Cryptocurrency tether used to boost bitcoin prices, study finds
June 13, 2018--There is evidence that tether, a digital currency pegged to the U.S. dollar, may have been used to manipulate the price of bitcoin BTC=BTSP and other cryptocurrencies, according to a research paper released by the University of Texas on Wednesday.
"Tether seems to be used both to stabilize and manipulate bitcoin prices," said the paper's co-authors, professor John Griffin and doctoral student Amin Shams.
Critics of tether have raised concerns over the past year about whether Tether Limited actually holds $1 in reserve for each tether issued, as it claims.
Source: Reuters
ETFGI reports that assets invested in ETFs and ETPs listed globally are again above the US$5 trillion milestone at the end of May 2018
June 12, 2018-ETFGI, a leading independent research and consultancy firm on trends in the global ETF/ETP ecosystem, reported today that assets invested in ETFs and ETPs listed globally broke through the US$5.000 Tn milestone at the end of May 2018 to reach $5.004 Tn (All dollar values in USD unless otherwise noted.)
Highlights
Assets invested in ETFs/ETPs listed globally broke through the
$5.000 Tn milestone at the end of May 2018
Assets invested in ETFs/ETPs listed globally increased by 0.71%, or
$35.15 bn, during May, to reach $5.004 Tn
In May 2018, ETFs and ETPs listed globally gathered net inflows of
$50.00 Bn, the highest since January 2018, which saw $105.75 Bn net inflows
Source: ETFGI
Solactive-ROBO-ADVISORY: A Closer Look at the Engine Room Through Time June 2018 view the Solactive-ROBO-ADVISORY: A Closer Look at the Engine Room Through Time June 2018 report
Source: Solactive AG
66% of pension fund managers cite passive investments as established part of portfolio
According to a DWS-sponsored report, Passive Investing: reshaping the global investment landscape, the majority of pension funds now view passive investments as a "mature" part of their portfolio.
The analysis, which looked at over 150 pension plans globally found that the average pension fund holds 32 per cent of investments in passives or solutions in the form of either index funds, passive funds or exchange-traded funds (ETFs).
Source: pensionsage.com
Markets turn down the volumes when the World Cup starts
More than two-thirds (43) of the 64 games in this year's tournament will be played during European or Latin American trading hours which has been shown to significantly change market behaviour.
Source: Zawya.com
Thomson Reuters-New Constructs: How To Find the Best Sector ETFs 2Q18
Those 44 Technology ETFs are very different. With anywhere from 25 to 358 holdings, many of these Technology ETFs have drastically different portfolios, creating drastically different investment implications.
The same is true for the ETFs in any other sector, as each offers a very different mix of good and bad stocks. Consumer Non-cyclicals ranks first for stock selection. Energy ranks last. Details on the Best & Worst ETFs in each sector are here.
Source: Thomson Reuters
An Imbalance in Global Banks' Dollar Funding
Most of the $7 trillion in banks' dollar lending outside the United States is handled by banks based in Europe, Japan and elsewhere.
This is significant because these banks can't easily tap the dollars deposited at their US subsidiaries to finance dollar lending outside of the country.
Source: IMF
ETf Securities Weekly Flows Analysis: Likely supply disruptions lead to industrial metals rally
Source: ETF Securities
IMF-Fiscal Affairs Department How-To Notes-How to Manage the Fiscal Costs of Natural Disasters
This note discusses how governments can build fiscal resilience against natural hazards and strengthen fiscal management after a disaster, including through budgeting frameworks and other fiscal policies. The note aims to answer three central questions: How large should fiscal buffers be? How should fiscal buffers be built up? How should fiscal buffers be used efficiently and transparently once a natural disaster has struck? These three questions directly relate to fiscal policy, fiscal risk management, and the budget process-all core areas of IMF expertise. To address them, the note focuses on fiscal strategies for financing recovery efforts and considers approaches to mitigate disaster impact. The note also provides guidance on how to conduct regular risk analyses of natural disasters’ potential fiscal consequences and outlines best practices for defining and accounting for the contingent liabilities associated with natural disasters in budgeting frameworks. Finally, the note touches on approaches for risk reduction, disaster risk financing strategies, and risk transfer mechanisms, such as various insurance instruments.
Source: IMF
DECPG Global Weekly
Japan Q1 GDP growth revised down; services PMI fell in May
The World Bank projects global growth to remain steady in 2018, but to slow over the next two years. According to the World Bank's June 2018 Global Economic Prospects report, released on Tuesday, the global economy will expand by 3.1 percent in 2018, the same pace as in 2017, before gradually slowing down over the next two years. Activity in advanced economies is expected to grow 2.2 percent in 2018, and 2 percent in 2019.
Source: World Bank
June 12, 2018--EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Our previous chapter Robo Advisory: A Closer Look at the Engine Room studied the digital portfolios of three hypothetical investors-Bart S., Lisa S., Abraham S.-as recommended by a sample of German and US robo-advisors. This report is a follow-up to the
The paper presents five main findings that are summarized on the side. In addition, the paper introduces an updated version of a simulated multi-asset class model that was first developed in the November report, as a proxy for robo-advisors' performance through time.
June 12, 2018--A total of 66 per cent of pension fund managers regard passive investments as an established, mature part of their portfolio, DWS has reported.
June 12, 2018--The World Cup kicks off in Russia on Thursday and investors should be warned that financial markets tend to act like any emotional soccer fan during the matches-they go quiet and nervy and don't like losing.
June 12, 2018--Don't Trust ETF Labels
There are at least 44 different Technology ETFs and at least 225 ETFs across eleven sectors. Do investors need 20+ choices on average per sector? How different can the ETFs be?
June 12, 2018--For companies and investors outside the United States, the dollar is often the currency of choice. Surprisingly, though, US banks play only a limited role in lending dollars to international borrowers.
June 11, 2018-- Industrial metal basket ETPs see largest inflows since February. Industrial metals gained a strong tail-wind last week, rising 2.9%, as trade-wars....
June 11, 2018--Summary:
This how-to note focuses on the management of the fiscal costs associated with natural disaster risks. Unlike other types of fiscal risks (for example, unexpected macroeconomic changes or materialization of contingent liabilities), a natural disaster presents a unique challenge to fiscal risk-management and budget processes because of its exogenous nature and potentially overwhelming scale.
June 8, 2018--TAKING STOCK
The World Bank projects global growth to remain steady in 2018, but to slow over the next two years
U.S. trade deficit fell to a 7-month low in April; non-manufacturing growth picked up in May
Euro Area Q1 GDP growth slowdown confirmed; investor confidence tumbled in June.
China's export growth edged down in May; foreign reserves fell
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