Loss of confidence in Saint Mary's leadership | SaltWire - Something odd just happened in U.S. short-term funding markets: a benchmark interest rate suddenly fell precipitously on March 19 before bouncing back up the next day.
The trade was odd as the bulk of repo market activity happens in the morning. A big investor was likely stuck with a huge amount of cash and needed to get it off its books, the sources said. They attributed it to bad collateral management. Short-term funding markets are crucial to Treasuries and global finance, and disruptions there can have broad ramifications, including for financial stability. They, however, tend to be secretive, with even regulators sometimes struggling to understand what goes on there.
The Depository Trust & Clearing Corp and the New York Fed, which publish general collateral repo rates, declined to comment. The Securities and Exchange Commission declined to comment. Understanding what went on could also shed light on market structure and concentration risks. The fact the trade didn't happen at a much lower rate suggested that the investor behind the trade was important enough for banks to help them, two of the sources said.