Exchanges
LCH.Clearnet to clear iron ore swaps
London based clearing house LCH.Clearnet has announced that it will clear over the counter (OTC) iron ore swap contracts before the end of May.
Rubber volumes fail to improve despite Tocom's extra trading hours
Rubber trading volumes have failed to be boosted by a revamped trading system launched this week on the Tokyo Commodity Exchange (Tocom).
Platts price assessment proposals face scrutiny
Questions have been raised in the energy trading sector about Platts' decision to align its US fixed price and differential crude oil and products assessments at 3.15pm eastern time (ET).
Primus explores new CDPC model
Primus Guaranty, the Bermuda-based credit derivatives product company (CDPC) and asset manager, is looking into the possibility of setting up a new entity to sell credit protection, but unlike its existing business model, the new venture would post…
OTC Global Holdings announces new crude options brokerage
New York based interdealer broker, OTC Global Holdings (OTCGH), has launched a new crude options brokerage called Riviera Commodities.
Bair: US should pull back from Basel II
The US should back away from the "highly problematic" Basel II framework and instead turn its attention to fine-tuning the current Basel I Accord, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) chairman Sheila Bair said yesterday.
Iosco blames crisis on rush for yield
Poor incentives, inadequate oversight and a drive for high yield were behind the crisis in the credit market, and securitisation in particular, according to a paper issued today by the International Organisation of Securities Commissions.
CME to launch grain calendar spread options
The CME Group has announced calendar spread options for corn, wheat, soybeans, soybean meal and soybean oil futures will be available to trade on the exchange from June 1, 2009.
In the clear
The trend away from uncleared over-the-counter trading to cleared OTC trading has prompted exchanges to list a greater range of OTC cleared products. But to what extent can the OTC markets ever become completely cleared? Katie Holliday investigates
Beyond 2012
The EU ETS has been a key driver of CDM market growth. However, changes to CER import limits suggested for Phase III could jeopardise that, writes Miles Austin at EcoSecurities
Ukraine's next generation
DTEK, Ukraine's only privately owned power utility, wants to become a leading energy player linking Ukraine, Russia and Europe. Roderick Bruce meets Vitaly Butenko, DTEK's chief strategy officer, to discuss the company's progress and plans for expansion…
Inflated expectations
It may seem counterintuitive, given these deflationary times, but inflation-linked fixed income strategies are proving a hit with investors as fiscal stimulus raises the threat that inflation will take over in the medium term. William Rhode reports
Legal Spotlight
CDS dealers are under pressure to come up with a market-led solution to the clearing conundrum before regulators force one on them. Peter Green and Jeremy Jennings-Mares report
Column: John Wraith
The Bank of England has yet to reveal how it intends to wind down its quantitative easing programme of buying back gilts - assuming, of course, the policy achieves its aims
A downward spiral?
Markets
Mutual appreciation
Structured Investment Management
Exchange-traded transparency
Cover Story
Japanese brokers face testing times
Plummeting volumes in Japan's commodity futures markets have forced many Japanese commodity brokerages out of business. Katie Holliday reports