Investor Confidence Drops from 98.0 to 89.7 in August
August 30, 2016--State Street Global Exchange today released the results of the State Street Investor Confidence Index(R) (ICI) for August 2016.
The Global ICI decreased to 89.7, down 8.3 points from July's revised reading of 98.0.
Source: State Street Corporation
STOXX Limited launches Euro STOXX 50 Multi-Asset Momentum Risk Cap Indices
August 30, 2016--STOXX Ltd., the operator of Deutsche Böerse Group's index business, and a global provider of innovative and tradable index concepts, today introduced the EURO STOXX 50 Multi-Asset Momentum Risk Cap Indices.
These indices implement a cross-asset strategy concept that is based on the EURO STOXX 50 and the EURO STOXX 50 Corporate Bond Indices, using the momentum factor for dynamic asset allocation to enhance returns, while maintaining the risk at pre-defined maximum volatility levels.
Source: Deutsche Böerse
Cyber threat grows for bitcoin exchanges
August 29, 2016--When hackers penetrated a secure authentication system at a bitcoin exchange called Bitfinex earlier this month, they stole about $70 million worth of the virtual currency.
The cyber theft--the second largest by an exchange since hackers took roughly $350 million in bitcoins at Tokyo's MtGox exchange in early 2014--is hardly a rare occurrence in the emerging world of crypto-currencies.
Source: Reuters
Traders Discuss Data Superhighway From Chicago to Japan
August 29, 2016--'Go West' project would use microwaves and an undersea cable
Citadel, Virtu and Jump among firms that participated in talks
Rival high-frequency trading firms are in talks to jointly build a Chicago-to-Japan communications link that would accelerate trading across the Pacific Ocean, according to people familiar with the discussions.
Source: Bloomberg
Infographic-Do Newly Built Skyscrapers Signal The Top of the Stock Market?
August 29, 2016--Have you heard of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai?
It's the tallest skyscraper in the world at 828m (2,717 ft), and it was completed in 2009. The price tag was a whopping $1.5 billion, making it one of the most expensive buildings of all time.
Source: .visualcapitalist.com
Basel III implementation: Basel Committee reports to G20 Leaders
August 29, 2016--The Basel Committee on Banking Supervision has today published a report for the G20 Leaders at their Summit in Hangzhou on 4-5 September.
The report is an update on the implementation of Basel III regulatory reforms since the Committee's progress report to G20 Leaders in November 2015.
Source: BIS
A weak yuan is a bigger threat to the global economy than Brexit
August 27, 2016--Investors are ignoring a steadily weakening Chinese yuan. But they might be making a dangerous mistake, according to a top strategist at State Street Global Advisors.
The managers of the world's second-largest economy have taken advantage of the frenzied media coverage of Brexit, and other news events like the Rio Olympics and the U.S. election to slowly guide their currency, the yuan, lower against both the dollar and a trade-weighted basket of currencies without triggering a global financial panic.
Source: MarketWatch
FTSE announces 'eligible' list of Qatari companies
August 27, 2016--FTSE Russell has published an indicative list of Qatari stocks which will be eligible for addition to FTSE's Secondary Emerging Market Index, in conjunction with the September 2016 Review.
FTSE Russell client products, scheduled to be released on August 31, 2016 will confirm the final list of Qatari additions, it announced on Thursday.
Source: thepeninsulaqatar.com
World's biggest pension fund hit by $52bn loss
August 26, 2016--Japan's Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF) has posted a loss of $52 billion for April to June, following the tumbling Tokyo stock market and the yen's surge.
The value of the fund's assets dropped $1.3 trillion last quarter, wiping out all the gains GPIF made since October 2014, when it revised its investment strategy and put more money into stocks and foreign bonds.
Source: rt.com
Pensions and ageing populations: the problem explained
August 26, 2016--If demographics are destiny, as academics are fond of saying, then large parts of the developed world are facing a challenging fate.
Source: FT.com