) to earn profit or cut costs, or where one participant can reach a price or market unavailable to another, including where prices differ over time Exposure to asset classes — obtaining access to a target market (eg commodities, shares, property) without incurring the expense, complexity and formalities associated with those markets, avoiding the same costs and complications Derivatives are commonly used alongside lending arrangements for hedging purposes in practice. In this context, the primary...

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View the related Precedents about Derivatives

PRECEDENTS
Form of Notice Designating Early Termination Date after Credit or Tax Event Upon Merger or Additional Termination Event (Burdened Party not Affected) under the 2002 ISDA Master Agreement

Notice designating an Early Termination Date following a Credit Event Upon Merger/Additional Termination Event/Tax Event Upon Merger where Burdened Party is not Affected Party [ Insert Lead-in Language ] We hereby give notice that the following matters have occurred: [ Set out, with an appropriate level of specificity, the facts and circumstances that result in the Credit Event Upon Merger/Additional Termination Event/Tax Event Upon Merger in which the Burdened Party is not the Affected Party, and identify the Affected Transactions. Your explanation should be detailed enough and expressly linked to the relevant wording of Section 5(b) or the Additional Termination Event provision so that the counterparty can reasonably understand the basis for your determination. ]...

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PRECEDENTS
Precedent notice designating an Early Termination Date after an Event of Default under the 1992 ISDA Master Agreement, with example descriptions for Section 5(a) defaults and Automatic Early Termination

Notice designating an Early Termination Date following an Event of Default [ Insert Lead-In Language ] An Event of Default under the Agreement has arisen with respect to you in relation to: Section 5(a)(i) (Failure to Pay or Deliver) Section 5(a)(ii) (Breach of Agreement) Section 5(a)(iii) (Credit Support Default) Section 5(a)(iv) (Misrepresentation) Section 5(a)(v) (Default under Specified Transaction) Section 5(a)(vi) (Cross Default) Section 5(a)(vii) (Bankruptcy) Section 5(a)(viii) (Merger Without Assumption) The particulars of the Event of Default are set out below: [ Insert description of the relevant Event of Default, see Exhibits to this template notice for examples of descriptions of different Events of Default under the Agreement ] Where Bankruptcy has occurred and Automatic Early Termination applies: Automatic Early Termination has been specified as applicable to you in the Schedule to the Agreement, and the circumstances described above constitute an Event of Default under Section 5(a)(vii) [ (1)/(3)/(4)/(5)/(6) ] [ or, to the extent...

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PRECEDENTS
Precedent: Notice designating Early Termination Date following an Illegality Termination Event under the 1992 ISDA Master Agreement (Multicurrency—Cross-Border)

[ Insert Lead-in Language ] Illegality Termination Event We hereby refer to our notice dated [ insert date ] (the ' Original Notice ') formally notifying you of the occurrence of an Illegality Termination Event. If Party A is the sole Affected Party and Section 5(b)(i)(1) applies: In accordance with Section 6(b)(ii) of the Agreement, we have employed all reasonable endeavours (not requiring us to bear any loss, save for immaterial, incidental expenses) to, within 20 days from the date on which the Original Notice became effective, diligently transfer all of our rights and obligations under the Agreement in respect of the Affected Transactions to another of our Offices or Affiliates so that the Illegality Termination Event no longer subsists...

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