Commodities/Foreign exchange
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.
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…
The great bond buyback
The Bank of England has kicked off its repurchase scheme for sterling high grade bonds, but opinion is divided over whether the subsequent tightening of spreads is down to the government initiative or extraneous factors. Laurence Neville reports
Russian revolution?
The news that TNK-BP will sell oil products on the St. Petersburg International Mercantile Exchange could signal a shift by Russia towards market mechanisms, Roderick Bruce reports
Phoenix rises into green markets
Interdealer broker expands in to renewables and emissions markets to harness sector growth, and plans to act as a counterparty for RECs
New York may up RGGI allowances
New York State may decide to allocate more allowances under the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative to ease the cost burden on compliance buyers, finds Pauline McCallion
Accounting boards: Spain's dynamic provisioning not the way forward
International accounting standard setters have warned that accounting for dynamic provisioning – rainy-day funds banks build up in good times to absorb losses in economic downturns – should not be recorded against profit and loss (P&L), as it is in Spain.
Green shoots
Conference Report: Spain
Rosneft and TNK-BP trade on Saint Petersburg exchange
Russian oil companies Rosneft and TNK-BP have confirmed details of their trading activities on St. Petersburg International Mercantile Exchange (Spimex).
Shanghai steel futures begin trading
The Shanghai Futures Exchange launched trading in steel futures on March 26 to modest success, with a wide range of trading houses supporting the new contracts, traders and analysts said.
Phoenix launches platform for renewable credits
Interdealer broker Phoenix Partners has launched an electronic OTC trading platform for renewable energy credits (REC.)
Shanghai steel futures shine on first day of trading
The Shanghai Futures Exchange launched trading in steel futures on March 26 to modest success, with a wide range of trading houses supporting the new contracts, traders and analysts said. The two new contracts are the seventh and eighth products to be…
Market frustrated by lack of detail on US toxic-asset purchase plan
Economists and analysts have criticised the US Treasury's updated toxic-asset purchase plan for again failing to provide the granular detail or specified launch date necessary to reassure capital markets the proposals will indeed help curb the global…
CME launches OTC grain swaps through ClearPort
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has given regulatory approval for the CME to clear corn basis swaps and calendar swaps for corn, wheat and soybeans.
Deutsche Bank takes stake in iron ore brokerage
Deutsche Bank has taken an equity stake of undisclosed size in newly-established London Dry Bulk (LDB), a specialist physical and financial iron ore brokerage division of London Commodity Brokers.