The Bank of England (“the Bank”) has access to some of the granular transaction level data resulting from EMIR trade reports. The velocity, granularity and richness of this dataset puts it in the realm of Big Data in the derivatives market, which brings with it its own set of challenges....

The initial margin requirements for a portfolio of derivatives are typically calculated using a risk model. Common risk models are procyclical: margin requirements for the same portfolio are higher in times of market stress and lower in calm markets. This procyclicality can cause liquidity...