News
CDS spreads widen on financials
Market sentiment towards financials has worsened over the past week, with the cost of credit protection rising on US and European banks.
US Wrap: Calm after reverse convertible storm
Product issuance returned to its usual flow in the US market yesterday, with only three new reverse convertible notes coming in the wake of Barclays' 46 earlier in the week.
IAIS confirms ambition to develop global Solvency II standard
At least 17 national insurance supervisors have signed on to plans for an internationally harmonised regulatory insurance standard similar to Solvency II, the International Association of Insurance Supervisors (IAIS) has confirmed.
Isda declares first Small Bang restructuring credit event
The International Swaps and Derivatives Association (Isda) declared the first restructuring credit event to be settled under its Small Bang Protocol on August 12.
Shell and National Grid join UK consortium to build CCS plant
Royal Dutch Shell and National Grid have announced that they will join ScottishPower's carbon capture and storage (CCS) consortium which is in the process of submitting a bid to build the first CCS plant in the UK.
CarbonDesk opens for business
London-based emissions broker the CarbonDesk has obtained regulated status from the UK's Financial Services Authority (FSA) to begin trading futures, options and derivatives products on the global carbon markets.
US regulators told to expand stress-test programme
The US Treasury should expand its bank holding company stress-testing programme to include smaller firms, the Congressional Oversight Panel said on August 11.
DTCC and Markit ready for MarkitServ launch
London-based data provider Markit and the New York-based Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation (DTCC) are ready to launch MarkitServ - a joint venture to provide trade-processing services to the over-the-counter derivatives markets.
Amaranth fined $7.5m for market manipulation and misrepresentation
Connecticut-based hedge fund Amaranth will pay a $7.5 million civil fine to settle charges of attempted manipulation of the price of natural gas futures and subsequent misrepresentation to the New York Mercantile Exchange (Nymex).
FSA confirms remuneration code of practice
Daily news headlines
US Wrap: Barclays floods market with nearly 50 reverse convertibles
Barclays Bank has made an emphatic leap into the reverse convertible market in the US by launching 46 of the notes. On what was certainly the busiest day of the year, five other issuers brought the total number of products released to 59.
Inflation outlook volatile, BoE warns
UK inflation will be “unusually volatile” in the coming months and could fall below 1% in the autumn, the Bank of England said in its quarterly inflation report today.
Bleak prospects for monolines
Mixed second-quarter results for monoline insurers have raised fresh worries about their future prospects.
NGX offers physical clearing for US crude oil
Calgary-based Natural Gas Exchange (NGX) today announced the availability of physical clearing capabilities for the United States crude oil market, effective this week.
Amaranth to pay $7.5 Million fine
The Commodity Futures Trading Exchange (CFTC) announced details today of a court order to settle charges of attempted manipulation of natural gas futures prices against Amaranth Advisors LLC and Amaranth Advisors (Calgary) ULC.
Dong Energy acquires German wholesale company
Danish firm Dong Energy has acquired German wholesale company Kom-Strom for €27 million ($38.23 million) from Essent.
Markit and DTCC to launch automated OTC trade processing
Financial information services company Markit and the Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation (DTCC) will launch a joint-venture to automate OTC derivative trade processing for all major asset classes on September 1.
New head of Asian equities trading at Citi
Joseph Chang has joined Citi Global Markets, the brokerage and securities arm of Citigroup, as head of Asian equities trading, excluding Australia and Japan.
Treasury gets bank assistance with warrant auction
The US Treasury has recruited at least one major bank to assist it with auctioning off warrants outstanding under the Troubled Assets Relief Program (Tarp), sources close to the situation told Risk .
Hedge funds escape tighter regulation
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SocGen launches into US deposit space with Wells Fargo certificate
Société Générale (SG) has wrapped its proprietary long short strategy, Wise, into a certificate of deposit (CD) issued by Wells Fargo. The CD links to a volatility controlled version of the strategy, the SGI Wise US Vol Target 8% Excess Return Index.
US Wrap: Market gets new lease of energy
Issuance is gathering pace in the US market with 16 new launches coming into the market, two of which were energy trades. Bank of America grasped the theme with both hands, linking a highly geared growth product to the Energy Select Spdr fund.
SEC to set up specialised detection units
The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) will set up five specialised units to detect financial criminals more efficiently, following criticisms its examiners are not equipped to deal with complex financial cases.
CME Group to offer Malaysian crude palm oil contract
Malaysian commodities exchange Bursa Malaysia is to partner with global futures exchange CME Group on trade matching services, product licensing and minor cross-equity investments.