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CFTC.gov Commitments of Traders Reports Update
September 2, 2011--The current reports for the week of August 30, 2011 are now available.
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Source: CFTC.gov
CFTC Staff Allows Euronext Brussels’ Futures Contract Based on the BEL 20 Index to be Offered and Sold in the United States
August 2, 2011--The Commodity Futures Trading Commission's (CFTC’s) Office of General Counsel today announced that it issued a no-action letter on August 31, 2011, permitting the offer and sale in the United States of Euronext Brussels’ (EB) futures contract based on the BEL 20 Index (B20).
The B20 is a free-float, market-capitalization-weighted index of the largest and most liquid 20 stocks listed on the EB, and it serves as the blue-chip index for the Belgian equity market. As of December 2, 2010, the total adjusted market capitalization of the stocks in the B20 was approximately US $89 billion.
Please Note:
This is a product approval only. U.S. customers may trade approved foreign exchange-traded products through a registered futures commission merchant (FCM) which is either a member of the foreign exchange on which that product is listed or which has established an omnibus account with a clearing member on that exchange, or directly through a member of the foreign exchange that has been granted exemptive relief pursuant to Commission Regulation 30.10. For more information on foreign markets, products, and intermediaries, please see the Commission's website: www.cftc.gov.
Source: CFTC.gov
ISE Reports Business Activity for August 2011
September 1, 2011 –Dividend trades made up 1.2% of industry volume in August 2011.
ISE is the third largest equity options exchange in August with market share of 18.9%, excluding dividend trades.
The International Securities Exchange (ISE) today reported average daily volume of 4.1 million contracts
in August 2011. This represents an increase of 75.2% compared to August 2010. Total options volume for
the month was 94.8 million contracts. ISE was the third-largest U.S. equity options exchange in August with market share of 18.9%*. Business highlights for the month of August include:
On August 8, ISE announced that it had partnered with Horizon Kinetics to launch the Horizon Kinetics ISE Wealth Index (RCH), an innovative new index which includes companies whose
senior management has demonstrated a track record of skill and specific industry knowledge that has translated into high levels of long-term shareholder value creation.
On August 11, ISE received approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission to restructure its Competitive Market Maker (CMM) trading rights. The new program, which launches today, grants greater flexibility to current and new CMMs to select the options classes they would like to quote.
Aggregate assets under management for the ETFs based on ISE’s proprietary indexes was $1 billion as of August 31, 2011.
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Source: International Securities Exchange (ISE)
BlackRock files with the SEC
September 1, 2011--BlackRock has filed an application for exemptive relief with the SEC.
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Source: SEC.gov
Morgan Stanley-ETF Quarterly Report: $1.0 Trillion in 1,131 ETFs
September 1, 2011--ETF assets are essentially flat YTD amid volatile
markets. We currently stand at $1.0 trillion spread among 1,131 products. New issuance has been strong this year with 168 ETFs coming to market and
second quarter net inflows were $29.5 billion, respectable given a drop-off in demand for risk assets
as the quarter came to a close. Fixed Income ETFs generated the largest net inflows during the second quarter while Commodity ETFs posted meaningful net
outflows.
This is our comprehensive quarterly report on USlisted ETFs. It includes a summary of investment applications, excerpts from our strategy reports, our
outlook for related markets, index data, and individual
profiles for the 300 ETFs in our coverage universe, which represents 93% of US-listed ETF assets.
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Source: Morgan Stanley
U.S. Department of the Treasury Treasury International Capital System (TIC) Homepage Update
September 1, 2011--The U.S. Department of the Treasury Treasury International Capital System (TIC) Homepage has been updated.
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Source: U.S. Department of the Treasury
The Options Industry Council Announces August Volume Nearly Double That of August 2010
September 1, 2011 - The Options Industry Council (OIC) announced today that 550,049,407 total options contracts changed hands in August, a 94 percent increase over August 2010 when 283,487,110 contracts were traded.
In addition to August setting a new monthly record, several other records were achieved throughout the month, including three consecutive daily volume records.
This is the first time in history monthly volume has surpassed half a billion contracts. Furthermore, August saw the top four of the ten highest volume days for both total options and equity options. On August 8, 41,535,580 contracts were traded, establishing a new daily volume record and marking the first time over 40 million contracts were traded in one day.
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Source: OIC
Component Changes Made To Dow Jones Country And Dow Jones Emerging Markets Sector Titans Indexes - Changes Are The Result Of The Regular Quarterly Review
September 1, 2011-- Dow Jones Indexes, a leading global index provider, today announced the results of the regular quarterly review of the Dow Jones Country Titans Indexes and Dow Jones Emerging Markets Sector Titans Indexes. All changes will be effective after the close of trading on Friday, September 16, 2011.
Evraz Group S.A. (Russia, Basic Resources, EVR.LN) will be removed from the Dow Jones RusIndex Titans 10 Index and replaced by Sberbank Rossia ADS (Russia, Banks, SBER.LN). The total free-float market capitalization of the reconstituted Dow Jones RusIndex Titans 10 Index increased to US$240.05 billion from US$217.89 billion as of Wednesday, August 31, 2011.
No changes are being made in the Dow Jones Australia Titans 30, Dow Jones Brazil Titans 20 ADR, Dow Jones Brazil Titans 30, Dow Jones Canada Titans 60, Dow Jones Cyprus Titans 10, Dow Jones DFM Titans 10, Dow Jones EGX Egypt Titans 20, Dow Jones France Titans 30, Dow Jones Germany Titans 30, Dow Jones Hong Kong Titans 30, Dow Jones India Titans 30, Dow Jones Italy Titans 30, Dow Jones Japan Titans 10, Dow Jones Kuwait Titans 30, Dow Jones Netherlands Titans 30, Dow Jones Mexico Titans 20, Dow Jones Saudi Titans 30, Dow Jones South Africa Titans 30, Dow Jones South Korea Titans 30, Dow Jones Spain Titans 30, Dow Jones Sri Lanka Titans 20, Dow Jones Sweden Titans 30, Dow Jones Switzerland Titans 30, Dow Jones Turkey Titans 20, and Dow Jones U.K. Titans 50 Indexes as a result of this regular quarterly review.
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Source: Dow Jones Indexes
FlexShares files wth the SEC
September 1, 2011-FlexShares has filed a pre-effective amendment, registration statement with the SEC for the FlexShares Morningstar US Market Factor Tilt Index Fund
FlexShares Morningstar Global Upstream Natural Resources Index Fund
FlexShares iBoxx 3-Year Target Duration TIPS Index Fund
FlexShares iBoxx 5-Year Target Duration TIPS Index Fund
FlexShares iBoxx 7-Year Target Duration TIPS Index Fund
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Source: SEC.gov
Gensler: CFTC Eager to Clean Up Swap Market
September 1, 2011-Before the 2008 financial crisis, our country’s largest financial institutions were trading complicated derivatives, called swaps, in the shadows, which helped propel the economy into a downward spiral.
Though the crisis had many causes, it’s evident that swaps – created to lower risk for Main Street businesses – heightened risk on Wall Street. Further, the swaps market created the belief that certain financial institutions were not only too big to fail but too interconnected to fail. When AIG, Bear Stearns and others faltered or crumbled, it was the taxpayers who were left with the bill. It wasn’t just the financial system that failed; the regulatory system designed to protect the public also failed.
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Source: CFTC.gov
