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China paves way for foreign investment in futures
Overseas investors may hold up to 5% of local futures firms
May 21, 2012--(originally published May 15, 2012)-- China is mapping out foreign-ownership restrictions in domestic futures firms, as it prepares to reopen the door to foreign investment in its futures market.
The nation’s securities regulator, the China Securities and Regulatory Commission, said in a notification on its website on May 14 that an overseas investor can indirectly hold less than 5% of equities and voting rights in a Chinese futures firm through a Chinese legal entity in which it directly or indirectly holds shares.
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Source: MarketWatch
Rupee hits new record low of 54.82 per dollar
May 18, 2012--The rupee on Friday tumbled by 35 paise to trade at a new all-time time low of Rs 54.82 against the US dollar in early trade on increased capital outflows and strong demand from importers for the American currency.
Traders said apart from capital outflows by foreign funds, strengthening of dollar against the euro, which plunged to a four-month low following renewed worries over deepening eurozone debt crisis, put pressure on the rupee.
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Source: India Times
China to increase 2012 rare earth exports by 10,680 metric tons
An additional 10,680 tonnes of light and medium to heavy rare earths will be allocated this year to 12 Chinese companies for export, China's Commerce Department has announced.
May 18, 2012--The Chinese Ministry of Commerce Thursday announced an update to the 2012 rare-earth export quotas, which increased allocations by an additional 10,680 tonnes for a total of 21,226 tonnes this year.
The government had previously insisted its total rare earths export quotas would remain about the same this year as last year at 30,184 tonnes. However, the U.S., the European Union and Japan in March filed a complaint at the World Trade Organization over China's rare earths quotas.
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Source: MineWeb
Japan's Economy Grows 1% In Q1 On Reconstruction Activities
May 17, 2012--Japan's economy grew in the first three months of the year from the preceding quarter on reconstruction in tsunami-damaged areas, but the increase in the nation's gross domestic product is seen as short-lived.
Japan’s gross domestic product (GDP) rose 1 percent in the first quarter as compared to last quarter of the previous year, according to data released by the government on Thursday. However, exports are weighed down on account of the falling global demand and the rising strength of yen. With Greece on the verge of exiting euro zone, the debt crisis in Europe has revived, severely affecting Japan’s market sentiments, as a consequence.
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Source: International Business News
Changes in BSE Indices
May 17, 2012--Trading members of the Exchange are hereby informed that the following replacements shall be made in below mentioned indices.
Vide Notice No. 20120516-17, dated May 16, 2012 India Securities Ltd. (BSE Code: 500204) has been suspended w. e. f. May 17, 2012 as per SEBI’s advise. At present company is constituent of BSE-200 BSE-500 & BSE-Midcap Index, which necessitates its exclusion.
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Source: BSE
ETF investors forecast to number 66,500 by end of 2012, says BetaShares
May 16, 2012--The number of exchange traded funds (ETFs) used by investors is on the rise despite continued market volatility, with 63,000-70,000 ETF investors expected by the end of 2012, according to forecasts contained within the BetaShares/ Investment Trends ETF Report. At the end of 2011, there were 60,500 ETF investors, an increase of 13% from the prior year.
The BetaShares Report is the only comprehensive survey of Australian ETF users surveying 6,785 investors and 966 advisers on their experiences and usage of ETFs.
The findings show diversification and low cost continue to be the main reasons driving investment in ETFs although most respondents provided 3.5 reasons suggesting multiple benefits are apparent. The average ETF transaction size increased 13 per cent to $18,000 from the prior year.
“It’s not surprising investors are finding multiple reasons to use ETFs, ranging from accessing investments and liquidity as well as the core benefits of diversification and low cost,” says Drew Corbett (pictured), Head of Investment Strategy at BetaShares.
Data in the report indicates that current fear levels are just shy of those experienced during the GFC, which has resulted in a major shift in returns expectations. In considering the next 12 months, investors returns expectations of the equities markets have decreased from 8 per cent in December 2010 to 4.4% in April 2012.
“A lower returns outlook due to market volatility explains investor behaviour in seeking refuge in cash and term deposits. Despite this, ETF investors or those considering the product continue to increase,” says Corbett.
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Source: Canadian ETF Watch
China Expands Scope for Short Selling, Securities Journal Says
May 16, 2012--China will start a trial next week that will allow brokerages to borrow stocks for clients wishing to conduct short selling, the China Securities Journal reported.
Brokerages can also borrow money on behalf of clients for margin financing, the newspaper reported today, without saying where it got the information. Twenty-five securities companies will participate in the test, along with the stock exchange, fund management companies and China Securities Finance Co., which was set up as an agency to provide funds and stocks for brokerages’ short selling and margin trading. The journal is a publication affiliated with the official Xinhua News Agency.
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Source: Bloomberg
China injects vigour into carbon debate
May 16, 2012--This year is not turning out well for the climate change business.
The pace of global climate talks is sluggish. Prices have collapsed in the world’s biggest carbon market. Eurozone woes have shoved environmental concerns well down the list of priorities for leaders worldwide.
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Source: FT.com
China to launch Hong Kong stock ETFs
May 15, 2012--China plans to launch two exchange traded funds to invest in the Hong Kong stock market soon, the Shanghai Securities News reported Wednesday, citing an unnamed source.
The ETF products will be under the Qualified Domestic Institutional Investors program, and investors can subscribe with the yuan or foreign currencies, said the report.
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Source: Market Watch
Thai bourse sponsors research on capital market
May 15, 2012--The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET)'s Capital Market
Research Institute (CMRI), gears up SET business strategy to strengthen Thai
capital market's capability by sponsoring research produced by 15 leading educational institutions, to promote sustainable capital market development.
CMRI provides the opportunity for a new generation of researchers to produce
quality work on the capital market through the annual Sponsorship Research on the Capital Market project, now being held for the second consecutive year.
Apart from the educational institutions, the project has gained attention and good cooperation from participants in the capital market in giving advices and exchanging views in practical term for researchers, said Veerathai Santiprabhob, SET Chief Strategy Officer.
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Source: SET