CandleFocus

Quality Spread Differential (QSD)

Quality Spread Differential (QSD) is a financial instrument that measures the difference between market interest rates of two parties engaging in an interest rate swap. It is used as an indication of counterparty risk, by quantifying the amount by which one party benefits over the other through the swap. In order to calculate the QSD, the contracted market rate is subtracted from the rate that is available to the counterparty on similar rate instruments.

QSD helps to determine the losses or gains incurred by a company through a swap contract. If the QSD is positive, then it indicates that the swap is beneficial to both the parties involved. On the other hand, if the differential is negative, it means that the counterparty has reaped greater benefits from the swap.

QSD is especially useful for companies that enter into an interest rate swap in order to hedge risk by reducing their exposure to market fluctuations. The QSD helps these companies determine if a swap is beneficial over a certain period of time. It also helps businesses to evaluate a counterparty’s creditworthiness, by determining if the counterparty has obtained better terms from the market.

QSD is also helpful in understanding the relationship between two parties engaged in a swap contract. For instance, when a bank enters into a swap contract with a customer, it may use the QSD to assess the counterparty risk by determining which party is benefitting the most from the swap deal. This information can be used to negotiate better terms or to assess the counterparty’s creditworthiness.

In conclusion, QSD is a useful financial instrument that can measure the amount of benefit derived by each party in an interest rate swap. It helps to evaluate counterparty risk and to assess the creditworthiness of a party, while also enabling companies to determine if a swap deal is profitable over a given period of time.

Glossary Index