Answer:
1. With Bilateral Clearing, where the company posts variation margin, but no initial margin:
The company has to provide collateral to Banks A, B, and C of $0 million, $15 million, and $25 million respectively.
Therefore, the total collateral required is $40 million.
2. With Central Clearing through the CCP, where the CCP usually requires an initial margin of $10 million:
The derivatives are netted against each other, and the company’s total variation margin is $20 million (–$20 + $15 + $25) in total.
The total margin required (including the initial margin) is, therefore, $30 million ($20 + $10 million).
Explanation:
a) Data and Calculations:
Worth of derivative with Bank A = +$20 million
Worth of derivative with Bank B = -$15 million
Worth of derivative with Bank C = -$25 million
b) In a bilateral clearing, the company and each bank (called market participants) enter into an agreement with each other to cover all outstanding derivative transactions between the two parties. On the other hand, in central clearing, a central clearing party (CCP) stands between the two sides of an OTC derivative transaction in much the same way that the exchange clearing house does for exchange-traded contracts.
