Hedging
Commodity markets face hedging activity boost
With commodity market conditions seemingly ripe for consumer hedging, Lianna Brinded looks at whether there has been a recent uptick in consumer hedging activity
European refineries face difficult times
European refining has been in the doldrums for the last few years. Alex Davis looks at the outlook for Europe’s refiners and at how this will affect hedging strategies
Overview of US regulatory reforms
US legislators are shoring up a range of sweeping financial regulations to tighten derivatives trading. Pauline McCallion provides an overview to the regulatory changes in the pipeline
Energy firms face capital adequacy squeeze
Impending regulation changes will have a profound impact on the operational side of the energy markets as energy companies face capital adequacy issues. Lianna Brinded investigates how companies will cope and what repercussions the changes will have on…
Hedgers’ dilemma over exchange rules
Pauline McCallion speaks to industry experts to find out what new derivatives regulations could mean for the end-users of energy hedging products
Reform bill forces energy risk management rethink
New US derivatives regulation is expected to compel companies to redefine their risk management strategies
New short-bond ETFs facilitate interest rate hedging and directional views
Deutsche Bank has listed short-bond ETFs on the London Stock Exchange as an interest rate hedge or for taking directional views on UK and US sovereign debt
Commodities investment – know your options, manage your risks
Events over the past three years have generated extreme levels of volatility in the commodities arena. In this article, Standard Chartered provides companies and investors with some keen advice on hedging against these sharp moves, and the clear…
Risk roulette on eurozone scenarios
The European Union and International Monetary Fund agreed a €750 billion emergency loan package in early May, aimed at averting a sovereign default and wider crisis across the eurozone. Nonetheless, banks have been preparing for the worst, stress testing…
Mortgage lenders fret over FASB hedging proposals
Popular risk mitigation strategies could be sunk by new rules on the designation of hedges
Commodity position limits could hurt entire market, experts warn
Proposals by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) - now also proposed in the recently approved Senate Bill on Finanicial Reform - to limit larger energy traders' positions, could drive down liquidity in energy markets across the board, causing…
First container derivatives trade could herald booming new market
Shipping broker claims it has hedged forward price of container freight from Shanghai to Europe
CVA desks trim hedges as bailout crushes CDS spreads
It was a hectic start to the week for CVA traders, as the eurozone bailout shrank the exposures many faced, leaving them over-hedged.
Oil supply outlook: Nigeria
An uptick in Nigerian oil production at the end of 2009 led to hopes of greater supply stability. However, with political uncertainty looming and attacks on oil facilities on the rise again, Lianna Brinded asks experts if they are still optimistic for…
OTC shake-up likely as regulators mull centralised clearing
US legislators are pressing for reforms that will lead to a big shake-up in how over-the-counter derivatives are bought and sold. The question is how this will affect the structured notes market. John Ferry reports
Hedging hit hard
The Reserve Bank of India issued draft guidelines last November proposing a ban on reduced-cost derivatives structures – the source of much controversy in India’s corporate market during the past three years. But some corporates are not happy with the…
Clearing exemption too close to call
Exempting commercial hedgers from mandatory clearing could create a loophole for the institutional investors often blamed for driving up commodity prices, according to the chief lawyer for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).
Risk management in vertically integrated energy companies
Once risk management is seen as more than just a control function, the business operations of vertically integrated energy companies present numerous opportunities, especially for hedging strategies. Jaime Román and Santiago Tejero of Endesa discuss
Sovereign debt and LatAm-related hedging key for Spanish dealers
Winners of the Risk España dealer rankings explain how hedging related to sovereign debt issuance and Latin America will be key revenue sources in 2010.
Economic uncertainty adds to challenge of hedging in US power markets
Uncertainty has plagued the US power sector since the financial crisis. Although many believe an economic recovery is in sight, forecasting load growth continues to be a headache for those looking to manage risk in this market. Pauline McCallion reports
A dynamic model for correlation
Equity markets have experienced a significant increase in correlation during the crisis, resulting in exotic derivatives portfolios realising large losses. As larger correlations in downward scenarios are already implied in the index option market in the…
Negative carry presents corporate hedging conundrum
Steep interest rate yield curves cause corporate treasurers to focus on the cost of carry.