Morgan Stanley
Doubt over Fed’s ability to limit systemic risk
The Obama administration’s proposals for safeguarding the financial system place the US Federal Reserve at the heart of a new regulatory regime for systemic risk, but some former regulators are sceptical of the Fed’s ability to carry out the job.
Morgan Stanley CDO repack designed to test investor appetite
Morgan Stanley's offering of a repackaged cash collateralised debt obligation (CDO) is designed to test market appetite for this type of risk, said a source familiar with the deal.
CMBS re-Remics could make Talf obsolete
A wave of downgrades to highly rated commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS) is threatening plans by the US Federal Reserve to rehabilitate the market for existing deals. But a recent trend towards restructuring the transactions could render the…
The KIS of life?
Keydata Investment Services was placed into a speedy administration by the UK's Financial Services Authority on June 8 on the grounds of insolvency. All new business was suspended and a temporary suspension of payments on policies was imposed by the UK…
Commercial property plays
Morgan Stanley surprised many people in July 2008 when it plumped for a commercial property-based product. With lower volatility than was on offer from the FTSE 100, it made for a relatively generous offer of returns that took 65% of the starting level…
Regulatory backlash
Editor's letter
US Wrap: Closing the week in emerging markets and S&P 500
Three structures were on offer last Friday, reverse convertible, kick out and accelerated growth products, with the increasingly common emerging markets accompanying the usual flurry of S&P 500-linked notes.
Morgan Stanley feeds hunger for Gilt-backed products
Morgan Stanley has launched a new UK government bond backed plan and re-issued three other plans, one of which is the third in a series of Gilt-backed issues, designed to mitigate counterparty risk.
RH Donnelley LCDSs settle in line with analyst expectations
An auction to cash-settle loan credit default swaps (LCDSs) referencing North Carolina-based commercial search firm RH Donnelley produced a recovery rate of 78.125%. Auctions to cash-settle LCDSs on two of the firm's subsidiaries, Dex Media East and Dex…
US Wrap: Providers opt for external credit
Providers were looking to independent credit agencies to issue structured products as the US structured products market hit mid-week. Both Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley teamed up with Eksportfinans to issue their latest products, which included an…
Treasury silent on Tarp as banks submit $75bn SCAP capital plans
The 10 financial institutions identified as requiring additional capital under the US Treasury's Supervisory Capital Assessment Program (SCAP) economic stress tests have submitted plans describing how they intend to raise almost $75 billion in funds to…
New heads of global listed derivatives for Morgan Stanley
Morgan Stanley has appointed Clark Hutchison and Bill Templer global co-heads of listed derivatives.
US Wrap: S&P 500 still dominates growth products
The S&P 500 continues to dominate growth products, despite the illusion of index diversity. Morgan Stanley launched a three-year leveraged participation note ahead of the weekend which linked to three indexes: the S&P 500, the Nasdaq 100 and the MSCI…
Tapping the Source
Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and Bank of America Merrill Lynch took a look at the exchange-traded product market, particularly in Europe, and decided that to enter as a provider they needed scale. So the three got together and created Source. Richard…
Struggling to survive
Cover story
Morgan Stanley pays £1.4M fine, uncovers three rogue traders
Losses and Lawsuits
FSA bans second Morgan Stanley trader
The UK Financial Services Authority (FSA) has banned David Redmond after he put on a large unauthorised oil futures trade while on Morgan Stanley's freight desk in London in February last year.
Stress-test success masks bigger problem with banks
The US government's bank stress tests appear to have been successful in stabilising financial markets, but some market observers believe they are obscuring broader systemic problems and could hamper efforts to deal with toxic assets.
CDSs on US financials narrow
Market sentiment towards US banks improved today, with the cost of credit protection on six of the nation's largest financial institutions falling. The move came on the same day Bank of America (BoA) was reported to have raised $7.3 billion from selling…
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.