Foreign exchange
CBOE launches crude oil volatility index
Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) has launched the CBOE Crude Oil Volatility Index (OVX).
BNP Paribas appoints new EQD strategy head
BNP Paribas has appointed Carl Mason to the new position of head of equity derivatives strategy for the Americas. Mason joins from rival investment bank Morgan Stanley, where he was head of US equity derivatives strategy.
S&P outlines "stability" changes to structured product ratings
US rating agency Standard & Poor's has outlined its proposal to include credit stability in its rating process, which could see severe downgrades for many volatile structured credit products.
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.
US regulators issue Pillar II guidance for AMA
Daily news headlines
Barclays Wealth offer shorter term on Super Tracker
Barclays Wealth is launching a new shorter-dated version of its Super Tracker investment. The original product, which offers exposure to the FTSE 100 index, is now available in both three and five-year maturities.
US moves to protect Fannie and Freddie
Daily news headlines
Fed to support Fannie and Freddie
The US Federal Reserve has stepped in to support the struggling government-sponsored mortgage holders Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
iShares extends inflation-linked bond ETF range
iShares, the exchange-traded fund (ETF) arm of Barclays Global Investors (BGI), plans to extend its inflation-linked bond ETF range, as inflation pressures continue to amount in global markets. At present, the iShares inflation-linked ETFs listed on the…
Cloudy skies prompt launch of new rainbow product
London and Capital has launched a capital guaranteed multi-asset rainbow plan which offers exposure to equities, commodities and property. It uses a lookback feature which will weight the classes differently according to their performance, offering…
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.
Meteor banks on property market recovery
Meteor has launched a second kick-out plan banking on rises in the European commercial property market. It is linked to the performance of the FTSE European Public Real Estate Association Europe Index, which offers exposure to the publicly traded real…
Volatility in dry bulk freight rates
Volatility in dry bulk freight rates has hit record levels in recent weeks.Peter Norfolk at SSY Consultancy & Research discusses the trend
SEC hits out at agencies over RMBS
The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) yesterday published a report detailing the results of its investigation on the three main credit rating agencies' practices in rating products that reference residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS).
Singapore announces commodities exchange
Trading technology company Financial Technologies Group is to launch a Singapore-based commodities exchange, it has announced.
Singapore announces commodities exchange
Trading technology company Financial Technologies Group is to launch a Singapore-based commodities exchange, it has announced.
Commodities reshuffle at Morgan Stanley as Shapiro retires
Investment bank Morgan Stanley has reshuffled its commodity department, with head of commodities John Shapiro retiring.
Indianapolis hedges against escalating fuel prices
A fuel hedge and savings programme has netted the US city of Indianapolis over $39,000 during the month of June, according to a press release from the Mayor’s office.
Quant Congress: Models not to blame for stat arb crisis
Quantitative investment models were not responsible for the ructions in the statistical arbitrage sector in August 2007 and would, in fact, have proved extremely profitable should funds have weathered the storm, delegates at Quant Congress USA heard…
Quant Congress: Bear Stearns breached structured credit limits, says former CRO
Defunct securities dealer Bear Stearns persistently breached its own internal limits governing how much structured credit paper the firm could hold on balance sheet in the months leading up to its collapse, the firm’s former head of risk management for…
World Bank tests water with Malawi drought risk trade
The World Bank will close a weather derivatives trade by October 1, a move intended to hedge the Malawian government against the financial risk of severe or catastrophic drought.
Triple Point acquires ROME
Risk management software provider Triple Point has acquired credit risk management provider ROME.
Jet fuel futures contract takes off at MCX
Mumbai, India-based Multi-Commodities Exchange (MCX) has begun trading jet fuel futures contracts to help Indian airlines and refineries hedge against rising crude oil prices.
Q&A: Regulator calls for greater insurance against liquidity risk
Arthur Angulo, senior vice-president of banking supervision at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and co-chair of the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision’s Working Group on Liquidity, talks to Risk about recent initiatives to improve liquidity risk…