The Benefits of Trader Augmentation
November 29, 2017--$15-20 billion dollars is spent annually on RegTech by fixed-income trading desks in the US and Europe
While fixed-income dealers are finally coming out from underneath the crush of the financial crisis, budget cuts and regulatory burdens continue to impact their ability to effectively service clients.
Interactions with compliance are increasingly keeping trading desk heads away from clients, which both hurts the profitability of the desk and the level of service clients receive.
Nothing can truly replace personal relationships, but technology on the trading desk can certainly help augment them. MiFID II is proving to be a catalyst for technology upgrades on the desk-some out of necessity, some out of a desire to grow. These will help banks struggling to prepare for the directives quickly approaching implementation.
Source: Greenwich Associates
Cybersecurity: Fighting a Threat That Causes $450B of Damage Each Year
November 28, 2017--With recent high profile hacks of companies such as Uber, Equifax, and HBO, it's safe to say that cybersecurity is already top of mind for many of the world's biggest companies.
However, as billions of more devices get connected to the internet every year-including many that are not properly secured-this cybercrime threat is evolving quickly, and the stakes are rising as well. Experts estimate that cybercrime caused $450 billion of damage to the economy in 2016, and that number is expected to increase to $1 trillion by 2021.
Source: visualcapitalist.com
OECD sees global economy strengthening, but says further policy action needed to catalyse the private sector for stronger and more inclusive growth
November 28, 2017--The world economy has strengthened, with monetary and fiscal stimulus underpinning a broad-based and synchronised improvement in growth rates across most countries, according to the OECD's latest Economic Outlook.
Annual growth of the world economy is projected to improve slightly in 2018, but remains below the pre-crisis period and that of past recoveries. Longer-term challenges inhibit stronger, more inclusive, and more resilient economies.
view the OECD Economic Outlook and Interim Economic Outlook
Source: OECD
Bubble trouble? Bitcoin tops $11,000, but fades after sharp rally
November 28, 2017--Bitcoin zoomed past $11,000 (£8,185.5) to hit a record high for the sixth day in a row on Wednesday after gaining more than $1,000 in just 12 hours, stoking concerns that a rapidly swelling bubble could be set to burst in spectacular fashion.
After soaring more than 1,000 percent since the start of the year, bitcoin rose as much as 15 percent on Wednesday, but by mid-afternoon in New York, the virtual currency was trading at $9,500, down 3.7 percent on the day on Luxembourg-based Bitstamp BTC=BTSP, one of the largest and most liquid cryptocurrency exchanges.
Source: Reuters
Infographic-Visualizing the Journey to $10,000 Bitcoin
November 27, 2017--It has been a breakthrough year for the world's original cryptocurrency. At time of publication, the bitcoin price is at $9,650-about 10X higher than how the cryptocurrency started the year.
Further, bitcoins are now on the brink of passing the important psychological barrier of $10,000, and it could do so at any moment based on current momentum.
Source: visualcapitalist.com
ETF Securities Weekly Flows Analysis-Green means go for industrial metals
November 27, 2017--Industrial metal ETPs recorded the largest weekly inflows since summer 2014.
Robotic ETP continues to record inflows on better-than-expected earnings seasons.
Gold and oil ETPs recorded outflows as price continue to rise.
Inflows into silver ETPs, benefitting from the attractiveness of industrially based metals.
Industrial metal ETPs recorded the largest weekly inflows since summer 2014. Industrial metal ETPs were on the top of the leader board last week with a record inflow of US$112.9mn, the largest weekly inflow since August 2014. Investors increased their exposure to the basket and copper with US$77.3mn and US$34.5mn inflows, respectively. Nickel was the best performer last week with a price rise of 4%, followed by copper (3.3%) as both metal supply deficits were reported higher than last year according to their respective international study groups.
Source: etfsecurities.com
ESG investing and smart beta combination grows in popularity
November 27, 2017--A "niche of a niche" is one description of the combination of socially responsible investment with smart beta factors.
The practice of marrying the two approaches is far from mainstream, but both strategies are growing in popularity, particularly among institutional investors.
Source: FT.com
Bitcoin surges further above $9,000
November 26, 2017--The price of the cryptocurrency Bitcoin has risen more than 12% in the last week, moving past $9,000 early Sunday morning to yet another in a long string of all-time highs.
The cryptocurrency's total market value is now more than $150 billion.
Other cryptocurrencies have also had a very strong week, with Ethereum and Bitcoin Cash also up for the week.
Source: Fortune.com
STOXX PULSE ONLINE-Factor Investing and the Search for Uncorrelated Premium Returns
November 24, 2017--In this issue
Europe's Tech Stocks Add to Industry's Global Rally
The STOXX® Europe 600 Technology Index is leading gains this year amid surging demand for chips and business software. view more
Global Stocks Break Through Records in October
Indices in the US and Europe add to gains amid positive prospects for global economic expansion and corporate earnings. view more
Factor Investing and the Search for Uncorrelated Premium Returns
As factor-based ETFs attract more interest, we look at the origins and evolution of the strategy. view more
Source: STOXX
Ultumus-Boost Boosts ETF Offering & Samsung lists more covered call ETNs
November 24, 2017--Germany, UK and Italy
Boost lists leveraged government bond ETPs
WisdomTree-owned Boost is listing three inverse government bond ETPs in Germany, Italy and the UK. They will allow investors to make money as yields decline. They are:
Boost Bund 30Y 3x Short Daily ETP (3UBS:IM, XMWH:GR)
Boost Gilts 10Y 1x Short Daily ETP (1GIS:LN)....
Korea
Samsung lists more covered call ETNs
Samsung is listing two new covered call ETNs in Korea. They are:
Samsung Securities Samsung K200 Call 1811-02 ETN 40 (530039)
Samsung Securities Samsung K200 Call 1811-02 ETN 40 (530040)
Beyond the fact that these products use covered calls and track the Kospi 200 to some extent, I cannot figure out what they do. As often happens with new Korean listings, there is little English language material available on these products at this time...
Source: ULTUMUS-Financial Data Management