Foreign exchange
UBS shuts Houston energy trading desk
UBS is to close its Houston-based energy trading desk, laying off an undetermined number of staff. But the Swiss bank also said it will move some of Houston’s 380 energy staff to its Stamford, Connecticut, office, where energy trading will continue.
Committee of Chief Risk Officers releases best practices recommendations
The Committee of Chief Risk Officers (CCROs), the Washington DC-based association for energy company risk managers, yesterday released its best practice recommendations, urging merchant energy companies to increase market transparency.
Citigroup wins FX Week strategy award
Citigroup’s FX strategy team took the top spot in FX Week's best bank in FX research and strategy award, ousting last year’s winner Deutsche Bank into second place.
Financial institutions have scope for improvement in risk management, says PwC
Leading financial institutions are moving towards a more holistic and integrated approach to risk management, but need to continue to improve their risk management processes, according to a new survey from financial services firm PricewaterhouseCoopers …
Untapped potential
While well known for its banking industry, Switzerland still falls below standard for the financial services it offers which can be described as standard rather than bespoke
Macro magic
Permal's global macro strategy has worked wonders for its FX, Financials and Futures fund.
US interest rate moves increases market activity
Managers are moving to take advantage of the current FX climate.
UK opposed to allowing wider op-risk insurance role in European capital rules
LONDON – UK regulators are opposed to the wider use of operational risk insurance to reduce capital charges under complex new European Union (EU) safety rules for banks and investment firms, regulatory sources said.
Basel II helps German banks focus on risk, says Moody's
A renewed focus on profitability and strategic refocusing among German banks leads Moody's Investors Service to believe that “the country's banks will not undergo a systemic crisis”, the rating agency said in a report on the German banking sector,…
EU capital rules remain on tight deadline
European Union (EU) plans for implementing the complex Basel II bank safety rules remain on a very tight schedule, and yesterday's issue of a EU progress report is a positive step, officials at European banking organisations said.
WestAM enters hedge fund market
WestAM, the €38 billion asset management arm of German bank West LB, has launched its first hedge fund, WestAM Navigator Global Fixed Absolute Return Fund.
Basel II helps German banks focus on risk, says Moody's
A renewed focus on profitability and strategic refocusing among German banks leads Moody’s Investors Service to believe that “the country's banks will not undergo a systemic crisis”, the rating agency said in a report on the German banking sector,…
Basel II related IT spending to increase at European banks, says Celent
NEW YORK - Spending on IT for compliance with the Basel II capital accord in European Union (EU) banks is set to rise to more than €600 million in 2006 from just over €300 million in 2002, according to an analyst at US research and consultancy company…
EU capital rules remain on tight deadline
LONDON – European Union (EU) plans for implementing the complex Basel II bank safety rules remain on a very tight schedule, but the issue today of a EU progress report is a positive step, officials at European banking organisations said today.
Europe considers wider op-risk insurance role in new capital rules
BRUSSELS - The European Commission confirmed today it proposes the possible recognition of operational risk insurance as a way of reducing capital charges in all three methods of measuring op risk in its new protective capital rules for banks and…
Europe considers wider op risk insurance role in new capital rules
The European Commission confirmed today that it proposes the possible recognition of operational risk insurance as a way of reducing capital charges in all three methods of measuring op risk in its new protective capital rules for banks and investment…
Citigroup, Deutsche Bank and UBS Warburg dominate FX derivatives in FX Week awards
Citigroup, Deutsche Bank and UBS Warburg led the FX forwards and FX options categories in FX Week’s awards again this year, confirming their dominance in derivatives.
HSBC’s purchase of Household triggered credit rally, according to BoA
Bank of America (BoA) has used its new credit risk model to show, quantitatively, how HSBC’s proposed purchase of Household International, announced last Thursday, sparked a credit rally.
Aussie funds shun currency overlay
Australian superannuation funds’ use of currency overlay has declined, according to a report made public last week.
EU expected to report on Cad 3 progress next week
BRUSSELS – The European Commission is expected to give details on November 18 about how it intends applying the complex Basel II bank safety rules in the European Union, commission officials confirmed today.
Basel II will lead to more instability, critic argues
LONDON - The Basel II bank capital accord will result in more banking instability and more pro-cyclicality, where bank actions taken in response to solvency rules reinforce economic and market cycles, a leading critic of the accord said in October.
A question of priorities
Japan's banks are aware of the need to prepare for Basel II, but it is just one of a number of urgent issues that need to be resolved in the Japanese banking sector.
Prmia forms academic advisory council
The Professional Risk Managers’ International Association (Prmia) has created an academic advisory council in a bid to further the integration of risk management theory and practical application.
EU expected to report on Cad 3 progress next week
The European Commission is expected to give details on November 18 about how it intends applying the complex Basel II bank safety rules in the European Union, commission officials confirmed today.