Risk magazine
Philips’ risk manager highlights VAR’s inadequacy
Value-at-risk can be an inadequate and inappropriate measure of risk for corporates, said Mark Kirkland, Amsterdam-based global head of financial risk services at Philips Electronics.
Boston-based AIR releases new catastrophe models for Asia-Pacific
AIR Worldwide Corporation, the Boston-based catastrophe modelling and weather risk management company, today released new typhoon and earthquake models for the Asia-Pacific region. The new typhoon models include Taiwan, Hong Kong and the Philippines,…
Cross-products find their feet
Cross-product trading is no longer just a "mantra" chanted by sell-side bankers, said Matt Desselberger, managing director, corporate structured products group at Deutsche Bank in London.
Japanese banks take a breather but volatility lies around the corner
Japanese banks’ credit default swap (CDS) spreads continued their rollercoaster ride this week, with some of the spreads widening by as much as 40 basis points and tightening back by 30bp. Although Friday’s session brought some solace to Japan’s CDS…
Potential for instability over-hyped, says Ferguson
The potential for the new risk management instruments and techniques to produce instability has been overestimated, Federal Reserve vice-chairman Roger Ferguson told delegates at a conference in New York, sponsored by the American Institute of Certified…
Multi-bank FX platforms double market share in last six months
Online multi-bank foreign exchange trading platforms have doubled their market share in the last six months, according to Justyn Trenner, chief executive officer of London-based research and analysis company ClientKnowledge.
Leader of WorldCom investigation to leave SEC
William Baker - one of the leading enforcement investigators at the Securities and Exchange Commision (SEC) – is to leave the US agency’s enforcement division.
Nymex sues Ice as battle for market supremacy mounts
The New York Mercantile Exchange (Nymex) is suing IntercontinentalExchange (Ice), the Atlanta-based online commodities trading platform, for alleged copyright infringement, a Nymex spokeswoman told RiskNews . Nymex and Ice have been fighting for…
Kosda to launch benchmark CMS index
The Korean Swaps Dealers Association (Kosda) plans to launch a benchmark constant maturity swap (CMS) fixing index in December, according to Seung Won Hwang, head of derivatives marketing at Citibank and co-chairman of Kosda.
Euronext.liffe launches physically delivered universal stock futures
Euronext.liffe yesterday began to offer four physically delivered universal stock futures in an effort to boost the trading volumes of these contracts. The remaining 111 universal stock futures offered by Euronext.liffe are cash settled. Universal stock…
Banks not effectively applying risk tools, says report
Many banks are not effectively applying risk tools when pricing and structuring deals, according to research and consultancy company PA Consulting.
Lehman closes $500 million Asian investment-grade arbitrage synthetic CDO
Lead manager Lehman Brothers said today it has closed a $500 million five-year Asian investment-grade arbitrage synthetic collateralised debt obligation (CDO) through special-purpose vehicles Asia IG CDO Limited and Asia IG CDO LLC. The portfolio manager…
Banking body says Basel II will treat securitisation unfairly
The European Securitisation Forum (ESF), a banking industry body, said the proposed Basel II capital Accord, proposed by banking regulators, stands to unfairly penalise their business.
Fitch predicts more gloom for US energy companies
US power and gas companies face another grim year in 2003 as liquidity risk, market weakness and litigation and regulatory concerns seem set to continue, according to a new report by rating agency Fitch.
Dongwon Securities poaches JP Morgan Chase banker
South Korea’s Dongwon Securities has hired BJ Kim, an ex-JP Morgan Chase banker, as executive vice-president to boost the firm’s over-the-counter derivatives capabilities. Previously, Kim was head of credit markets at JP Morgan Chase in Seoul.
Risk managers set to benefit from drive to address FX operational risks
Foreign exchange risk managers are waking up to new ways of addressing operational risk in the FX markets, Paul Fisher, head of the foreign exchange division at the Bank of England, told delegates at FX Week 's first congress in London this morning. As a…
Financial institutions ill equipped to deal with credit risk developments, says D’Silva
The changing attitudes to credit risk among banks amounts to a "cultural revolution", Adrian D'Silva, director of capital markets supervision for the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, told delegates at a credit risk management conference in Vienna today…
UBS shuts Houston energy trading desk
UBS is to close its Houston-based energy trading desk, laying off an undetermined number of staff. But the Swiss bank also said it will move some of Houston’s 380 energy staff to its Stamford, Connecticut, office, where energy trading will continue.
New trading allegations hit El Paso
Allegations that Houston-based El Paso swapped power contracts with Morgan Stanley to avoid a restatement of earnings sent shares of the troubled energy company tumbling today.
Committee of Chief Risk Officers releases best practices recommendations
The Committee of Chief Risk Officers (CCROs), the Washington DC-based association for energy company risk managers, yesterday released its best practice recommendations, urging merchant energy companies to increase market transparency.
OneChicago to expand product range
US single-stock futures (SSFs) trading company OneChicago plans to expand its product suite on Friday (November 22)with 22 more stock listings. It will also introduce futures on ‘Diamonds’ – shares in an exchange-traded fund (ETF) that is designed to…
Ice addresses energy trading market concerns with two new hires
Atlanta-based online commodities exchange IntercontinentalExchange (Ice), has appointed two new directors as part of its plans to address concerns about the health and legitimacy of the energy trading markets. Ann Cresce has been appointed assistant…
UK opposed to allowing wider op risk insurance role in European capital rules
UK regulators are opposed to the wider use of operational risk insurance to reduce capital charges under complex new European Union (EU) safety rules for banks and investment firms, regulatory sources said.
Citigroup wins FX Week strategy award
Citigroup’s FX strategy team took the top spot in FX Week's best bank in FX research and strategy award, ousting last year’s winner Deutsche Bank into second place.