ML-Implode News - Negative Swap Rates Wreck Hedging in Blow for Japan Loan Demand

"Interest-rate swaps aren't functioning properly" as hedging tools, saidÂ Satoshi Oda, the head of the syndication department at Credit Agricole SA in Tokyo. "Without swaps, banks will have trouble making floating-rate loans and will need to extend fixed-rate loans, but most banks don't like lending at fixed rates, so they're becoming hesitant about making new loans."
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When companies take out such loans, they often enter into a derivative deal to hedge, agreeing to pay the fixed swap rate in return for a floating-rate payment that protects them if borrowing costs rise. However, while loan deals stipulate that repayment rates won't be negative, depriving companies of that benefit, swap transactions do allow for negative payments, meaning the hedger could wind up exposed to risks in both the swap and loan market.

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Negative Swap Rates Wreck Hedging in Blow for Japan Loan Demand