Structured products
Providers bank on Russia recovery
Arc Capital and Income has launched the second tranche of its Emerging Markets Russia plan for UK investors. The latest issue follows the launch of four new tradeable Russian sector indexes on March 31 by the Vienna Stock Exchange (VSE), which are…
CDS: Spreads narrow on financials, ICICI trading under 400bp
Credit default swap 5-year mid-levels for structured products issuers (Thursday April 30)
Playing Russia’s game
Rachel Morison examines the current investor appetite for Russian oil E&P
Profile
To celebrate its 15th anniversary Energy Risk is conducting interviews with veterans who have shaped today's energy markets. This month Katie Holliday talks with energy risk management guru Vincent Kaminski, professor at Houston's Rice University, and…
Summer 2009
The latest on investment and finance within the environmental and renewables sectors. In-depth features on the VERs market, US solar power contracts, waste-to-energy and a Q&A with Earth Capital Partners
Bank lending continues to fall in Europe and US
The first quarter of 2009 saw the supply of credit from banks to the wider economy continue to decline, although the riskiness of interbank lending has remained stable.
More than 100 firms apply to buy toxic assets under PPIP
More than 100 money managers have applied to the US Treasury to be granted fund manager status under the Public-Private Investment Programme (PPIP) and commence purchasing toxic mortgage securities with public money, the department announced yesterday.
Market tense over stress-test results
Continued silence from US authorities on the results of bank stress tests has left markets and analysts alike fretting over which firms are in need of additional capital.
Blue Sky offers new growth plans
UK distributor Blue Sky Asset Management has launched the second issue of its Protected and Guaranteed Growth plans, which are designed to provide exposure to the FTSE 100 index.
US Wrap: Citi offers PCs and McDonald's
Citi launched two reverse convertibles into the US yesterday. They were the only two products launched as issuance has failed to pick up momentum. The notes link to the reference stock of Intel Corp or McDonald's.
CDS: US banks narrow
Credit default swap 5-year mid-levels for structured products issuers (Wednesday April 29)
EC draft rules would impose leverage limits on hedge funds
A draft European Commission directive, due to be released on April 30, would tighten European oversight of hedge fund managers, including leverage limits, increased disclosure and minimum capital requirements.
Morgan Stanley named in FCStone saga
Morgan Stanley has revealed its role in the disposal of a loss-making energy trading account by FCStone in March 2009.
BoE stability chief: Financial network needs 'rethinking'
The growth of complexity and widespread pursuit of similar products and strategies has created a fragile financial network in need of reform, according to a senior Bank of England (BoE) official.
Study: pension funds should amend ALM risk models
European pension funds would experience greater stability if regulators amended asset liability management (ALM) rules to permit short-term risk taking using internal risk management models, a new paper argues.
Stoxx index to underlie new exchange-traded fund
The Dow Jones Stoxx 50 index has been licensed to ETFlab Investment to underlie a new exchange-traded fund (ETF). The index, which is one of the benchmarks for European equity performance, includes blue-chip super sector leaders from 18 countries across…
Exchange-traded commodity investments dominate structured products
Exchange-traded products (ETPs) continued to dominate structured products as the premier choice for commodity investment in Q1 2009, new research by Barclays Capital has shown. The assets under management (AUM) of ETPs, which includes both listed…
CDS: US bank spreads continue to widen
Credit default swap 5-year mid-levels for structured products issuers (Tuesday April 28)
US Wrap: ABN branches into new structure and Chinese equity on offer
ABN Amro managed to issue a product other than its standard reverse convertible, on a more adventurous day for the US market which also saw Morgan Stanley put Chinese equity on offer. ABN's product was a kick out note linked to the S&P 500. The bank has…
Credit Suisse has FX Factor
Swiss dealer Credit Suisse has launched its FX Factor index, which is designed to provide exposure to a portfolio of macroeconomic and market-driven FX strategies comprising carry, momentum, valuation, growth, terms of trade and emerging markets. The…
Bair: FDIC needs power to take over non-bank institutions
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) should have "resolution power" over non-bank financial companies as well as banks, FDIC chairman Sheila Bair told a New York audience yesterday.
Total bid for UTS fails
French energy company Total has announced the expiry and termination of its offer to acquire UTS Energy for C$1.75 cash per share.
CDS: Spreads remain stable but BofA widens to 294bp
Credit default swap 5-year mid-levels for structured products issuers (Thursday April 23, Friday April 24 and Monday April 27)
Turner condemns 'rent seeking' banks
Adair Turner, chairman of the UK Financial Services Authority, has accused banks of using financial innovation "to extract economic rents rather than deliver services of real value to the real economy", and called for higher capital levels and…