News
Confusion over membership at WBOT continues
Dan Parker, chief executive of Atlanta-based Weather Board of Trade (WBOT), today told RiskNews that two institutions he originally named as charter members of the weather derivatives exchange never had such an agreement with the company.
Knight Trading creates institutional options and ETF team
US equity and derivatives market-maker Knight Trading has established an institutional options and exchange-traded funds (ETF) sales and trading team with six new appointees, mostly from Merrill Lynch.
First Taiwanese offshore primary CBO to close this month
The first Taiwanese offshore primary collateralised bond obligation (CBO), worth nearly $170 million, is expected to price in the week of March 17 and close on March 21, sources familiar with the transaction said today.
Algo teams with Agena to solve op risk data history issue
Canadian risk management technology supplier Algorithmics has teamed up with UK software company Agena to help institutions to better model operational risk.
Senators move to establish stronger federal oversight of energy markets
A group of US senators yesterday introduced legislation, called the Energy Market Oversight Act, that seeks to restore the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s (CFTC) authority over online and bilateral energy trades and give the Federal Energy…
Ireland’s energy regulators to probe trading rules before full liberalisation
Ireland’s Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) is working on plans to liberalise the country’s electricity market and should publish a “decision on high principles” in April this year, according to Denis Cagney, head of networks at the CER in Dublin.
US structured products head Ricciardi quits CSFB
Christopher Ricciardi, head of Credit Suisse First Boston's (CSFB) US structured credit products group in New York, has left the Swiss-owned investment bank, a CSFB spokesperson said.
Lehman’s Coym replaces Fischer as Eurex chairman
The exchange council of Eurex Deutschland has elected Peter Coym as its new chairman to replace Leonhard Fischer, who resigned the post when he left Dresdner Bank on October 31 last year.
Deutsche Asset Management to focus on retail market in Asia
Deutsche Asset Management has hired Sharon Cheng as head of retail sales for its Asia ex-Japan businesses. The newly created position is aimed at boosting the firm’s efforts in the retail market across the region.
BarCap chief hits back at Buffett’s derivatives 'time bomb' comments
Robert Diamond, chief executive of Barclays Capital, the investment banking arm of the UK’s Barclays Bank, has hit back at comments made by US investor Warren Buffett, who said on Monday that derivatives were “time bombs”. “[Buffett] should be wary of…
FT Interactive Data enhances BondEdge credit risk capabilities
FT Interactive Data, a Massachusetts-based supplier of financial information and analytical software, has expanded the credit risk management capabilities of its BondEdge fixed-income portfolio analytics product.
US Treasury department creates new financial institutions policy office
A new office that will focus on legislative and policy matters related to the financial services sector — including commercial banks, investment banks, insurance companies, credit unions and savings and loans — was announced yesterday by the US Treasury.
Isda and Liba protest against CAD3 divergences from Basel II
The International Swaps and Derivatives Association (Isda) and the London Investment Banking Association (Liba) have released their joint response to the European Union's third capital adequacy directive (CAD3). The response was delivered at non-public…
State Treasury of Finland joins growing Trema client list
Swedish technology firm Trema added to its growing list of eurosystem clients last week, with the announcement that the State Treasury of Finland has implemented Trema's Finance Kit to manage state debt.
Feinstein asks CFTC to investigate gas pricing manipulation
Dianne Feinstein, the Democrat senator for California, yesterday urged the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to work with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to investigate whether there has been manipulation of the US natural gas…
Fimat Group reinforces Asian operations
Fimat Group, the brokerage arm of French bank Société Généralé, has promoted a number of its staff in the Asia-Pacific, in a move aimed at reinforcing its position in the region.
Reuters 3000Xtra offered via servers
Reuters has developed a centrally managed server farm that should allow clients to deploy its premium information and trading Reuters 3000Xtra terminals at reduced cost.
BNP Paribas hires Hong Kong-based securitisation specialist from Fitch
BNP Paribas has hired Sunny Park as a Hong Kong-based associate director and structured credit research analyst. She is due to start work at the French bank this week, and was previously an analyst in the structured finance division of credit rating…
RMS releases portfolio-based pricing for weather derivatives
Risk Management Solutions (RMS), a California-based provider of software for managing natural hazard risks, has released version 3.3 of its Climetrix weather derivatives trading and risk management system.
Derivatives are “time bombs”, warns Buffett
Derivatives are “time bombs” for the parties that deal in them and for the economic system as a whole, high-profile US investor Warren Buffett warned yesterday.
Canadian regulator addresses derivatives-based insider trading
The Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) plans to introduce regulations that prevent sophisticated investors from using derivatives to circumvent current insider trading rules.
US-based Basel opponents cry "foul" on commercial real estate
Small and medium-sized US banks will be hit hard by the treatment of commercial real estate under the proposed revisions to the Basel Accord, according to Sarah Moore, chief operating officer of the Colonial Bank Group, a regional US bank, at…
Asset Alliance sues Beacon Hill for $500 million
Asset Alliance, a $4.5 billion hedge fund investor based in New York, has filed a $500 million arbitration claim against the mortgage arbitrage fund, Beacon Hill.
IDC finalises S&P Comstock acquisition
Interactive Data Corporation (IDC) has purchased S&P ComStock, a real-time information service providing financial data from more than 180 stock exchanges worldwide.