Structured products
Macquarie may close structured products business in Europe
Macquarie is considering shutting its structured products and exotics business in Europe as a result of unfavourable market conditions. The alarm bells were sounded were last December, when Todd Steinberg, global head of structured products left the bank
In with Inès de Dinechin and out with Laurent Seyer at Lyxor
Laurent Seyer leaves Lyxor Asset Management for Axa Investment Management, where he will start as head of investment solutions in May. Seyer is replaced as Lyxor chief executive by Inès de Dinechin
Alternatively weighted risk premium indexes gain momentum
Index providers and fund managers who have tended to focus on performance are seeing demand from investors for strategy indexes that focus on risk
Sovereign risk adjustments adds to demand for bond ETFs
Sovereign risk in Europe has taken on a whole new meaning since the onset of the eurozone crisis, so ETF providers are having to adapt
Proshares ETFs offer Tips for protection
Proshares rolls out ETFs offering exposure to the difference in yield between Treasuries and TIPS
Sponsored forum: The future of e-trading for bonds
Regulators are keen for a wider universe of cash and derivatives instruments to trade on electronic platforms. A panel of experts discuss some of the challenges
Esma aims for the middle ground with draft ETF guidelines
European Securities and Markets Authority reveals its long-awaited consultation paper on Ucits exchange-traded funds
Structured products linked to real assets and credit back on the menu in Italy
The Italian structured products market is seeing a pick-up as institutional investors demand exposure to physical assets and credit
Swedish regulator eyes blanket ban on distribution fees
The ban on distribution fees being considered in Sweden could "substantially" affect the country’s retail structured products market, warn market participants
India structured products market adapts to new oversight regime
Under a watchful eye
Nordic region sees surge in demand for credit and commodity-linked products
Tough equity markets are driving increased demand for credit exposure and cross-asset baskets in the Nordic region, where a stronger risk appetite is in evidence
FSA reveals regulatory mission
FCA's Martin Wheatley says the FSA's power to ban investment products will not be used lightly or without good reason, tempering some of the statements emerging from the UK regulator over the past year
Sarfati to move on as Société Générale rings the changes
Arnaud Sarfati will leave SG CIB after the latest restructure, which sees the number of co-heads at the bank dramatically reduced
State Street unveils global cloud technology for ETF servicing
State Street has expanded its servicing capabilities to enable daily ETF monitoring, from basket-creation through to trade processing and settlement
Inflows into exchange-traded products could rise 15% this year, says report
Lyxor reveals faltering asset flows for ETP market in 2011 but predicts a better year ahead as commodity-based products shine
Finra furthers US complexity debate
Finra's January notice warns firms to increase supervision on complex products and introduces notion of post-approval review
Investors turn to utilities, gold and dividends for stable returns as equities sink
Poor equity market performance is driving investors into alternative asset classes such as utilities, gold and dividends in the search for stable returns
Investors in Asia-Pacific look to rates-based hybrids for yield
Low interest rates mean market participants expect the trend for hybrid structures to continue this year, boosted by demand for yield pick-up and diversification
New sector-specific ETFs tap demand for commodities
Lyxor and iShares find new ways to innovate with the launch of sector-specific commodity ETFs
Risk-reduction ETFs poised to gain ground
Market volatility is fuelling investor demand for exchange-traded funds based on risk control indexes
Belgium's structured products moratorium hastens rise in private banking activity
Belgian banks are targeting private clients with structured products that do not comply with the Financial Services and Markets Authority's moratorium, say market participants
Ossiam offers the academic view for low volatility
Ossiam has launched a volatility-controlled exchange-traded fund that tracks the FTSE 100 Minimum Variance Index
JVB Financial hires Tessar to help drive distribution expansion
John Tessar will add his 15 years' structured products experience to JVB Financial's expansion drive in North America
Deutsche Bank rolls out series of MSCI and Australian interest rate ETFs in Hong Kong
Deutsche Bank’s latest exchange-traded fund launch on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange includes ETFs tapping into local equities from Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia as well as Australian interest rates