Hedge Fund Basis Trade Faces Scrutiny as Regulators Mull Probe

  • Shadow lenders now hold about half of all financial assets
  • Watchdogs have spent years trying to assess non-bank risks

The push for data on so-called non-bank financial institutions comes as regulators across the world weigh policies to tame risks in a fast-growing industry.

Photographer: Jason Alden/Bloomberg
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Hedge funds’ record betBloomberg Terminal on US Treasuries is facing fresh scrutiny as the world’s most powerful financial watchdog mulls a deep dive into the money-spinning trade.

After running into difficulties with a mammoth project launched last year to gather data on the sprawling shadow banking system, the Financial Stability Board is now discussing a pivot to focus on a handful of priority areas, including the so-called basis trades, three people with knowledge of the matter said.