New Report Highlights the World's Most Competitive Cities
December 10, 2015--Improving the competitiveness of cities is a vital pathway to eliminating extreme poverty and promoting prosperity for a country's citizens, a new World Bank Group report finds.
Launched today, Competitive Cities for Jobs and Growth: What, Who, and How analyzes 750 cities to determine what makes them competitive and how they have grown their economies. It provides a catalogue of urban data that city officials can use to benchmark their performance.
view the Competitive cities for jobs and growth: what, who, and how
Source: World Bank
BlackRock ETP Landscape November 2015: US & broad dev. equities lead flows
December 10, 2015--Industry Highlights
Developed markets equities drive global ETP flows on stronger U.S. growth and ECB stimulus prospects
Global ETPs gathered $28.2bn in November fueled by U.S. equity and broad developed markets equity funds amid improving U.S. economic data and expectations the European Central Bank (ECB) will expand its stimulus program
U.S. equity funds collected $21.4bn as Fed minutes revealed a more positive outlook for the U.S. economy
Prospects for more stimulus from the ECB and relatively favorable valuations in Japan drove flows to broad developed markets equity funds of $6.4bn
The slowdown in China weighed on emerging markets equity funds which shed ($2.5bn) overall, concentrated in China country funds with ($2.0bn) of outflows
With the possibility of a December rate rise back in focus, Treasury funds shed ($4.5bn) while moderated by gains in investment grade corporate bond funds
Source: BlackRock- ETP Research
Revisions to the Standardised Approach for credit risk: Basel Committee issues second consultative document
December 10, 2015--The Basel Committee on Banking Supervision has today released a second consultative document on Revisions to the Standardised Approach for credit risk.
The revised proposals form part of the Committee's broader review of the capital framework to balance simplicity and risk sensitivity, and to promote comparability by reducing variability in risk-weighted assets across banks and jurisdictions.
Source: BIS
Nasdaq Launches International Designation to Offer Non-U.S. Companies Increased Visibility to U.S. Investment Community
December 9, 2015--Nasdaq, Inc. (Nasdaq:NDAQ) today announced the launch of the Nasdaq International Designation, a new visibility offering available to non-U.S. companies that have Level 1 ADRs or shares that trade on the over-the-counter market.
Source: Nasdaq.com
ERI Scientific Beta indices: November 2015 smart beta index performance report published
December 9, 2015--Among the highlights of the November 2015 monthly performance report for the ERI Scientific Beta indices:
This month, the best performing index in the Developed World universe among smart factor indices is the SciBeta Developed High Profitability Diversified Multi-Strategy index, with a relative return of 0.84% compared to the broad cap-weighted index, while the SciBeta Developed Low Profitability Diversified Multi-Strategy index posts the lowest relative return (-0.49%).
Performance for smart factor indices exposed to risk factors known to be well rewarded over long periods remains strong, with annual performance in excess of broad cap-weighted indices ranging from 0.85% to 3.11% since inception for the Developed universe.
Scientific Beta Multi-Beta Multi-Strategy (MBMS) indices associate an effective choice of weighting scheme, in terms of diversification, with an allocation to well-rewarded smart factors, to prevent indices from being too concentrated in one factor and to reduce their specific risks.
Source: ERI Scientific Beta indices
Managers turn to reassuringly expensive smart beta as ETF fees fall
December 9, 2015--An ETF 'price war' is eating into providers' profits-and many hope that alternatively weighted products will help fill the coffers.
Source: Financial News
ETF sales surge 15% in a year
December 9, 2015--Net global sales of exchange-traded funds globally hit $319 billion in the first 11 months of 2015, a 15% increase on the previous record of $277 billion in the same period of 2014, according to data provider ETFGI.
ETFs have registered net inflows for the 22nd consecutive month, with net gains of $30 billion in November alone.
Source: Financial News
Infographic-Visualizing Chinese Investment in Africa
December 9, 2015--We have said previously that Africa is the new land of opportunity for speculators and investors.
Although there is no shortage of risks, the continent is home to vast amounts of resource wealth, the fastest growing class of millionaires, and even the world’s fastest growing city.
The Chinese must agree that there is great opportunity to be found on the second largest continent. That's why over the last decade, China has increasingly poured billions of dollars of foreign direct investment capital into Africa.
Source: visualcapitalist.com
NSE, LSE join hands to set up trading platform in Gift City
Collaboration includes new product developments, research
November 9, 2015--The National Stock Exchange (NSE) and the London Stock Exchange (LSE) have forged a partnership, which could see the two leading exchanges set up a joint trading platform at Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (Gift City).
The agreement also includes setting up a joint research centre to launch new trading products.
Source: Business Standard
Goldman puts its muscle into tech push
December 9, 2015--If Goldman Sachs had its way, "SETLcoin" could ultimately be as much a part of the financial services lexicon as dollar, euros or yen.