News
Pension deficit concern sparks demand for default protection
Traders saw a marked increase in volumes for credit protection, following a credit watch alert by rating agency Standard & Poor’s (S&P) on 12 major European corporations earlier today. S&P today warned that the companies, including Sainsbury’s, Rolls…
Tiner defends insurance margin changes
In a speech today to the Westminster & City Twentieth Anniversary life insurance conference, the Financial Services Authority's John Tiner sought to clarify a letter, released last Friday, that relaxed the solvency regime for UK life assurers.
FSA decision prompts tightening for insurers' credit spreads
The cost of protection for the European insurance sector has tightened by up to 15bp in trading this week following a decision by UK regulator, the Financial Services Authority (FSA), to ease regulatory solvency requirements for individual life assurers.
Tiner says risk management must improve at life insurers
"Changes are...underway in the relationship between insurance companies and their supervisors," said John Tiner, head of the UK's Financial Services Authority (FSA) in a speech today to the Westminster & City Twentieth Anniversary life insurance…
Corporate governance hots up on the continent
Continental European countries are increasing their focus on corporate governance issues.
Japan's FSA cracks down on lapses by foreign firms
TOKYO – In mid-January, Japan's Financial Services Agency (FSA) issued administrative actions against the Tokyo branches of both Crédit Lyonnais Securities Europe and ING Securities after the agency found regulatory breaches at both firms.
SunGard alleges Algo has used its confidential information
In a bizarre twist, US-based technology services company, SunGard, has responded to legal action by Algorithmics regarding its alleged use of Algorithmics' confidential information, by claiming its Canadian rival has used confidential information…
Dealers rebut UK covered warrants market flop claims
Leading warrants dealers in the UK have rebutted claims that the London Stock Exchange’s (LSE) new covered warrants market is a flop.
OM system failure behind HKEx interruption
A fault in the system of Swedish software company, OM Gruppen, was to blame for a temporary failure of the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearings’ (HKEx) futures and options trading system last Thursday, the exchange has revealed.
Trichet to top the bill at Prmia’s inaugural European summit
Jean-Claude Trichet, governor of the Banque de France, and the most likely successor to Wim Duisenberg as president of the European Central Bank (ECB), will make the keynote address at the Professional Risk Managers’ International Association's (Prmia)…
Derivatives veteran Brickell set to oversee US mortgage agencies
US president George Bush said he intends to nominate Mark Brickell, chief executive of Blackbird Holdings and a veteran of the derivatives industry, as director of the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight (OFHEO) at the Department of Housing…
Prebon Yamane names new MD in Hong Kong
International brokerage house Prebon Yamane has named Peter Pao as its new managing director in Hong Kong following the retirement of 28-year veteran, Joe Lam, in December last year. In his new role, Pau will be responsible for the greater China region.
Fitch upgrades OpVar tool for operational risk
Fitch Ratings has added a range of new services to its OpVar software suite, an operational risk management quantification tool. Version 5.0, scheduled for release in March, now offers an enhanced data collection module and improved data management…
Nationalisation required for Japanese bank recovery, says Fitch
A partial nationalisation of Japan's ailing banks may be the only way to resolve the country's economic woes, with recent efforts by individual institutions to restructure their balance sheets unlikely to lead to an autonomous recovery in the banking…
White knight rides in to back Rolfe & Nolan MBO
HgCapital Funds, a European private equity finance company specialising in technology investments, has thrown its support behind a management buyout (MBO) of UK derivatives back-office vendor Rolfe & Nolan, valuing the 30-year old company at £15.2…
Algo slaps injunction on SunGard over use of confidential information
Canadian risk management systems provider Algorithmics has slapped an injunction on SunGard aimed at stopping its US-headquartered rival from using confidential information allegedly leaked to SunGard by an ex-Algorithmics employee.
Fitch upgrades OpVar tool for operational risk
Fitch Risk Management has added a range of new services to its OpVar software suite, an operational risk management quantification tool. Version 5.0, scheduled for release in March, now offers an enhanced data collection module and improved data…
SunGard releases intranet version of Account Risk Module
SunGard Futures Systems, a division of US-based technology company SunGard, has released a new intranet version of its Account Risk Module (ARM), an account risk assessment tool designed for use with its GMI system for listed derivatives processing. GMI…
Tokio Marine adds to 'cherry blossom' derivatives
Japan's Tokio Marine and Fire Insurance has added an extra hedge to its 'cherry blossom' derivatives contracts linked to the country’s spring temperatures, said an official at the insurance firm in Tokyo.
FSA decision prompts tightening for insurers’ credit spreads
The cost of protection for the European insurance sector has tightened by up to 15bp in trading this week following a decision by UK regulator, the Financial Services Authority (FSA), to ease regulatory solvency requirements for individual life assurers.
Nationalisation required for Japanese bank recovery, says Fitch
A partial nationalisation of Japan’s ailing banks may be the only way to resolve the country’s economic woes, with recent efforts by individual institutions to restructure their balance sheets unlikely to lead to an autonomous recovery in the banking…
TriOptima’s swap tear-up service readies for March launch
TriReduce, an interest rate swaps tear-up service developed by Stockholm-headquartered TriOptima, may start its first run in late March, following a delay of about three months due to documentation and technology hook-up issues.
MBIA reports $82 million unrealised loss mainly due to synthetic CDOs
New York-based monoline insurer MBIA said the largest negative impact on its income during 2002 arose from its synthetic collateralized debt obligation (CDO) investments. The majority of its total mark-to-market unrealised loss of $82 million was…
Front and Evolution formalise co-marketing agreement
Front Capital Systems, a provider of risk management technology, and UK consultancy firm Evolution today formalised an agreement to market each other's products.