IMF Working Papers-Basel III and Bank-Lending: Evidence from the United States and Europe
November 15, 2017--Summary:
Using data on commercial banks in the United States and Europe, this paper analyses the impact of the new Basel III capital and liquidity regulation on bank-lending following the 2008 financial crisis.
We find that U.S. banks reinforce their risk absorption capacities when expanding their credit activities. Capital ratios have significant, negative impacts on bank-retail-and-other-lending-growth for large European banks in the context of deleveraging and the "credit crunch" in Europe over the post-2008 financial crisis period. Additionally, liquidity indicators have positive but perverse effects on bank-lending-growth, which supports the need to consider heterogeneous banks' characteristics and behaviors when implementing new regulatory policies.
Source: IMF
The Conflict-Free Gold Standard: Building an industry coalition to address the challenges of conflict gold
November 15, 2017--Cranfield School of Management and the Corporate Responsibility Initiative at Harvard Kennedy School launched a joint report examining the creation of the Conflict-Free Gold Standard by the World Gold Council.
The report provides an important case study for Corporate Responsibility Coalitions and trade associations looking to develop common standards and self-regulatory mechanisms.
Source: World Gold Council (WGC)
IMF Working Papers-The Slowdown in Global Trade: A Symptom of A Weak Recovery
November 15, 2017--Summary:
Global trade growth has slowed since 2012 relative both to its strong historical performance and to overall economic growth.
This paper aims to quantify the role of weak economic growth and changes in its decomposition in accounting for the slowdown in trade using a reduced form and a structural approach. Both analytical investigations suggest that the overall weakness in economic activity, particularly investment, has been the primary restraint on trade growth, accounting for over 80 percent of the decline in the growth of the volume of goods trade between 2012-16 and 2003-07. However, other factors are also weighing on trade in recent years, especially in emerging market and developing economies, as evidenced by the non-negligible role attributed to trade costs by the structural approach.
view the IMF Working Papers-The Slowdown in Global Trade: A Symptom of A Weak Recovery
Source: IMF
IEA-A world in transformation: World Energy Outlook 2017
November 14, 2017--The resurgence in oil and gas production from the United States, deep declines in the cost of renewables and growing electrification are changing the face of the global energy system and upending traditional ways of meeting energy demand, according to the World Energy Outlook 2017.
A cleaner and more diversified energy mix in China is another major driver of this transformation. Over the next 25 years, the world's growing energy needs are met first by renewables and natural gas, as fast-declining costs turn solar power into the cheapest source of new electricity generation. Global energy demand is 30% higher by 2040-but still half as much as it would have been without efficiency improvements.
Source: International Energy Agency (IEA)
Ultumus-Paradigm lists leveraged in Taiwan, PowerShares lists fixed income in UK
November 14, 2017--Asia
Paradigm lists leveraged oil ETFs
Taiwanese issuer Paradigm has listed two new ETFs in Taiwan that give inverse and leveraged exposure to oil futures. They are:
Paradigm S&P GSCI Brent Crude 2X Leveraged ER Futures ETF (00715L)
Paradigm S&P GSCI Brent Crude 1X Inverse ER Futures ETF (00716R)
Listing leveraged commodity funds that use derivatives is quite common among Taiwanese issuers....
UK
PowerShares lists three fixed income ETFs on the London Stock Exchange
Invesco PowerShares is listing three new fixed income ETFs on the LSX. They are:
PowerShares USD Corporate Bond UCITS ETF (PUIG), which tracks the Bloomberg Barclays USD IG Corporate Liquidity Screened Bond Index.
PowerShares Euro Corporate Bond UCITS ETF (PSFE), which tracks the Bloomberg Barclays Euro Corporate Bond Index...
Source: ULTUMUS-Financial Data Management
OPEC-Monthly Oil Market Report-November 2017
November 13, 2017--Oil Market Highlights
Crude Oil Price Movements
The OPEC Reference Basket averaged $55.50/b in October, gaining $2.06 over the previous month and
reaching the highest value in more than two-and-a-half years, with a year-to-date average of $50.68/b.
Crude futures also reached levels not seen since mid-2015. ICE Brent ended $2.13 higher at $57.65/b, while NYMEX WTI increased $1.72, reaching $51.59/b, keeping the Brent-WTI spread above $6/b. Prices have been supported by rising global demand data and expectations that major producing nations will extend a deal to adjust output and bring the oil market to a balance. Hedge funds raised net long positions in NYMEX WTI and ICE Brent futures and options by 29,456 and 21,592 contracts, respectively, to 281,244 and 530,237 lots.
Source: OPEC
World Gold Council-Gold-backed ETF holdings increased by 3.3t in October
November 13, 2017--Our monthly analysis of gold-backed ETFs and similar products, provides detailed information and insight on global trends of gold investment demand through ETFs.
Regional fund flows
Europe led inflows in October, as investors added 11.2t (+$523mn, 1.3% AUM) of gold through funds listed in the region
There were outflows in North America of 8.0t (-$305mn, -0.59% AUM), reversing some of its September gains.
Asia funds gained 0.8t (+$33.8mn, 1.04% AUM). ETFs in other regions lost -0.7t (-$30.7mn, -1.71% AUM)
Individual fund flows
iShares Physical Gold ETC added 4.1t (+$170.3mn, 5.8% AUM)
ETFS Physical Gold added 4.1t (+$168.1mn, 2.9% AUM)
ETFS EUR Hedged Physical Gold added 1.9t, increasing their AUM by over 50%, and ETFS GBP Daily Hedged Physical Gold added 0.7t, increasing their AUM by 23%, both on the back of a stronger USD
iShares Gold Trust added 5.8t (+$240mn, 2.55% AUM), while SPDR(R) Long Dollar Gold Trust increased holdings by 8%
Source: World Gold Council (WGC)
WisdomTree acquires European ETF business in $611m deal
November 13, 2017--Deal boosts WisdomTree's total assets to $66 billion, making it the ninth largest ETF shop in the world.
Exchange-traded fund (ETF) provider WisdomTree is to pay $611 million in cash and shares to acquire ETF Securities' European exchange-traded commodity, currency and short-and-leveraged business.
The deal will boost WisdomTree's total assets under management to $66 billion, making it the ninth largest ETF shop in the world.
view more
Source: citywireusa.com
Lyxor-Money Monitor ETF-November 2017-ETF flows already at an all-time annual high
November 10, 2017--ETF flows accelerated again in October as risk stayed firmly on and developed market equities enjoyed the benefits. Flows into ETFs have already exceeded the previous record high for a year, set in 2015.
ETF flows accelerated again in October with inflows of EUR7bn vs. EUR6.8 last month
Yearly flows at EUR78.2bn are already significantly above the previous record of EUR71bn Equity flows slowed slightly: €5.8bn
Fixed income flows nearly doubled: €1.2bn
Very little happened for Commodities: -€0.03M
Good month for Smart Beta , notably value factor: €0.4bn
Equity flows slowed slightly
Risk stayed firmly on as economic conditions improved. There were significant flows into the US, Europe & Asia
Flows into Asian Equities reached a record for this year after Abe's re=election and more positive economic news from Japan
Flows into Europe did however slow down
In contrast, EM equity flows slowed sharply as the Fed adopted a more dovish tone
Source: Lyxor
Assets in Global Equity ETFs linked to MSCI Indexes Reach All-Time High of $707 Billion
November 10, 2017--Total assets benchmarked to MSCI equity indexes now over $12.4 trillion globally
More than 85% of all international equity fund assets are benchmarked to MSCI indexes
More equity ETFs track MSCI's indexes than any other provider
MSCI Inc. (NYSE: MSCI), a leading provider of indexes, portfolio construction, risk management tools and services for global investors, announced today that assets under management ("AUM") in equity exchange-traded funds ("ETFs") linked to its indexes reached an all-time high of $707 billion on November 6, 2017, an increase of 53% from a year ago.1
Since the start of this year, AUM in ETFs linked to MSCI indexes rose $226 billion, which includes net in-flows of $116 billion and market appreciation of $110 billion, as of November 6, 2017. There are currently more than 980 ETFs tracking MSCI indexes globally. More equity ETFs track MSCI's indexes than those of any other index provider.2
Source: MSCI