medium · Corporate Credit Analysis

An analyst observes that a BB-rated bond trades at a spread of 450 bps, while a BB-rated Credit Default Swap (CDS) trades at 525 bps.

What is the CDS-bond basis, and what does a positive basis typically signal to a credit analyst?

  1. The basis is +75 bps; it signals that it is more expensive to buy protection than to hold the credit risk, potentially due to high demand for hedges.
  2. The basis is 0 bps; ratings ensure that CDS and bonds always trade at parity.
  3. The basis is -75 bps; it signals that the cash bond is undervalued relative to the CDS.
  4. The basis is +75 bps; it signals that the issuer is likely to be upgraded soon.

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