Final standard for measuring and controlling large exposures published by the Basel Committee
April 15, 2014--The Basel Committee on Banking Supervision has today published a final standard that sets out a supervisory framework for measuring and controlling large exposures,w hich will take effect from 1 January 2019.
A large exposure framework protects banks from significant losses caused by the sudden default of an individual counterparty or a group of connected counterparties. The framework was designed so that the maximum possible loss a bank could incur if such a default were to occur would not endanger the bank's survival as a going concern.
Source: BIS
IOSCO Research publishes paper on Corporate Bond Markets
April 15, 2014--The Research Department of the International Organization of Securities Commissions today published a Staff Working Paper entitled Corporate Bond Markets: A Global Perspective.
The report presents findings from an in-depth study on the development and functioning of corporate bond markets globally, and focuses on both emerging and developed markets. Its findings underscore the importance of corporate bond markets to economic growth, financial stability and economic recovery.
view the IOSCO report-Corporate Bond Markets: A Global Perspective Volume 1
Source: IOSCO
Gold: In search of a new standard
The London fix has been in place for almost a century but critics say the system needs reform
April 14, 2014--April 14, 2014--On the morning of September 12 1919, just 10 months after the end of the first world war, bankers at NM Rothschild & Sons in London sat down to calculate a fair price for gold.
They had been asked to do this by the Bank of England, which wanted to restore the city,s status as an international finance centre.
Sir Brien Cokayne, the BoE's governor, envisaged "an open market for gold in ...
Source: FT.com
Asset managers fight 'financial threat' label
April 13, 2014--Big asset managers are fighting hard against being labelled potential threats to the stability of the financial markets. They have urged regulators to focus on heavily indebted institutions instead.
Regulators are considering imposing tighter rules as part of an assessment to determine whether large funds should be considered as "systemically important".
Funds with assets of more than $100bn will be subject to greater scrutiny, but regulators will also employ other measures such as leverage ratios to determine how wide to spread the net.
Vanguard, which manages $2.7tn, is potentially most under threat. It runs five tracker funds and a money-market fund with assets of more than $100bn.
Source: FT.com
Citi makes further cuts to trading business
April 13, 2014--Citigroup has made deeper cuts at its investment bank, cutting around 200 to 300 staff in its global sales and trading businesses in the last few weeks, said people familiar with the bank.
Steve Prince, brother of former chief executive Chuck Prince was among those to leave the bank, a person familiar said, confirming an earlier report in the Wall Street Journal.
Source: FT.com
Palladium Price Highest Since 2011 Due To Russian Worries, South African Strike
April 12, 2014--Palladium futures hit their highest level since 2011 on Monday as heightened geopolitical tensions surrounding Russia and Ukraine have exacerbated supply worries at a time when a major strike is occurring in South Africa.
Some analysts look for further gains over the longer term, while others described themselves as constructive but offered caution with so much bullish news already factored into prices.
Source: Forbes
Palladium Price Highest Since 2011 Due To Russian Worries, South African Strike
April 12, 2014--Palladium futures hit their highest level since 2011 on Monday as heightened geopolitical tensions surrounding Russia and Ukraine have exacerbated supply worries at a time when a major strike is occurring in South Africa.
Some analysts look for further gains over the longer term, while others described themselves as constructive but offered caution with so much bullish news already factored into prices.
Source: Forbes
Big asset managers eye new trading venue
April 11, 2014--Several of the world's largest asset managers are discussing the creation of a joint equity trading venue, in an attempt to end the technological arms race sparked by high-frequency trading firms.
Fidelity, the Boston-based manager with $1.9tn under management, has sounded out rivals about routing their share trades through a central venue that would rival traditional stock exchanges and so-called "dark pools" of liquidity.
Source: FT.com
ETF Securities expands into the Index Business
ETFS Indices LLC Unveils Four Composite Strategy Indices
April 10, 2014--The ETF Securities Group today announced the launch of ETF Securities' Index unit, ETFS Indices LLC. Led by Dan Raab, Head of Indices and Managed Futures, ETFS Indices will design and publish new futures-based indices.
The suite of Commodity Indices launched by ETFS Indices includes four composite strategy indices based on commodity futures prices. Current composite index types include Commodity Carry, Commodity Long-Short, and Commodity Long-Only. ETFS Indices' composite strategies are designed to be liquid and replicable, and useful as tools for portfolio diversification.
Source: ETF Securities
Infographic: Shared Prosperity in Emerging Europe and Central Asia
April 10, 2014--The first decade of the new millennium saw sustained growth of the incomes of the bottom 40% in Emerging Europe and Central Asia, above average GDP growth.
In some countries, however, poorer people have experienced contraction in their incomes, while in others they enjoyed yearly rates above 7%. Going forward, sustained growth of the bottom 40 percent will require structural policies that facilitate access to assets and reconcile equity and growth for all.
Source: World Bank