Structured products
Former SG executives launch multi-commodity discretionary hedge fund
Ex-SG commodities executives Christophe Cordonnier, Frédéric Lasserre and François Beuzelin launch broad-based discretionary fund
Financials back in vogue as basis for US structured products
Bank shares continue to form the basis of many structured product filings with the US Securities and Exchange Commission
Europe gets long and short ETFs on US and UK sovereign debt, with leverage
The first exchange-traded funds to offer daily leveraged exposure to US and UK sovereign debt have been listed in Europe
Actively managed ETFs in North America see dramatic inflows
Pimco and State Street launch new actively managed ETFs as US and Canadian markets see strong surge in assets under management
Readiness of IFAs for Retail Distribution Review called into question
Most independent financial advisers are still unprepared for the implementation of the FSA's Retail Distribution Review, according to market participants
Europe’s institutional investors look to alternatives and cost-effective exposure
Institutional investors in Europe favour fixed-income and alternative assets as they continue de-risking their portfolios, with a focus on cost-effective market exposure and downside protection
S&P licenses new Italy LargeMidCap index to JP Morgan for bespoke products
JP Morgan is to use S&P Indices' new Italy LargeMidCap Index as the basis for bespoke structured products
Dual directional products are ‘exceedingly complex’ says US securities research firm
Thirty-five dual directional structured products have been issued so far this year in the US, but research from a securities consulting firm warns against them
Real estate returns to ETF radar
Real estate exchange-traded funds have been attracting big inflows as property market returns beat equity benchmarks
FSA crackdown on Ucis to hit private wealth management hardest
The potential ban on the sale of unregulated collective investment schemes to retail will also reduce the range of investments in the private wealth sector, say industry participants
European certificates and leverage products see Q1 trading surge
European exchanges record higher trading volumes in investment certificates and leverage products in the first quarter of the year
Why structured products might benefit from the FSA's Retail Distribution Review
Market participants in the UK are optimistic that the removal of commission in favour of fees for financial advice as part of the Financial Services Authority's Retail Distribution Review will help sales of structured products
Financials and tourism the latest picks for US structured product underlyings
Of the 91 structured products filed last week with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, more than 40 were reverse convertibles and nine were digitals. Financials and tourism were the most popular underlyings
iShares launches single-country eurozone debt ETFs
iShares is offering a play on uncertainty in the eurozone with the launch of eight ETFs that offer exposure to the sovereign debt of individual eurozone members
US equity ETFs draw big bucks as European ones lose them
While North American equity ETFs have had big inflows since the start of the year, those based on European equities have had huge outflows
Dash to leave S&P Indices ahead of merger with Dow Jones Indexes
Srikant Dash will leave S&P Indices on June 1 after 12 years at the company, to be replaced by Jim Bailey. Dash's departure will come a month ahead of the merger with Dow Jones Indexes that will see S&P's Alex Matturi take over as CEO of the merged entity
Dynamic commodity strategies in demand as investors seek flexible exposure
Third-generation, dynamic commodity strategies are on the rise as increasingly sophisticated investors seek to capitalise on fast-changing trends in commodities
Dow Jones Indexes jumps on demand for alternatives
Alternative asset ETFs have seen a big increase in assets this year, and Dow Jones has joined in the trend with the licensing of a new multi-asset index for ETF creation
MSCI and Barclays partner to launch ESG fixed-income indexes
Link-up will allow institutional fixed-income investors to apply ESG investment strategies to their bond portfolios
SEC calls for greater pricing transparency for structured products
The US regulator's latest letter on structured products adds a new twist to the debate, calling for pricing disclosure
FSA warns on ETPs but omits to mention tracking error and hidden costs
A UK Financial Services Authority factsheet warns of risks relating to collateral and third-party involvement in exchange-traded products
Structured Products Americas: Finra happy with looser definition of complexity
A senior Finra official argues that structured product complexity does not always mean greater risk
The ETN that grew too fast
The ETN that grew too fast
House of the Year, Americas: Citi
Structured Products Americas Awards 2012