Foreign exchange
SEC help sought as auction securities crisis deepens
The trade association representing broker-dealers has confirmed it has been in contact with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regarding measures to restore confidence in the troubled auction-rate securities (ARSs) market.
FDIC chairman Bair’s warning on Basel II models
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JP Morgan and Munich Re enter mortality bond market
JP Morgan has placed $100 million of extreme mortality bonds for reinsurer Munich Re, in the first foray into the mortality bond market for both firms.
BIS publishes report on liquidity risk
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BGC acquires Radix
Interdealer broker BGC has purchased Singapore-based broker Radix Energy, enabling BGC to offer voice and electronic brokerage services for products such as crude oil, naptha, middle distillates, fuel oil and freight.
Progress made on equity derivatives backlogs
Investment banks have continued to make progress with reducing confirmation backlogs associated with executing over-the-counter equity derivatives trades. The average backlog has been reduced to nine days, down from 19 days in November 2006, according to…
Bank practices undermined liquidity, BIS says
In the approach to the credit crisis, practices such as securitisation, dependence on the money markets and use of collateral increased the danger of a liquidity shortfall, according to a report released by the Bank of International Settlements (BIS).
CPDOs suffer more downgrades
Rating agency Standard & Poor's (S&P) has downgraded 28 of the 29 constant proportion debt obligation (CPDO) transactions it rates.
US equity options trading soared to 2.8 billion contracts in 2007,Tabb
The US equity options markets soared to 2.8 billion contracts in 2007, a 41% increase from 2006, says the Tabb Group in its Equity Options Trading 2008 report.
Middle East should be cautious, urges Bahrain regulator
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UK banks show resilience
London-based Barclays has reported improved earnings for 2007, despite a $3.2 billion (£1.6 billion) net loss due to exposures to US subprime loans.
Crude oil hits new record
Crude oil for March delivery rose 73 cents to finish at a new record closing high of $100.74 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange (Nymex) today.
Treasury launches market abuse review
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Mispricings at Credit Suisse cause $2.85 billion loss
Zurich-based Credit Suisse has suffered an additional $2.85 billion in writedowns due to ‘mismarkings and pricing errors’ in structured credit products exposed to US subprime mortgages.
iShares launches two new ETFs on the London Stock Exchange
iShares, the Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) arm of Barclays Global Investors, has launched two new ETFs on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) including the first emerging markets bond fund in Europe. The ETFs were formally listed on the LSE today.
Deutsche Bank lists first ETFs tracking frontier markets
db x-trackers, the Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) arm of Deutsche Bank, has listed in London the first two ETFs tracking the frontier markets. The two funds offer exposure to the new emerging countries by tracking the FTSE Vietnam index and the S&P Select…
Man aim high with Stratum Notes
Hedge fund provider Man Investments has launched the Man AP Stratum Series 2, index notes which reference over 50 hedge funds selected by Man Global Strategies (MGS) and the futures investment scheme, the AHL Institutional Programme.
Norway tightens rules on retail structured products
Norway’s Financial Supervisory Authority (FSA) has tightened rules regarding the sale of structured products to retail investors. The revised regulations are an attempt to prevent financial institutions selling complex instruments to retail investors,…
Crédit Agricole Asset Management creates in Australia
Crédit Agricole Asset Management Group (Caam Group) has created a wholly owned subsidiary - Crédit Agricole Asset Management Australia (Caam Australia) – following the opening of a rep office in Sydney in early 2007. The group has been created to cover…
Imarex buys Spectron
Imarex ASA, the holding company that owns Oslo-based broker / exchange Imarex and clearing house NOS, has agreed to purchase interdealer broker Spectron Group for £70 million ($138 million).
Credit Suisse contains credit crisis impact
Zurich-based Credit Suisse has unveiled a lower than expected Sfr1.3 billion writedown on leveraged finance, and structured debt and mortgage investments in the fourth quarter of 2007.
Monolines show no appetite for Buffett
Warren Buffett’s plan to reinsure wrapped municipal bonds has been given short shrift by monoline bond insurers.