Structured products
RBS and Sip Nordic storm UK IFA market
Royal Bank of Scotland has partnered with Sip Nordic to launch a new series of dynamically managed structured products into the UK independent financial adviser (IFA) market. The investments will be sold by a 25-strong sales force working across the…
Stress-test success masks bigger problem with banks
The US government's bank stress tests appear to have been successful in stabilising financial markets, but some market observers believe they are obscuring broader systemic problems and could hamper efforts to deal with toxic assets.
Volatility returns to pre-Lehman levels
Market volatility across several sectors has dropped back to levels last seen before the collapse of Lehman Brothers in September 2008, lending weight to the belief that the financial markets are on the road to recovery.
Fed steps in to support CMBS market
The US Federal Reserve will start accepting legacy commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS) as collateral under its Term Asset-backed Securities Lending Facility (Talf), as the US commercial real estate market continues to struggle.
The ups and downs of the Japanese yen
Asia Risk FX Review & Outlook 2009 - Sponsored statement
Forex freefall
Asia Risk FX Review & Outlook 2009 - Funding
Uncertain futures
Asia Risk FX Review & Outlook 2009 - India
After the dust settles
Asia Risk FX Review & Outlook 2009 - Settlement risk
Dealing with volatility
Asia Risk FX Review & Outlook 2009 - Comment
Hoax hedges
Asia Risk FX Review & Outlook 2009 - Corporates
Still shackled
Asia Risk FX Review & Outlook 2009 - Currency controls
Fit for forex
Asia Risk FX Review & Outlook 2009 - Trading systems
Blossoming interest
Asia Risk FX Review & Outlook 2009 - Cover story
Speculating on suitability
Asia Risk FX Review & Outlook 2009 - SMEs
No Indian summer
Asia Risk FX Review & Outlook 2009 - Regulation
Skandia prepares income generator based on dividends
Skandia will launch tomorrow the Skandia Enhanced Dividend Seeker, a new protected product which delivers an annual income that depends on the dividend payments of the FTSE100 companies, rather than their share price valuations.
US Wrap: Is Barclays note flood sign of rebound?
Barclays Bank has launched 31 new reverse convertible notes into the US market, one of the most compelling signs yet of an upturn in issuance. By far the most prevalent theme was energy, which represented the underlying for 10 of the new notes. Financial…
New FASB standards threaten off-balance-sheet vehicles
The US Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) has completed new rules on off-balance-sheet holdings that will compel US companies to consolidate on balance sheet billions of dollars of assets previously kept in special-purpose entities (SPEs).
US Wrap: External credit and growth products dominate
The resurgence of bullish growth products is continuing in the US market, alongside the use of external credit providers to issue notes. Eksportfinans appears to be dominating the majority of this business, with two providers looking to the company to…
Barclays adds US option to Supertracker
Barclays Wealth has expanded its five-year Supertracker plan offering UK customers a US-option. The move comes in response to customer demand for more short-dated notes in current uncertain markets, says Colin Dickie, director of Barclays Wealth.
CDS: Levels stabilise afer last week's widening
Credit default swap 5-year mid-levels for structured products issuers (May 15)
US Wrap: Momentum accelerates towards week end
Issuance gathered pace yesterday as four providers launched a diverse spread of 18 products. Bank of America unveiled accelerated growth and kick-out structures, neither of which offered exposure to the usual S&P 500 index, but instead exposed investors…
iShares acquires Mexico’s Naftrac ETF
iShares has acquired the largest and first exchange-traded fund (ETF) in Mexico and Latin America. The Naftrac ETF follows the performance of the IPC (Indice de Precios y Cotizaciones), which is a Mexican stock market index.
BlueNext and Markit announce new carbon index
Environmental exchange BlueNext has announced that it will form a strategic partnership with financial information provider Markit, to create a range of emission index products.