Foreign exchange
FSA takes tougher stance on market abuse
Daily news headlines
Dividend option market tipped for growth
Dividend swaps have been under pressure since the onset of the credit crisis, as fears of dividend cuts have caused the historically steep curve to flatten considerably. But, despite gloomy economic forecasts, the investor base appears to be expanding,…
Can the Icelandic meltdown be avoided?
Fears over the strength of the Icelandic banking system have caused the wholesale system to shut on Icelandic banks, prompting the country’s central bank to hike interest rates to record levels. At first sight, the initiative appears to have worked, with…
More than 50% of US companies unprepared for weather risk: report
Results of a survey carried out by CME Group, the world's largest derivatives exchange, and weather risk management originator Storm Exchange, have found that 51% of senior finance and risk managers concede that they are under prepared to cope with…
ABN Amro rolls out another sharia investment in Middle East
ABN Amro has launched the Islamic Basic Resources and Energy Basket Yield Discovery Certificate for investors in the Middle East, a sharia-compliant product, which is designed to provide exposure to the energy and basic resources sectors.
Deutsche appoints Hinsley for Latin America
Deutsche Bank has appointed David Hinsley to head up its structured products business in Latin America. Hinsley was also named co-head of Latin American capital markets and institutional sales, alongside fellow co-head Marcelo Blanco, who has been named…
Swiss Re’s Conning to manage post 2012 fund
Conning Asset Management Limited, a fully-owned subsidiary of Swiss Re, has been appointed to manage a pioneering EUR 125 million post-2012 Carbon Credit Fund.
EC outlines changes to Capital Requirements Directive
The European Commission (EC) has launched a public consultation on over 50 technical changes to the Capital Requirements Directive (CRD), which sets out the regulatory capital financial institutions must hold to cover their liabilities.
Emerging markets could produce next boom-bust cycle
As regulators clamp down on securitised products, leveraged investors are racing to new markets. JP Morgan analysts say the crisis might be shifting leverage from structured products to emerging markets.
Market abuse crackdown
Editor's blog
Fallon calls for central banks to take charge
Responsibility for banking supervision must reside with central banks, insists a former UK government minister.
UBS launches dry freight index
UBS has launched a tradeable index with dry freight derivatives as the underlying, dubbed the UBS Blue Sea Index (UBS-BSI).
UBS launches tradable investment benchmark for freight derivatives
UBS Investment Bank has launched the UBS Blue Sea Index, a tradable benchmark for global investments in the freight derivatives market, constructed using liquid, actively traded dry-bulk Forward Freight Agreements (FFAs). “The UBS Blue Sea Index opens up…
Commerz launches its first structured product for UK market
Commerzbank Corporates & Markets (CBCM) has launched its first structured product targeted at the UK market. The UK Premia Fund is a Ucits III compliant fund linked to the Commerzbank Rolling Reverse Convertible Strategy index UK (Cobarc UK). The index…
UBS launches freight market investor index
Investment Bank UBS has launched the UBS Blue Sea Index (UBS-BSI), the first tradable investment index in the dry freight derivatives market.
Invesco PowerShares unveils first active equity ETFs
Invesco PowerShares has launched the first three actively managed equity exchnage traded funds (ETFs), as well as an actively managed fixed-income ETF, on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) Arca.
Dollar low helps push crude to new record
Crude Oil reached a new record of $119.90 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange (Nymex) today amid ongoing supply concerns and a new record low for the US dollar against the Euro, leaving investors looking for an inflation hedge.
New derivatives disclosures will be “significant burden”
Tougher disclosures required by the Connecticut-based Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) will be a “significant burden” for companies using derivatives, said Hee Lee, New York-based partner in Ernst & Young’s Financial Services Office and…
Bank of England will swap gilts for RMBS
The Bank of England will step in to improve the balance sheets of UK banks by allowing them to swap illiquid mortgage-backed securities for treasury bills.
Crude surpasses $117 amid supply disruptions
Crude oil for May delivery hit an all time high of $117.76 per barrel in intraday trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange (Nymex) today, closing at $117.48/bbl.
BlueNext launches EUA Futures
Environmental exchange BlueNext has listed its first derivatives contracts, offering EU Allowance (EUA) futures with December 2008 to 2012 maturities.
Heed the warning signs
Editor's blog