Structured products
BarCap's Thompson to offer insight into VAR-based pension plan asset allocation decisions
Tim Thompson, head of economic capital at Barclays Group, will present his company’s new value-at-risk method for evaluating and addressing corporate pension plan underfunding under new UK accounting rule FRS 17 at Risk Europe .
No change to retail hedge fund regulations, says FSA
The Financial Services Authority (FSA), the main UK financial services regulator, has said it will not change regulations relating to the marketing and distribution of hedge funds to retail investors in the UK.
Fitch Risk launches Credit Rating System
CreditVantage, the credit risk management division of Fitch Risk, has launched Credit Rating System (CRS), a suite of credit rating products designed to assist banksin implementing industry best practices in their credit analysis and capital allocation…
Quantifying the op risk in investment fund valuation
Fund management is often forgotten in the wider push towards quantitative operational risk management. Here, François Longin and Gautier Martin take a closer look at the operational risk that accompanies fund valuation.
Contributions to credit risk
Optimisation of credit portfolios requires that risk contributions be quantified. However, there has been disagreement over which of three popular tail risk measures should be used. Here, Alexandre Kurth and Dirk Tasche offer a way forward, showing how…
Pension fund risk systems advance
Vendors seeking to cater to pension fund clients are rolling out a new breed of asset/liability risk analysis tools to complement risk reporting and benchmarking systems, all tailored to the unique needs of these institutions.
Merrill to settle its forex trades via Citi
Citigroup has won a coveted deal to settle Merrill Lynch’s forex trades on its behalf on the new Continuous Linked Settlement (CLS) service for FX.
Time for buy-side IT push
Buy-side firms now recognise the strategic benefits and operational efficiencies that technology can bring. And, despite adverse market conditions, Fritz McCormick of Celent Communications believes IT investment is set for continued growth, especially…
A disaster waiting to happen
Despite the threat of increased terrorist attacks and war with Iraq, financial institutions are still struggling to find the funds to invest in appropriate business continuity plans.
Basel's CDO solution
As the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision continues its stately progress towards a revised capital Accord, one area remains under debate: the proposed capital rules for asset securitisations.
CMA to use Creditex data
Credit Market Analysis (CMA) is to use Creditex's credit default swaps (CDS) pricing data within its credit analytics.
G30 - Moving in the right direction
The latest G30 report on global clearing and settlement offers more than a few worthwhile suggestions. But Kristina West says there is still much to be done before the industry will wholly embrace the recommendations.
FiXing op risk
In a post-Rusnak era, operational risk management is a high priority. Could the Financial Information eXchange messaging standard provide a safety net?
Why risk IT?
Ever more complex investment risks with crushing liability factors and increased client scrutiny demand new and highly sophisticated technology, says Adrian Pay of LatentZero.
Japan’s SMBC to launch ¥1 trillion balance sheet synthetic CLO
Japan’s Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) is preparing to launch its second balance sheet synthetic collateralised loan obligation on March 24, ahead of the fiscal year end, with a ¥1 trillion ($8.35 billion) transaction.
Tailoring internal models
Swiss Re's Pablo Koch Medina, Frank Krieter and Stephan Schreckenberg highlight the key features and main limitations of internal risk models for insurers.
Meeting Basel II head on
Regulators are urging banks to update their rating methodologies in preparation for Basel II. Fitch Risk's Treeve Coomber thinks his new product will help to meet this challenge.
Opportunities arise in debt as more companies face spectre of insolvency
The present global economy is boosting the distressed debt market
A tighter reign
The SEC, America's market regulator, is set to introduce regulations which could transform the way hedge funds with a US connection do business
Talent always bounces back
The hedge fund bubble sustained even the mediocre players, but now it has burst only the most skilled will survive
Looking at the alternative
Hedge funds are a perfect investment for with-profits funds, with their aim of offering smoothed investment returns. The challenge for hedge fund managers is getting noticed by the life offices which manage them
Positive performers
The inclusion of a convertible arbitrage hedge fund strategy in a well-diversified alternative assets portfolio makes sense, especially in the current climate