DMS-Investing In Cotton: A Tale Not Well Spun
August 24, 2016--This is absolutely fascinating. Just a short news item on a website led me to do research that ended up spanning four continents. The Americas, Asia, Europe, and Africa.
It started with the Indian company Welspun, whose stock plummeted nearly 50% in about three days when the U.S. company Target severed its relationship with them due to a concerted effort, they say, to mislabel products as Egyptian cotton.
Source: Peter Kohli, CEO, DMS Funds
4 key challenges for the global economy this autumn
August 24, 2016--Summer will soon be over; autumn is coming. The global economy and financial markets will have to face some of the gathering political storm clouds.
While the global economy is weak, the macroeconomic risk assessment is more balanced than it has been for some time. At the same time, however, political risks have become more pronounced.
In America, Donald Trump has stirred angry voters in a bitter presidential election; in Europe, rising populism, increased security risks and the ongoing refugee crisis is setting the tone; in Ukraine, there is a risk that Putin will escalate conflict ahead of Russia's parliamentary election in September; in China, a difficult political situation could pose long-term uncertainty for Asia; globally, turbulent oil prices are returning to centre stage. Political risks will dominate the autumn and the winter is getting closer: it is time to get ready.
Source: World Economic Forum
SPDR's Lesné says real yield to be found in emerging markets
August 24, 2016--In a client note today, Antoine Lesné, head of SPDR ETF Strategy & Research EMEA, says there is a striking difference in yield between emerging markets and developed markets at the moment; and even after adjusting for inflation, emerging markets yield is real.
He provides a number of reasons why emerging markets are worth another look, point to rebounding activity from depressed levels, loosening monetary policy, rallying currencies and renewed investor flows, following a hiatus ahead of the Brexit vote.
ftseglobalmarkets.com
Big banks plan to coin new digital currency
August 23, 2016--Four of the world's biggest banks have teamed up to develop a new form of digital cash that they believe will become an industry standard to clear and settle financial trades over blockchain, the technology underpinning bitcoin.
Source: FT.com
STOXX Changes Composition Of Benchmark Indices
August 23, 2016--STOXX Ltd., the operator of Deutsche Böerse Group's index business, and a global provider of innovative and tradable index concepts, today announced the new composition of STOXX Benchmarks and their sub and sector indices, among them the STOXX Europe 600 Index, STOXX North America 600 Index and STOXX Asia/Pacific 600 Index.
As announced previously, the changes resulting from the annual Emerging and Developing Markets Country Classification review will become effective at market open on Sep. 19, 2016. As a result Greece will no longer be classified as a developed market
Source: STOXX
ETF Securities Weekly Flows Analysis
August 22, 2016--Fifth consecutive week of inflows into long gold ETPs last week, as the market is still not pricing in much chance of a Fed rate hike in September.
Profit-taking snapped 7th straight weeks of inflows for crude oil ETPs with outflows recording US$82mn last week.
Investors boost long USD exposures ahead of Jackson hole, with pervasive bearishness for the Euro.
Industrial metal ETPs received inflows in six of past seven weeks.
Source: ETF Securities
Flow Traders NV: Flow Traders releases July 2016 ETP Market Volumes
August 22, 2016--Flow Traders N.V. ("Flow Traders") (Euronext: FLOW), today released the monthly ETP (Exchange Traded Products) Market data for the month of July 2016.
This refers to general market data only.
Source: Flow Traders
ETF take-up rockets as fund managers favour low-cost liquidity
August 21, 2016--Assets under management reach record highs as fund managers opt for the flexibility of exchange-traded funds.
Source: Financial News
2 US hedge funds & derivatives trader file class action vs 4 big Australian banks for rate rigging
August 19, 2016--The big 4 Australian banks are not yet off the hook for not passing in full the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) interest rate cut, and now, the lender as well as other banks are facing another lawsuit.
Two US hedge funds and a US-based derivatives trader filed a class action suit in New York for alleged losses they suffered trading derivatives contacts linked to the bank bill swap rate (BBSW).
Source: International Business Times
Water, Water (Not) Everywhere: the Imperative of Increasing Water Use Efficiency
August 18, 2016--STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Nearly 1.6 billion people live in countries with physical water scarcity-a figure that may double in the coming two decades.
As the potential for developing new sources of water diminishes, making more efficient use of water becomes essential to meeting future demand.
The World Bank works with countries around the world to help ensure water resources remain secure through water efficiency measures, including improved agricultural practices.
Source: World Bank