News
Opportunities exist for credit arbitrage in Asia, says Lehman
There are significant opportunities in the Asia-Pacific region for hedge funds employing credit and capital structure arbitrage, and a growing number of firms are starting to consider these strategies in the region, according to Dalip Awasthi, Tokyo…
Greenspan defends role of derivatives
In a speech today, Alan Greenspan, chairman of the US Federal Reserve, defended the use of derivatives as hedging tools, especially credit derivatives. His comments come in the wake of Warren Buffett’s criticism of derivatives as potential “time bombs”.
Eurohypo selects Front Arena
Eurohypo, the German mortgage bank created by Deutsche Bank, Dresdner Bank and Commerzbank, has selected the Front Arena IT system to manage its interest rate derivatives, fixed-income, credit derivatives, structured products and money markets trading.
Japanese credit default swaps market turns defensive
Japan’s credit default swaps market continued to ignore the threat of war in Iraq, diplomatic tensions with North Korea and weak stock markets, but the mood in Tokyo was nevertheless bearish, and market participants were more keen to buy protection than…
Algo teams up with Agena to solve op risk data history issue
Canadian risk management technology supplier Algorithmics has teamed up with UK software company Agena to help institutions to model operational risk better.
Merrill nabs Goldman Sachs risk management group staff
Merrill Lynch has hired four ex-Goldman Sachs bankers for its corporate risk management group focused on Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA).
Confusion over membership at WBOT continues
Dan Parker, chief executive of Atlanta-based Weather Board of Trade (WBOT), today told RiskNews that two institutions he originally named as charter members of the weather derivatives exchange never had such an agreement with the company.
Knight Trading creates institutional options and ETF team
US equity and derivatives market-maker Knight Trading has established an institutional options and exchange-traded funds (ETF) sales and trading team with six new appointees, mostly from Merrill Lynch.
First Taiwanese offshore primary CBO to close this month
The first Taiwanese offshore primary collateralised bond obligation (CBO), worth nearly $170 million, is expected to price in the week of March 17 and close on March 21, sources familiar with the transaction said today.
Algo teams with Agena to solve op risk data history issue
Canadian risk management technology supplier Algorithmics has teamed up with UK software company Agena to help institutions to better model operational risk.
Senators move to establish stronger federal oversight of energy markets
A group of US senators yesterday introduced legislation, called the Energy Market Oversight Act, that seeks to restore the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s (CFTC) authority over online and bilateral energy trades and give the Federal Energy…
Ireland’s energy regulators to probe trading rules before full liberalisation
Ireland’s Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) is working on plans to liberalise the country’s electricity market and should publish a “decision on high principles” in April this year, according to Denis Cagney, head of networks at the CER in Dublin.
US structured products head Ricciardi quits CSFB
Christopher Ricciardi, head of Credit Suisse First Boston's (CSFB) US structured credit products group in New York, has left the Swiss-owned investment bank, a CSFB spokesperson said.
Lehman’s Coym replaces Fischer as Eurex chairman
The exchange council of Eurex Deutschland has elected Peter Coym as its new chairman to replace Leonhard Fischer, who resigned the post when he left Dresdner Bank on October 31 last year.
Deutsche Asset Management to focus on retail market in Asia
Deutsche Asset Management has hired Sharon Cheng as head of retail sales for its Asia ex-Japan businesses. The newly created position is aimed at boosting the firm’s efforts in the retail market across the region.
BarCap chief hits back at Buffett’s derivatives 'time bomb' comments
Robert Diamond, chief executive of Barclays Capital, the investment banking arm of the UK’s Barclays Bank, has hit back at comments made by US investor Warren Buffett, who said on Monday that derivatives were “time bombs”. “[Buffett] should be wary of…
FT Interactive Data enhances BondEdge credit risk capabilities
FT Interactive Data, a Massachusetts-based supplier of financial information and analytical software, has expanded the credit risk management capabilities of its BondEdge fixed-income portfolio analytics product.
US Treasury department creates new financial institutions policy office
A new office that will focus on legislative and policy matters related to the financial services sector — including commercial banks, investment banks, insurance companies, credit unions and savings and loans — was announced yesterday by the US Treasury.
Isda and Liba protest against CAD3 divergences from Basel II
The International Swaps and Derivatives Association (Isda) and the London Investment Banking Association (Liba) have released their joint response to the European Union's third capital adequacy directive (CAD3). The response was delivered at non-public…
State Treasury of Finland joins growing Trema client list
Swedish technology firm Trema added to its growing list of eurosystem clients last week, with the announcement that the State Treasury of Finland has implemented Trema's Finance Kit to manage state debt.
Feinstein asks CFTC to investigate gas pricing manipulation
Dianne Feinstein, the Democrat senator for California, yesterday urged the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to work with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to investigate whether there has been manipulation of the US natural gas…
Fimat Group reinforces Asian operations
Fimat Group, the brokerage arm of French bank Société Généralé, has promoted a number of its staff in the Asia-Pacific, in a move aimed at reinforcing its position in the region.
Reuters 3000Xtra offered via servers
Reuters has developed a centrally managed server farm that should allow clients to deploy its premium information and trading Reuters 3000Xtra terminals at reduced cost.
BNP Paribas hires Hong Kong-based securitisation specialist from Fitch
BNP Paribas has hired Sunny Park as a Hong Kong-based associate director and structured credit research analyst. She is due to start work at the French bank this week, and was previously an analyst in the structured finance division of credit rating…