SW Corporate Term Certificates Reach Record Levels

DALLAS — Amid the market volatility of recent months, credit unions placed significant investments with Southwest Corporate Federal Credit Union during 2007. Last year, credit unions in-vested nearly $1.4 billion in “special certificates” and “reverse inquiries” alone. That figure marked a sharp increase over the $1 billion invested in these particular instruments offered by Southwest Corporate in 2006.

While dollar amounts of investments increased, the actual number of specially structured term certificates offered to credit unions last year dropped slightly to 53, compared to the 63 offered in 2006. However, the drop in special certificate offerings was more than offset by the growinginterest in reverse inquiries, which rose from the 41 provided in 2006 to 62 in 2007, said Cynthia Shi, director of portfolio management for Southwest Corporate.