Banks Brace for ‘Big Bang’ Switch on $80 Trillion Worth of Swaps
William Shaw, Liz Capo McCormick and Tasos Vossos Thu, October 15, 2020
(Bloomberg) -- It’s being called the “big bang,” and it has derivatives traders on high alert.
In a critical development in the global shift away from old benchmarks that was triggered by Libor’s shortcomings, interest-rate swaps on more than $80 trillion in notional debt will transition this weekend to a new rate for determining their value.
While the switch to the secured overnight financing rate, or SOFR, is expected to boost longer-term liquidity in the new benchmark, it also is fueling concerns about unruly price action because it is expected to trigger the sale of swaps on tens of billions of dollars of debt.
“The big bang is one of the most important steps in the Libor transition,” said Marcus Burnett, director of SOFR Academy, an education technology firm whose clients include banks and asset managers. “We expect rates desks from the largest banks in New York to be participating.”
The reset, which will see SOFR replace the effective federal funds rate in calculations that value swaps, is part of a push to make SOFR a standard U.S. reference rate in debt and derivatives markets. SOFR is intended to replace dollar Libor, which still underpins hundreds of trillions of dollars of assets such as mortgages in the U.S. and syndicated loans in Asia. The big bang follows a smaller-scale pivot in Europe this July, a less-complicated switch that occurred without much impact on the market.
Interest rate swaps allow two parties to trade one stream of payments for another, over a set period of time. The most common variety, known as a vanilla swap, involves exchanging payments from a fixed rate for payments from an adjustable rate that is based on Libor or some other reference rate. Another kind, known as a basis swap, involves two adjustable rates.
While SOFR has struggled to gain traction since its introduction in 2018, analysts say the upcoming big bang has already triggered a shift toward more trading in SOFR-linked swaps.
This could help pave the way for a curve that reflects expectations for where the rate will be in the future, addressing one of the new benchmark’s key weaknesses. The big bang “will have a very, very good impact on liquidity,” said Jason Granet, chief Libor transition officer at Goldman Sachs Group Inc.
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Central Banks Buy Gold at Fastest Pace Since 2024, WGC Says
Jack Ryan Tue, November 3, 2026
(Bloomberg) -- Central banks bought gold at the fastest pace since the end of 2024 in the third quarter, even as the metal faced pressure from higher oil prices and interest rates.
The institutions accumulated a net 321 tons in the three months through September, the World Gold Council said in a report on Tuesday. After a slow start to 2026, that brought the estimate for year-to-date buying to 675 tons, slightly ahead of the same period a year earlier.
How Wall Street Analysts Think The Midterms Could Affect The Stock Market
By Mary Cunningham November 3, 2026 CBS News
The midterm elections could reshape Congress as lawmakers grapple with persistent inflation, high energy prices and rising fiscal debt. For investors, by contrast, the political outcome could deliver a boost.
Data from financial firm Edward Jones shows that the S&P 500 stock index rose an average of 1.7% in the month after the last 14 midterm races, dating back to 1970. In the six months following midterm elections, S&P returns averaged 15.5%.
Stern Drew: Warren Buffet Warns that the US Dollar is on the Brink of Collapse
11-3-2026
WARREN BUFFET WARNS THAT THE US DOLLAR IS ON THE BRINK OF TOTAL COLLAPSE
He’s sitting on a record $380 BILLION IN CASH, not investing a single dollar because he says the stock market has turned into a CHURCH WITH A CASINO ATTACHED and he no longer understands what’s happening.
“I understand fewer of the businesses as a percentage of the whole than I did 10 years ago.”
Oil Rebounds After Reported US Strike On Qeshm
2026-11-03 Shafaq News Oil prices edged up on Tuesday after a report that the United States had struck Iran's Qeshm Island, raising concerns about an escalation of the eight-month conflict and prolonged disruptions to Middle East oil supplies.
US West Texas Intermediate crude was up 20 cents, or 0.21%, at $96.66 a barrel while Brent crude futures rose 3 cents, or 0.03%, to $104.8 a barrel by 0355 GMT.
Good Afternoon Dinar Recaps,
GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY RESET WATCH: CHINA WARNS AI INVESTMENT BOOM IS BECOMING TOO CONCENTRATED
China’s financial regulator warns that the rapid flow of capital into artificial intelligence could increase financial risks while making it harder for traditional industries to obtain the funding they need to grow.
TNT:
Tishwash: International Trade Centre: Iraq is qualified to become a regional hub for trade and investment.
The Executive Director of the International Trade Centre, Pamela Cooke Hamilton, confirmed that the Iraqi government is committed to accelerating the procedures for joining the World Trade Organization, expressing her hope that the membership requirements will be completed by 2028. While revealing a proposal to prepare a national strategy for trade and investment, she stressed that Iraq is qualified to become a regional center for trade and investment.
Hamilton said during her appearance on the “Economic Dinar” program on Al-Iraqiya News Channel, which was followed by the Iraqi News Agency:
Ariel: Redenomination, Revaluation, New Rate, Forex Market all Can Happen at the Same Time
11-3-2026
Iraq Field Report: The Play By Play (The Calm Under Palm Trees)
Drawing Attention To The Course of Action Taken By The Prime Minister
Let me pull the veil back on what’s actually happening in Baghdad right now, because the mainstream financial press is about as useful as a chocolate teapot when it comes to reading the tea leaves of Iraqi monetary policy.
Reset Intelligence: Iran Moves After a Nuclear Warning.
By Reset Intelligence | @EXIT_FIAT
On Sunday evening, Eastern time, Tucker Carlson told his followers the Trump administration "may be within days of launching a nuclear strike on Iran." The post has been viewed over 80 million times. None of it is confirmed, and the White House would not comment on military plans.
Within a day Iran's president said the supreme leader had given the government powers to pursue a diplomatic way out. On Monday Trump wrote: "Iran wants a settlement, as soon as possible. It could happen!" Oil fell 7.6%, its biggest drop since July.
International Trade Centre: Iraq Is Qualified To Become A Regional Hub For Trade And Investment
The Executive Director of the International Trade Centre, Pamela Cooke Hamilton, affirmed the Iraqi government’s commitment to accelerating the procedures for joining the World Trade Organization, expressing her hope that the membership requirements would be completed by 2028. She also revealed a proposal to prepare a national strategy for trade and investment, noting that Iraq possesses the potential to become a regional center for trade and investment.
Good Morning Dinar Recaps,
GLOBAL ENERGY RESET WATCH: IRAN OFFERS TO REOPEN STRAIT OF HORMUZ AS NUCLEAR TALKS COULD RESUME
Iran says it could reopen the Strait of Hormuz and restart nuclear negotiations with the United States within two days if Washington accepts its conditions, but no agreement has been reached.
How Wars And Geopolitical Conflicts Can Affect Stock Market Performance: What History Shows And How Investors Can Prepare For Volatility
Investment strategy Sergei Klebnikov Editorial Staff, J.P. Morgan Wealth Management
* Geopolitical conflicts can drive short-term market volatility, but history shows the initial sell-off is often more about uncertainty than a lasting change in long-term returns.
*The biggest risk to watch is whether the conflict disrupts critical supply chains in ways that spill into inflation, financial conditions, corporate earnings and broader economic growth – energy is one common channel, but not the only one.
Dinar Update: Interesting Week Ahead...
The Dinar Den: 11-2-2026
The landscape of international currency investment is often filled with a mixture of anticipation and uncertainty, particularly when it comes to the Iraqi Dinar.
Recently, Stephen, a seasoned entrepreneur and host of the popular channel The Dinar Den, shared a comprehensive update regarding the current state of this investment. His perspective offers a grounded approach for those who have been monitoring the region’s financial evolution for years.
Deputy Prime Minister: Dollar Exchange Rate In The Parallel Market Will Fall And Approach The Official Rate
Baghdad - INA - 11/01/2026 Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, Mohammed Tamim, confirmed on Sunday that the dollar exchange rate in the parallel market will decrease and move closer to the official rate. He also announced that a new shipment of $500 million is set to arrive tomorrow from the United States.
Tomorrow’s Election Changes Nothing About The National Debt
Notes From the Field By james Hickman (Simon Black/Sovereign Man) November 2, 2026
Johnny Moon was homeless and unemployed in the early 2000s. A high school dropout with a bad drug habit, Moon was hardly someone that banks would consider creditworthy.
And yet, over the course of a single year, he was able to borrow more than $600,000 to buy five different investment properties.
"An Extraordinary Session To Finalize The 2027 Budget"...
The Al-Zidi government is preparing to vote on the draft budget next Saturday in preparation for sending it to Parliament before the end of the year
Baghdad - One News - 11/03/2026 A government source reported that the Cabinet will hold an extraordinary session next Saturday, chaired by Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi, to vote on the draft federal general budget law for 2027, in preparation for referring it to the House of Representatives for approval before the end of this year.