Feature
Spreading fear
As credit spreads on financial institutions widened in the second half of 2008, some banks registered substantial gains on their own debt. The International Accounting Standards Board has subsequently ignited a debate over the inclusion of credit risk in…
PPIP blip
Mortgage-backed securities purchases will begin in August under the US Treasury's Public-Private Investment Program. But analysts say holders of the paper may be unwilling to part with their toxic assets at any price. Peter Madigan reports
Unite or fail
The European Commission is busy preparing the detail of its proposals for a new framework of financial supervision - but will national supervisors see their powers and discretion curbed? Joel Clark reports
Back to repack
Despite the flak off-balance-sheet vehicles have received since the onset of the financial crisis, dealers report increased use of special-purpose vehicles by investors looking to repackage assets. Why are investors looking to these repackaging vehicles…
The CDS curse
There has been growing concern about the influence credit default swaps (CDSs) can have on corporate reorganisation talks. Some have argued that because lenders can also hold CDS protection, they might block a debt reorganisation in order to force the…
Banker bonuses back in the headlines
Editor's blog
CDS: US banks take the strain of limited widening
Credit default swap 5-year mid-levels for structured products issuers (Friday July 31)
UK Wrap: Fund-linked products break FTSE domination
Skandia broke the FTSE 100 whitewash in the UK market this week, launching a clutch of products linked to a portfolio of funds that encompass US equity, property, European equity and bonds. The remaining seven products on offer all link to the FTSE index…
Skandia launches capital guaranteed fund-linked investments
Skandia has launched two new structured products offering exposure to a portfolio of funds with an overlay of 100% capital protection. Each product offers exposure to a basket of five different funds, with the second product offering two return options.
CDS: Wells Fargo leads tightening that excludes NAB
Credit default swap 5-year mid-levels for structured products issuers (Thursday July 30)
ACI launches fixed income product on back of investor demand
Arc Capital and Income (ACI) the UK distributor has launched the latest version of its fixed income plan on the back of investor demand for structures with regular payments.
CDS: Spreads widen again after run of tightening
Credit default swap 5-year mid-levels for structured products issuers
Credit Suisse builds up commodity indexing business with three hires
Credit Suisse has made three new hires in its commodities business, including Dan Raab, who formerly looked after the global development of American International Group's (AIG) commodity index. The bank has tapped Merrill Lynch for the remaining hires,…
Source links to new Dow Jones long/short index
Source has launched 18 exchange-traded funds linked to the Dow Jones Stoxx 600 Optimised Super Sector index range. The index range was created by the ETF provider and DJ and represents a new generation of funds created to deliver exposure to improved…
CDS: Narrowing continues across issuers
Credit default swap 5-year mid-levels for structured products issuers
The future of systemic risk supervision
Editor's blog
RBC Wealth hires Roiz to lead LatAm from Geneva
RBC Wealth Management has hired Thomas Roiz as Geneva-based head of Latin America for RBC Suisse. Roiz was previously Citi and JP Morgan's private banks. He reports to Karen Simpson, vice-president and general manager of RBC Suisse.
CDS: Tightening trend continues, with Deutsche slipping under 100bp
Credit default swap 5-year mid-levels for structured products issuers (July 23-July 24)
Capital protection and equities to lead US demand, Barclays Capital
Structured investments in the US are set to outpace the overall growth of other investments over the next two years, according to a survey of financial intermediaries, including wealth managers and broker dealers with US$6 trillion assets under…
CDS: Nordea and Svenska maintain tightening trend
Credit default swap 5-year mid-levels for structured products issuers (July 17-July 21)
Regulators and banks reach buyback agreement on Minibonds
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) and Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) have finally reached an agreement with 16 banks that distributed Minibonds, including ABN Amro and the Bank of China, to repurchase the Lehman Brothers-backed products…
RBC Wealth Management adds Afzal for structured notes
Wasim Afzal has joined RBC Wealth Management as manager to its structured notes and fixed income, advisory team. Afzal will be responsible for developing the structured notes offering for its high net worth (HNW) and ultra HNW clients
SIM takes from Barclays Capital for team expansion
Structured Investment Management (SIM) in New York has made three new hires in an expansion of its team. The new appointments include Mark Graham as executive vice-president of structured finance, who was previously head of corporate solutions and hybrid…
Source adds three to bolster European presence
Source, the exchange-traded product (ETP) distributor, has made three new hires to its European sales team as part of its expansion effort. The open architecture provider has ensnared individuals from Lyxor Asset Management, ETF Securities and Unicredit…