Central banks
The state of freight
With freight derivatives volumes at record highs, investor products are now being developed in the shipping derivatives market. Ryan Davidson looks at whether the market has matured sufficiently to attract investor interest
Trading strategies - Walking a fine line
A worrying trend is emerging in the UK corporate world, with many companies adopting extremely risky strategies in a bid to reduce their exposure to energy price volatility, says Utilyx chief executive Chris Bowden
European Parliament proposes EU financial regulator
Regulatory News
Uncertain futures
Special Report: Foreign exchange
Taking the slow road
Special Report: Basel II
On the backburner
Special Report: Credit derivatives
Corporates burned
Cover story
An auspicious debut
Risk Korea conference
The blame game
Accounting
Points of principle
Liquidity risk
BarCap works to revive life insurance securitisation
For Barclays Capital, a recent £250 million ($495 million) securitisation of part of UK insurer Aegon Scottish Equitable’s life portfolio proves there’s life left in the life insurance securitisation market.
Merrill raises yet more capital after Q2 losses
Merrill Lynch is selling $6.7 billion of collateralised debt obligations (CDOs), terminating hedges on CDOs and undertaking a $8.5 billion public stock offering to raise capital.
Crosby Report wary of more UK government intervention
In an interim report released today, Sir James Crosby, deputy chairman of the UK Financial Services Authority (FSA), warned against the government becoming more deeply involved in attempting to prop up the mortgage market.
Markit and DTCC plan to merge OTC services
London-based data provider Markit and New York-based Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation (DTCC) have announced their intention to form a new company to serve the over-the-counter derivatives markets.
Keydata offers income or growth
Keydata Investment Services has launched the Extra Income Plan, which offers either an income or growth. The income option pays a quarterly coupon of 2.075% pa while the growth option returns 58.5% at maturity.
Banks and hedge funds spur growth in OIS
Central bank activity has contributed towards a surge in trading overnight index swaps (OIS) over the past year, according to dealers.
PowerShares launches Frontier Countries ETF on Nasdaq
Invesco PowerShares has launched its frontier countries ETF, designed to offer access to particular equity markets in the Middle East and North Africa, on the Nasdaq stock exchange.
T Boone launches wind power plan
Texas oilman T Boone Pickens has launched a plan to address the United States’ dependence on foreign oil by aiming to generate at least 20% of the nation’s energy supply through wind power.
Financial turmoil reports issued by the CGFS
Daily news headlines
Basel committee outlines reforms for rating agencies
The Committee on the Global Financial System (CGFS) – a group affiliated with the Bank for International Settlements that monitors developments in financial markets for the G10 countries – released on July 4 its findings on failures in structured finance…