Feature
South Africa - Who's dropping the carry trade?
Foreign Exchange
In for the duration
Liability-driven investment
South Africa - Looking to new heights
Inflation
Regulators Comment
South Africa
A dangerous precedent
European power market participants are up in arms over a draft law in Germany which, if passed, could devastate liquidity both in Germany and beyond by allowing the German Cartel Office to force some suppliers to price their power on a cost basis. Oliver…
Powering debate
Concerns about energy supply security and climate change are causing a nuclear power renaissance in Europe. However, despite changing attitudes, the regulatory, political and financial barriers to nuclear new-build remain significant, finds Roderick Bruce
Staging a comeback
A change in public perception, energy supply concerns and green issues are all driving a nuclear power revival in the US. Technological advances, financial incentives and licence standardisation look set to smooth the process of new build, finds Neil O…
When M&As fail
US M&A activity plummeted in 2006, leading to fears that much-needed – but capital-intensive – infrastructure plans could be put on hold. Merging with infrastructure funds instead of private equity may be an easier way for utilities to jump some…
Can coal deliver?
US coal supply needs to increase by around 8% in the next five years to meet projected demand. For that to happen, huge investment is needed and prices are likely to rise, finds a Global Energy Decisions study
Meeting the pace of change
Energy trading is advancing so quickly it's sometimes difficult for software to keep pace. Energy Risk's software survey reveals almost half of respondents changed systems in 2006. David Watkins reports
The IFRS conundrum
Firms with a public listing in the EU need to adhere to complex accounting standards on financial instruments. Michiel Mannaerts and Pieter Veuger look at the latest implications for energy companies
Designing a market
With Canada likely to embark on an emissions-trading scheme this year, Oliver Holtaway looks at the various forms it could take
Gearing up for ever higher leverage
Rising leverage in the global system coupled with fears for the accuracy of credit risk pricing dominated discussion at the World Economic Forum in Davos this year. But not everyone is downbeat, as Matthew Attwood finds out
The Big Interview: LMA
Should high-yield issuers publicly disclose details of their loan agreements? Nikki Marmery talks to the LMA about this thorny issue
Back to basics
We take you back to the credit basics to review everything you thought you already knew but were too afraid to ask ... Juan-Carlos Martorell, director in structured credit marketing at ABN Amro in London explains the mechanics of CPDOs
CDS documentation
Market graphic
Q: What do the distressed debt market and the Japanese puffer-fish have in common? A: They're both irresistible - but highly toxic
Distressed debt investors gearing up for a bumper year should take note of the name of Babson's new credit fund, Fugu, after the deadly Japanese puffer-fish - a prized delicacy that can be lethal if not prepared correctly. Philip Moore reports on the new…
Bob Buhr
The existence of so-called special shares in some European companies enables governments to block certain transactions such as acquisitions and LBOs. Understanding how they work is necessary for bondholders in assessing LBO risk, says the head of credit…
Moody's hybrid methodology
Talking point
Subprime mortgages trigger ABX sell-off
Investors in the subprime mortgage sector might have been expecting some kind of market correction after a jump in delinquency rates at the back end of 2006. What they weren't expecting was a full-scale stampede out of the ABX index. Credit reports
Harnessing our differences
In the first of a series, Eric Holmquist considers the characteristics, challenges and opportunities in developing a risk culture
Global warming: a new risk for firms
MANAGEMENT
Two heads are better than one
Glenn Christensen of Synovus Financial Corp. introduces an enterprise risk management strategy known as the Bifurcated ERM Methodology