Structured products
Increased volatility could help structure attractive returns
Widening bond spreads and market volatility will result in more interesting structured products, according to Morgan Stanley. The spikes in volatility that followed news of a hung parliament in the UK and the disagreements over a bail-out package for…
UBS fines for misselling structured products could be first of many
UBS has come under fire in a series of court cases in the US for inappropriate sales of Lehman Brothers principal-protected notes and a failure to inform retail investors properly of the risks involved. More cases are likely.
DnB Nor returns to the Norwegian structured products market
Nordic bank DnB Nor will resume distribution of structured products to high-net-worth investors and affluent retail clients in Norway on May 25. The two new products, translated roughly as “Global ‘Trigg’ (safe)” and “Top Norden” (top selected stocks…
Barclays says kick-outs remain popular despite ISA confusion
Barclays Wealth says kick-out structures remain popular in the UK, despite the recent confusion over Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) eligibility. Barclays is reissuing two kick-out structures to UK investors.
S&P 500 index licensed to European ETF providers
Standard & Poor’s has opened its benchmark US index, the S&P 500, to seven exchange-traded fund (ETF) providers in Europe, meeting demand from a range of investors to be able to invest in US equities as the market recovers from recession.
FTSE targets UK pensions industry with defined contribution index
FTSE has created an index to help asset managers and retail investors navigate the pensions market. The index provider has partnered with London-based data services firm Pension DCisions to create the first benchmark for the UK’s defined contributions…
ETNs come to Finland with listing on the Nasdaq Helsinki
The Nordic market has been slower to pick up on the trend for exchange-traded products than its southern European counterparts but progress comes with Swedish bank Handelsbanken’s listing of Finland’s first exchange-traded notes (ETN) on the Nasdaq OMX…
Société Générale launches commodities ETN platform
As appetite for listed products and the transparency they offer increases, Société Générale (SG) has launched its first exchange-traded notes (ETN) on the London Stock Exchange, giving investors access to single commodities in a variety of currencies.
Markit ETP database provides tool to navigate market
The market for exchange-traded products (ETPs) is expanding as more products and issuers come to market, making it more difficult for asset managers and traders to make decisions about which ETFs to use.
Swiss exchange sees increase in structured product turnover
Turnover for structured products on the Swiss Scoach exchange is recovering after a dip in December last year, according to figures from the Swiss Structured Products Association. Volumes reached Sfr3.68 billion ($3.35 billion) in April 2010. Most of the…
RBS and NAB offer investors the chance to restrike
Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) and National Australian Bank (NAB) have teamed up to offer a product called Re-Strike, which will give investors with non-performing investments the chance to reset capital. RBS is the issuer.
Dealers prepping new CDOs
Despite growing risk aversion in the credit markets, behind the scenes dealers are working on new issues of collateralised debt obligations.
Risk Europe: euro volatility and regulatory uncertainty biggest concerns, say CROs
Buy-side chief risk officers voice their concerns about the effects of regulatory inconsistency on volatility.
Korean bonds stay strong, despite rising tensions
Sound economic fundamentals have meant South Korea’s sovereign bond yields have remained low despite the political standoff on the Korean peninsula.
World Cup infects structured products
How much can investors earn if their national football teams perform well at the Fifa Football World Cup? Buy a structured product based on the fortunes of your favourite team and find out, says Richard Jory, speaking at a lunch meeting held in London on…
ETF role in Dow 'flash crash' under scrutiny
The role of ETFs in the US market “flash crash” on 6 May is under scrutiny following a preliminary report suggesting ETFs and index futures were linked to the event.
FX volatility creates headaches for bond investors
Investors shift allocations to US dollar products as euro sinks.
Brough: Europe could ultimately benefit from euro collapse
Schroders’ Andy Brough believes an eventual collapse of the euro would not be the Doomsday event many fear and could be the best scenario for many nations on the Continent.
