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3 Year Bond Auction Sizzles, Provides Relief To Recent Collateral Shortage

Tyler Durden's picture




 

As reported yesterday when we showed the very special rate that the 3 Year was trading in repo (-1.45%, same as today), many were looking to today's 3 Year auction to relieve some of the collateral shortage issues that have developed across various asset classes. And sure enough, following last month's abysmal 3 Year auction, today's pricing of $32 billion in 3 Year paper was like night and day compared to a month ago.

With the high yield of 0.719% stopping well through the When Issued which was trading at 0.724% at 1 PM, this was the first indication of how strong today's pricing would be.

Whether this was due to the surge in the yield over the past 2 months, or simply due to Dealers scrambling to get some paper to satisfy collateral needs, is unknown, but the Bid To Cover surging from 2.946 in June to 3.350 showed that the internal were quite solid as well. Finally, the takedown breakdown was in line with historical averages, with Dealers getting 51.5% (Trailing 12 Months at 55.0%) which however was the lowest since January - will the $16.4 billion allotted to Dealers be enough to satisfy collateral needs for one more month? Indirects got 35.6% (above the TTM average of 26.8%), and Directs stepped up, taking down 13% compared to 8.4% last month, although below the 13.0% average.

All in all, a solid auction and a good appetizer to tomorrow's just as important, and just as special (-0.85% today) 10 Year.

Look at tomorrow's 3Y repo rate to drop back to zero following today's auction, or else just like in gold, there is something seriously wrong with collateral pathways.

 

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Tue, 07/09/2013 - 13:20 | 3734452 fonzannoon
fonzannoon's picture

So as long as we contnue to auction moar bonds, we can take care of this little collateral issue. Sounds quite bullish to me.

Tue, 07/09/2013 - 13:31 | 3734509 disabledvet
disabledvet's picture

i demand an apology as well. how dare you make me question Fed omnipotence Mr. Chairman! monkeyhammer or die!

Tue, 07/09/2013 - 13:20 | 3734455 ekm
ekm's picture

So, what is the Fed gonna buy if those USTs are pledged as collateral?

 

Primary dealers still need money to do swap payouts, hence they need to sell something to the Fed in order to get cash to do the payouts.

 

That is the whole point of QEs, providing cash to primary dealers so they do not default on counterparties.

 

So two options left:

1) Default on swap counterparties

2) Implode the repo market

 

which one less apocalyptic?

Tue, 07/09/2013 - 13:25 | 3734479 LawsofPhysics
LawsofPhysics's picture

"which one less apocalyptic?" -  This is the 800, or so, trillion dollar question...

History indicates another option;

3) Massive distraction (planned catastrophe/war).

Ignore all the eCONomic/financial shit, the game is and has always been about power and control of resources.

Tue, 07/09/2013 - 13:32 | 3734518 disabledvet
disabledvet's picture

we tell those "Banky thingy's" here's your greenbacks...go make money now. I really fail to see the problem here.

Tue, 07/09/2013 - 13:40 | 3734537 ekm
ekm's picture

the only way to create money is for the Fed to buy and remove collateral

Tue, 07/09/2013 - 13:54 | 3734592 NotApplicable
NotApplicable's picture

Then they'll merely expand the definition of collateral.

Tue, 07/09/2013 - 13:55 | 3734600 ekm
ekm's picture

I know BOE can do that.

I'm not sure Fed is allowed by law to do that.

 

anybody knows?

Tue, 07/09/2013 - 15:03 | 3734879 fonzannoon
fonzannoon's picture

ekm we are presuming there is a collateral shortage taking place right now. I don't think there is.

Tue, 07/09/2013 - 15:23 | 3734935 LawsofPhysics
LawsofPhysics's picture

Mind if I actually see the collateral first?

Tue, 07/09/2013 - 15:36 | 3734971 fonzannoon
fonzannoon's picture

ekm/laws

I Have some buddies who trade in those markets. I checked in with them today. They say different than that article.

To me all those articles are propoganda. Just because they agree with ekm's viewpoint does not make them any more correct than any other articles saying something different.

Tue, 07/09/2013 - 20:44 | 3735798 ekm
ekm's picture

fair enough

 

question: are your buddies telling you the truth?

Tue, 07/09/2013 - 21:52 | 3736062 fonzannoon
fonzannoon's picture

Yes

Tue, 07/09/2013 - 13:57 | 3734606 fonzannoon
fonzannoon's picture

why is that simple answer always rejected? 

collateral is whatever they say it is. we actually entertained the mindbending idea of a trillion dollar coin. Expanding the definition of collateral in comparison to that is nothing.

Tue, 07/09/2013 - 14:03 | 3734634 LawsofPhysics
LawsofPhysics's picture

"why is that simple answer always rejected?"  - Well, for one, TPTB around the earth must now agree upon the action.  I don't think the BRICs will simply allow such actions to occur and the FRN to remain the reserve currency.  Therein lies the rub.  If you want to take truly idiotic/fraudulent actions, then you don't get to be the dungeon master.

Tue, 07/09/2013 - 14:06 | 3734648 fonzannoon
fonzannoon's picture

Crude and the 10yr certainly seem to be indicating that a new dungeon master is being searched for.

Tue, 07/09/2013 - 14:49 | 3734829 ekm
ekm's picture

Again, I know BOengland can do that.

Do you know whether the Fed can buy anything they want, by law?

I think they are allowed to buy only USTs and MBSs, nothing else.

But not sure.

 

If not, congress would have to approve the change

Tue, 07/09/2013 - 15:19 | 3734924 Urban Roman
Urban Roman's picture

It didn't always include MBSs, did it? I mean, they've already expanded it. 

And if they need a law, they just write one and get congress to rubber stamp it. There must be a lot of things in between MBSs and BBL that they can use as collateral. 

Tue, 07/09/2013 - 13:58 | 3734611 LawsofPhysics
LawsofPhysics's picture

...or all those counterparties holding swaps will simply "call it even" and wipe them out.

Such an action would be "unexpected".

But I digress, when you make the laws via your political puppets, a lot of things can happen.

The only sure thing is that only the insiders/cronies will know about it before it does. Very few will profit while everyone else is fleeced.

Tue, 07/09/2013 - 13:27 | 3734494 fonzannoon
fonzannoon's picture

I am losing my fucking mind watching the road so intently and waiting for the rubber to finally hit it.

 

Tue, 07/09/2013 - 13:32 | 3734516 Cruel Aid
Cruel Aid's picture

Its been years and the blink of an eye a hundred years from now.

excruciating!

 

Tue, 07/09/2013 - 13:33 | 3734522 Divided States ...
Divided States of America's picture

Its worse when I have the fuckin TV in front of me with CNBC on...I just saw Dick Bove and Piss-on-me talk.....watching this shit can drive anyone insane.

Tue, 07/09/2013 - 13:40 | 3734536 buzzsaw99
buzzsaw99's picture

0.72% is a damn fine juicy yield bitchez.

Tue, 07/09/2013 - 13:56 | 3734603 Bam_Man
Bam_Man's picture

Pre-tax.

Tue, 07/09/2013 - 14:46 | 3734818 SKY85hawk
SKY85hawk's picture

Look up Jesse Livermore's book.

He is quoted to say "The market can remain irrational far longer than investors can remain solvent."

 

Tue, 07/09/2013 - 13:38 | 3734531 jbvtme
jbvtme's picture

read a good book or hit some youtube jazz

Tue, 07/09/2013 - 14:22 | 3734697 all-priced-in
all-priced-in's picture

At the risk of looking dumb.

Can someone help me understand the collateral shortage problem?

Why would buying bonds improve the quantity or quality of  collateral you hold VS the cash it takes to buy the bonds.

 

 

 

Tue, 07/09/2013 - 15:46 | 3735002 Everybodys All ...
Everybodys All American's picture

It is about lowering leverage ad/or margin. Collateral covers the margin requirements.

Tue, 07/09/2013 - 17:07 | 3735289 all-priced-in
all-priced-in's picture

You buy a bond with cash - no impact on your leverage

 

You borrow money to buy a bond - you increase leverage

 

I still don't see it -

 

Unless the bond is really owned by someone else as in rehypothecated.

 

 

Tue, 07/09/2013 - 18:39 | 3735521 Zgangsta
Zgangsta's picture

It's all like playing chess on a 1000000 x 1000000 board. Even when it's obvious which side will lose, the king has a LOT of room to run around to avoid and delay checkmate.

Tue, 07/09/2013 - 22:17 | 3736122 IMA5U
IMA5U's picture

im so bummed the market has not imploded

 

i am sitting in my bunker long gold and short everything else

 

my day will come!!!!!

Tue, 07/09/2013 - 23:14 | 3736308 GMadScientist
GMadScientist's picture

Short-bus 'on special'.

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