Foreign exchange
LCH.Clearnet to clear iron ore swaps
London based clearing house LCH.Clearnet has announced that it will clear over the counter (OTC) iron ore swap contracts before the end of May.
Platts price assessment proposals face scrutiny
Questions have been raised in the energy trading sector about Platts' decision to align its US fixed price and differential crude oil and products assessments at 3.15pm eastern time (ET).
Shale gas production could reduce Europe's dependence on Russia
Rising shale gas production in the US and Canada as well as potential natural gas supplies from Iraq could reduce European energy dependence on Russia, according to a new study released today by Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy.
Primus explores new CDPC model
Primus Guaranty, the Bermuda-based credit derivatives product company (CDPC) and asset manager, is looking into the possibility of setting up a new entity to sell credit protection, but unlike its existing business model, the new venture would post…
Uncertainty remains over EU securitisation retention charge
The European Union (EU) is pressing ahead with plans to amend the Capital Requirements Directive (CRD), but has failed to reach consensus on its controversial plan for a 5% securitisation retention charge.
US banks require $74.6 billion in additional capital, stress tests reveal
Ten US banks collectively require an additional $74.6 billion in additional capital to insulate against possible losses over the next two years, the results of US government stress tests show.
Central banks continue to expand support in face of deflation threat
The Bank of England and the European Central Bank both announced expansions to their monetary stimulus programmes today, warning that low inflation or deflation remained a threat.
SEC roundtable: circuit breakers most favoured short-selling rule
Participants favoured circuit breakers, which halt trading in volatile markets, over other proposed short-selling restrictions discussed at the US Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) roundtable on May 5.
Bair: US should pull back from Basel II
The US should back away from the "highly problematic" Basel II framework and instead turn its attention to fine-tuning the current Basel I Accord, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) chairman Sheila Bair said yesterday.
La Meer launches integrated operational risk software for hedge funds
Daily news headlines
Grail swoops into US ETF market with actively-managed ETF
Grail Advisers has listed its first exchange-traded fund (ETF) on the Arca platform of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). The Grail American Beacon Large Cap Value ETF is an actively-managed fund which uses multi-managers to achieve its return, like a…
SP Magazine Survey: UK IFAs want structured products
The first Structured Products survey of the UK's independent financial adviser (IFA) market has thrown up startlingly positive results which endorse the view that investors are becoming tired of the minimal income on offer from other investment tools.
Credit derivatives market will follow equity's lead, strategist says
After the collapse of securitised products over the past two years, the credit derivatives market is likely to become more similar to the equity derivatives market, according to Sivan Mahadevan, global head of equity and credit derivatives strategy at…
US Wrap: Electric exposures liven up week
Exposure broadened in the US market yesterday as providers launched notes offering exposure to Brazilian equity, international shares and General Electric stock among other underlyings, putting S&P 500 linked products in the minority.
BNP Paribas offers Millenium tracker fund
BNP Paribas has launched its Millenium Tracker Fund as part of its Privalto Ucits III OEIC (open-ended investment companies) range. The fund is designed to provide exposure the BNP Paribas Millenium 10 Europe Series 3 Total Return index, which comprises…
Simple structures
An increase in risk premiums on sovereign debt is giving banks a headache in pricing certain credit-related structured products. Investor appetite for such deals is in evidence, but mainly for simple, unleveraged products. Sophia Morrell reports
Column: Charles Cronin
Flawed models, conflicts of interest, ineffectual leadership: the rating agencies have emerged from the financial crisis with little credit, and reform may strip them further of their influence
Inflated expectations
It may seem counterintuitive, given these deflationary times, but inflation-linked fixed income strategies are proving a hit with investors as fiscal stimulus raises the threat that inflation will take over in the medium term. William Rhode reports
Financial pricing for the 21st century
Putting a price on assets for which no active market exists is a process mired in complexity and no little controversy. But the pricing models of yesteryear are simply not up to the job. David Patrikarakos looks at the new generation of valuation models…
Danny Davis
Mishcon de Reya's insolvency expert talks about the need for companies to learn to rely less on external funding, and why a UK-style Chapter 11 process isn't necessarily a good idea
Column: Paul Taylor
Ratings downgrades reflect a decline in creditworthiness, not an admission that the ratings were wrong in the first place. But that doesn't mean the rating process can't be improved. Paul Taylor