News
Margaret Leung to replace Or as Hang Seng CEO
Margaret Leung, currently group general manager and global co-head of commercial banking at HSBC, will replace Raymond Or Ching-fai as chief executive of Hang Seng Bank in May.
AIG dismantled risk controls on CDS portfolio, says Greenberg
American International Group Financial Products (AIGFP) dismantled existing risk management controls around its credit default swap (CDS) portfolio following the ousting of Hank Greenberg, the former chief executive has alleged in a new lawsuit.
EM focus pays off again for Standard Chartered
Standard Chartered Bank, the emerging markets specialist, has again bucked the trend in the banking industry, reporting a double-digit rise in earnings for 2008 and a cautiously positive outlook for 2009 today.
Yen weakens as carry trades unwind, yen and equities decorrelate
The unwinding of yen carry trades and the de-correlation of the yen with equity markets, as well as wider economic factors, have all been linked to the yen's decline over the past month.
US to restructure AIG bailout after $61.7 billion Q4 loss
Marking the largest corporate quarterly loss in US history, today AIG reported that it lost $61.7 billion in the fourth quarter of 2008. It blamed disruption in the credit markets, particularly within its commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS)…
ICE offers margin offsets on coal and emissions contracts
ICE Futures Europe has introduced margin offsets between its Coal Futures and Emissions contracts.
Reliant sells Texas business to NRG and posts fourth quarter loss
In addition to the sale of its Texas retail business to NRG Energy for $287.5m, Reliant Energy has announced fourth quarter losses, including $177m from energy derivatives.
Lehman likely to recoup value of derivatives trades
Counterparties to derivatives trades with Lehman Brothers that are currently in-the-money for the bankrupt estate will not be able to hold off payment indefinitely, predict lawyers.
Eastern European CDSs move out
The cost of credit protection on the sovereign debt of several eastern European states rose in early trading today, despite a €24.5 billion aid package for the region's ailing financial sector promised on Friday by three international multilateral…
HSBC seeks to raise £12.5 billion from shareholders
HSBC today revealed it would try to raise £12.5 billion through a UK rights issue, as it announced both a 62% drop in profits in 2008 and intention to close its US consumer finance business.
SG names Asian structured sales head
Société Générale has named Yann Garnier as head of structured products sales for the Asia-Pacific region.
Freddie Mac CEO resigns
David Moffett, chief executive of the US government-supported mortgage buyer Freddie Mac, has resigned.
ASF 2009 highlights challenges for securitisation market
The annual conference for securitisation professionals, held in Las Vegas, showed that the industry is under no illusions about the difficulties it is currently going through, but that there is a collective will to turn the situation round. Mark Kahn of…
ASF 2009 highlights challenges for securitisation market
The annual conference for securitisation professionals, held in Las Vegas, showed that the industry is under no illusions about the difficulties it is currently going through, but that there is a collective will to turn the situation round. Mark Kahn of…
'Big bang' protocol provides wake-up call for CDS market over credit event settlement
A new scheme for adjudicating on credit event auctions, consisting of a centralised committee, will replace the old system of ad hoc decision-making
Lehman counterparty hold-outs warned to pay up on credit derivatives contracts
Counterparties may find that the legal process is stacked against them if they continue to resist payment of outstanding derivatives contracts with the bankrupt Lehman Brothers, say lawyers