Foreign exchange
BCBS releases valuation and leverage report
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Johansson departs UBS after 12 months
Jerker Johansson, the chief executive officer of UBS Investment Bank, has resigned from the bank with immediate effect, after just over one year spent with the institution. Johansson will be replaced by two new co-heads from within UBS: Carsten Kengeter…
Turner condemns 'rent seeking' banks
Adair Turner, chairman of the UK Financial Services Authority, has accused banks of using financial innovation "to extract economic rents rather than deliver services of real value to the real economy", and called for higher capital levels and…
FSF: Valuation techniques and leverage aggravate pro-cyclicality
Regulators should address the pro-cyclical effects of market-sensitive valuation practices and increasing leverage, according to the Financial Stability Forum (FSF).
Carbon trading volumes up but market value down in 2009
Trading volumes in the global carbon market grew by 37% in the first quarter of 2009, compared to quarter four of 2008, according to New Carbon Finance.
City of London defends OTC derivatives markets
Political pressure for reform risks crushing the over-the-counter derivatives market, warns a report published today by the City of London.
Fed divulges process behind bank stress tests
The US Federal Reserve has released details of the methodology behind its Supervisory Capital Assessment Programme (SCAP), the recently concluded stress tests conducted by regulators to ascertain whether additional capital replenishment is needed at the…
New FSA banking regulation aims to promote fairness for consumers
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OpRisk Europe: FSA condemns operational risk weaknesses
Daily news headlines
Utilities call for early allocation of emissions
US utilities have called on Congress to allocate emissions allowances in the early years of a national cap-and-trade scheme during testimony before the House Energy and Commerce Committee yesterday.
Swiss Re ceases carbon trading
Zurich-based reinsurer Swiss Re is closing its carbon emissions trading desk, according to a spokesperson.
OpRisk Europe: Dump Basel II, MP says
Basel II should be abandoned in favour of tougher regulations, UK member of parliament John Redwood told operational risk managers in London yesterday.
Government ownership of banks possible, asserts Tarp board
According to a report released today by the Financial Stability Oversight Board, the government has the potential to take a major ownership stake in banks via the Capital Assistance Program (Cap), which was designed to provide capital to ailing banks…
IMF: leverage best for determining bank bailouts
Leverage ratios, return on assets and stock data are among the most reliable indicators for predicting whether banks would require government intervention in the credit crisis, according to a study published by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) this…
European CDS dealers to follow US to fixed coupons
An agreement between the major dealers to move to standardised fixed coupons for trading European credit default swaps (CDSs), following a similar move in North America, could speed global moves towards central clearing, say market participants.
OpRisk Europe: FSA condemns operational risk weaknesses
Financial institutions have failed to properly manage their operational risk in recent years and can expect to be subjected to higher requirements in future, an official from the UK Financial Services Authority (FSA) warned yesterday.
Isda AGM: 94% of world's largest corporates use derivatives
Ninety-four per cent the world's largest corporates use derivatives to hedge their business and financial risks, according to a survey of the Fortune Global 500 companies by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association (Isda), released at its 24th…
UK guarantees AAA RMBS in bid to jump-start lending
The UK government has launched a scheme to guarantee up to £50 billion in residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) for the first time, finance minister Alistair Darling said yesterday.
Isda AGM: US regulator identifies six weaknesses in OTC market
Theo Lubke, senior vice-president at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, identified six main problem areas in the over-the-counter derivatives market during a panel discussion on public policy at the International Swaps and Derivatives Association's…
Trading and technical gains outweigh loan losses in Q1
Strong trading results have offset large loan losses as banks report a mixed bag of first-quarter results.
S&P offers interest rate arbitrage indexes
Index provider Standard & Poor's has launched the S&P Forward Interest Rate Arbitrage Index series, which is designed to provide exposure to interest-rate based investment strategies. The index series, which will comprise indexes for seven countries…
Isda AGM: Collateral use continues to rise
Over-the-counter derivatives traders have increased their use of collateral by 86% in the past year, according to a survey of banks and institutional investors released today by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association.
Isda AGM: Derivatives post-trade processing improves
The International Swaps and Derivatives Association (Isda) says post-trade processing has continued to improve over the past year, with lower numbers of confirmations outstanding and higher levels of automation.
Goldman advocates carry trade; analysts disagree
Background conditions might be improving for the carry trade, but investors are still too wary to return.