News
CBOE Vix options thrive on first day
The Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) has recorded a strong first day of trading for its options on its volatility index, Vix. The number of options traded were 4,328 calls and 5,095 puts, totalling 9,423 contracts by the end of the day on February…
Barclays Capital slams UK pension accounting rules
Barclays Capital has likened pension funds piling into long-dated index-linked gilts to the tech bubble of 1998 to 2000. And its top London strategist believes the fault lies with new accounting rules that force an unreasonably inflexible discount rate…
Banks need to focus on Pillars II and III says Celent
Banks may be over-emphasising the requirements for Basel II’s Pillar I, which sets the standard for risk-adjusted capital adequacy ratios, while overlooking the importance of Pillars II and III, which cover topics such as corporate governance, according…
Eleven banks in rates derivatives joint venture
Eleven international banks are to set up a joint venture providing price information and guaranteeing liquidity in the interest rate derivatives market.
SG names new research chief
SG has named Benoit Hubaud head of foreign exchange and interest rate strategy research, in addition to his previous responsibility as head of credit research.
Banks need to focus on Pillars II and III says Celent
Banks may be over-emphasising the requirements for Basel II’s Pillar I, which sets the standard for risk-adjusted capital adequacy ratios, while overlooking the importance of Pillars II and III, which cover topics such as corporate governance, according…
RBS names new head of Asian futures
Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) has named Chin Leng Woon as its new head of futures for Asia at its Singapore office.
Santander appoints new quants head
Banco Santander Central Hispano has hired François Friggit as head of quants, for interest rates and hybrid products at the bank’s headquarters in Madrid.
BoA mis-states derivatives positions by $345 million
Bank of America has contravened Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) rules regarding its treatment of derivatives instruments and will recalculate all of its financial statements since 2002.
BNP Paribas merges interest rate and forex trading businesses
BNP Paribas has combined its interest rate and foreign exchange trading capabilities as part of a reorganisation aimed at improving efficiency.
Asia-Pacific CDO issuance to rise this year, says Fitch
There is likely to be an increase in the issuance of collateralised debt obligation (CDO) issuance in the Asia-Pacific region in 2006, rating agency Fitch said in a new report.
Ferguson quits the Fed
Roger Ferguson, the vice-chairman of the Federal Reserve, resigned today after two years in the post.
Timetable chaos
US regulators' decision to delay Basel II by one year has frustrated international banks, causing some to reassess their global implementation plans. With the US regulators yet to release national implementation guidelines, bankers and supervisors are…
CME eyes energy market
The Chicago Mercantile Exchange plans to launch energy futures contracts once its non-competitive agreement with the New York Mercantile Exchange expires this summer.
ABN Amro opens commodity desk in Brazil
ABN Amro has started trading commodity futures in Brazil with the opening of its new sugar desk in Sao Paulo.