Feature
Carrying on
Hedge Funds
Room for skew
Skew
A new generation of risk
The UK government recently committed to a new generation of nuclear power stations - the first in the UK for 13 years - funded by the private sector. Roderick Bruce examines the financial and regulatory risks facing potential stakeholders
Automating energy markets
Automation in physical energy markets - far behind that of financial markets - is now within striking distance, writes James Caffrey, VP Strategic Consulting, TradeCapture
Joining forces
After several false starts the Iberian electricity market, Mibel, finally launched last year, linking the power markets of Spain and Portugal. Andrew Holt looks at what changes it has brought about
The rise or fall of CDM
European Commission proposals to limit the use of Clean Development Mechanism credits post-2012 came as a surprise to many carbon market participants. Kristian Tangen and Kjetil Røine of Point Carbon discuss the implications
Building for the future
As US electric utility companies strive to meet soaring power demand, they are also coming under increasing pressure to lower carbon emissions. Richard McMahon of the Edison Electric Institute looks at how firms plan to meet these two potentially…
A man with a mission
The future of Russian energy under president-elect Dmitri Medvedev largely depends upon his ability to navigate the country's Byzantine political climate, writes Robert Amsterdam
Rising suns
Asia's rapidly growing and energy-intensive economies are driving a global nuclear renaissance, writes Lauren Hilgers
Unclear for US nuclear
Uncertainty surrounding the US government's role in project finance for new nuclear generation is threatening to hold back the renaissance. David Watkins reports
Buying power?
GSEs
Get a fix on floating-rate risk
Commercial Property
Back to basics: non-determinant deposits
Liquidity and Deposits
Can Fannie and Freddie fix the mortgage crisis?
The once-derided housing agencies, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, are being feted as potential saviours of the mortgage market after the authorities relaxed the laws limiting the amount of mortgage debt the agencies can hold. Simon Boughey reports
The ABX index: A pricing conundrum
The liquidity crisis in the ABS market has led to investors using the ABX index as a valuation tool for individual securities - something the index was never designed for. Ben Logan explains the ramifications of this valuation practice
The squeeze is on - The clampdown on CDO ratings
The rating agencies have faced a barrage of criticism over their role in last year's subprime meltdown. This year they have been focusing on ensuring that a repeat of the ABS problems do not occur in other segments of the structured credit market. But…
MFS Investment Management: Smoothing out the bumps
As seasoned investors will tell you, putting your money in emerging markets can be a rough ride. The highs may be high, but the lows can be even lower. The emerging markets debt team at MFS Investment Management are aiming to give their investors a…
Q&A: Dennis Tracey & David Dunn
Banks are braced for a wave of litigation arising from the subprime crisis. But, as partners at law firm Hogan & Hartson point out, it won't just be subprime lenders that are facing law suits
An absorbing business for credit hedge funds
Analysts predict there will be a wave of consolidation in the credit hedge fund sector as battered funds look for ways to survive the market turmoil. Already a number of smaller managers have had to bow to the inevitable and merge with larger players…
Traders get a taste for pick and mix
Relying exclusively on third-party applications for trading, pricing and risk management of mortgage-backed and other asset-backed securities does not make sense for all buy-side firms. Alternative investment manager Highland Financial Holdings Group has…
Mexico dances to a different tune
With US structured finance markets in the grip of the subprime squeeze, close neighbour Mexico might be expected to have suffered a similar fate. But strong investor demand for securitisation and homeowner-friendly government initiatives are combining to…
Mr Cultivator
PROFILE: MARCELO CRUZ