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Debt kitchen queues mean free lunch goes cold

A standstill in the cash bond markets ends a profitable run for the negative-basis trade

The negative-basis trade, where the cost of protection using the credit default swap market becomes less than the interest yield on bonds, has emerged for the second time this year since the credit crunch.

However, the trade, which made fund managers and traders healthy gains over the summer, is no longer feasible as a result of this month's renewed logjam in credit markets.

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