Global ETF News Older than One Year
Advanced economies growing again but some emerging economies slowing, says OECD
September 3, 2013--A moderate recovery is underway in the major advanced economies, according to the OECD's latest Interim Economic Assessment.
Growth is proceeding at encouraging rates in North America, Japan and the UK. The euro area as a whole is out of recession, although output remains weak in a number of countries. view the OECD's latest Interim Economic Assessment
Source: OECD
The Options Industry Council Announces August Options Volume Rose 4 Percent
August 3, 2013--The Options Industry Council (OIC) announced today that 321,976,044 total options contracts traded in August, which is up 3.55 percent compared to last year when 310,936,920 contracts were traded.
Average daily volume for the month came in at 14,635,274 contracts, up 8.26 percent compared to last August's 13,518,996 contracts. Year-to-date volume stood at 2,758,96,,425 contracts, 2.11 percent more than the 2,701,857,820 contracts traded in the same period last year.
Equity options volume (options on individual stocks and ETFs) for August was 291,214,395 contracts, up 1.79 percent compared to August last year when 286,100,861 contracts traded.
Source: Options Industry Council (OIC)
Margin requirements for non-centrally cleared derivatives-final report issued by the Basel Committee and IOSCO
September 2, 2013--The Basel Committee on Banking Supervision and the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) released today the final framework for margin requirements for non-centrally cleared derivatives.
The framework is available on the websites of the Bank for International Settlements and IOSCO.
Under the globally agreed standards published today, all financial firms and systemically important non-financial entities that engage in non-centrally cleared derivatives will have to exchange initial and variation margin commensurate with the counterparty risks arising from such transactions. The framework has been designed to reduce systemic risks related to over-the-counter (OTC) derivatives markets, as well as to provide firms with appropriate incentives for central clearing while managing the overall liquidity impact of the requirements.
view the Margin requirements for non-centrally cleared derivatives
Source: BIS
ETF Securities Precious Metals Weekly-Middle East Tensions Boost Precious Metals
September 2, 2013--Gold and silver rise but platinum and palladium suffer. Gold and silver
continued to lead the precious metals last week on the back of escalating tensionsin the middle east.
Silver added 2.5% for an August gain of 18.6%, the best monthly performance since January 2012. Platinum and palladium came under pressure in response to declining equity prices, as tensions in Syria threatened to destabilize the global economic recovery. In addition to Middle East tensions and an upcoming US Congressional budget ceiling debate, the marketplace will greet the official end of summer with August US unemployment on Friday, September 6. Following the disappointing US unemployment data in July, precious metals have performed strongly, reasserting their valuable portfolio diversification characteristics. Gold and silver are likely to continue to outperform if August jobs data disappoints like July data. In the absence of investment demand, the decline in prices in the first half of the 2013 revealed strong physical demand, notably strategic buying from Asia. The fundamental backdrop for gold remains robust with tighter supply, notably from reduced recycling levels in Q2 and diminishing mining productivity. With a strong fundamental environment and on-going structural economic risks, particularly elevated global debt burdens, the mediumterm outlook remains constructive for the gold price.
Source: ETF Securities Research
Deutsche Boerse presents recommendations for capital market communication in the area of sustainability
Investors want a more comprehensive picture of companies/Deutsche Börse gives issuers a practical guide
September 2, 2013--Deutsche Börse today presented a best practice guide with recommendations
on comprehensive capital market communication in the area of sustainability.
Non-financial aspects such as environmental and social information and elements of corporate governance constitute a considerable proportion of company value.
The best practice guide serves as a voluntary aide to issuers in producing their sustainability reports. It aims to encourage companies to make use of sustainability issues in capital market communication in a targeted way.
view the Communicating sustainability-Seven recommendations for issuers
Source: Deutsche Börse
UK's Social Stock Exchange set to include international members
August 30, 2013--A UK online portal that aims to connect investors with companies making a positive social impact-and has earned the backing of David Cameron-is planning to expand internationally.
The Social Stock Exchange, which admits only those London-listed companies that pass an independent assessment of their social and environmental contribution, said it is in talks with several overseas companies about joining its platform.
Source: FT.com
Technology redefines financial services
August 30, 2013--What does the video game Donkey Kong have in common with your investment portfolio? Very little you might think, yet plans being drawn up by UK wealth managers to keep customers engaged are being heavily influenced by game designers.
Seven Investment Management has hired the team that worked on game titles such as Donkey Kong and Golden Eye to build a new portal, which runs on mobile devices, that allows customers to "play" with their investments, viewing and managing their portfolios in an interactive way.
Source: FT.com
EPFR Global News Release-Outflows from EM Equity and Bond Funds gather pace as Fed 'tapering' decision looms
August 30, 2013--Redemptions from EPFR Global-tracked Emerging Markets Equity and Bond Funds hit nine week highs heading into September as the prospect of less accommodative US monetary policy pummeled equity indexes and currencies from Jakarta to Istanbul.
With the short-term outlook for the US also clouded by looming clashes over federal spending and the debt ceiling, investors again looked to Europe as they adjusted their portfolios: Europe Equity Funds took in another $1.3 billion as they extended their longest inflow streak since 4Q06.
Overall, the week ending August 28 saw a net $4.8 billion pulled out of all Equity Funds and another $7.1 billion redeemed from Bond Funds. Net flows into Money Market Funds were a modest $1.7 billion as commitments to US funds were offset by redemptions from Europe and Japan Money Market Funds.
The latest outflows from Emerging Markets Equity Funds saw a number of country fund groups hit hard. Philippines and Mexico Equity Funds both set weekly outflow records, Korea Equity Funds had their second worst week year-to-date and redemptions from Turkey Equity Funds hit an 11 week high. But higher oil prices trumped regional tensions for investors looking at the Middle East as commitments to Middle East Regional Equity Funds hit a 17 week high.
Visit www.epfr.com for more info.
Source: EPFR
STOXX Changes Composition Of Blue-Chip Indices
Regular Annual Review To Be Effective On September 23, 2013
August 30, 2013--STOXX Limited, the market- moving provider of innovative, tradable and
global index concepts, today
announced the results of the regular annual review of the STOXX Blue-Chip
Indices, among them the STOXX Europe 50, EURO STOXX 50, STOXX Nordic 30 and
STOXX EU Enlarged 15 indices;
as well as the results of the second semi-annual review of the
STOXX Eastern Europe 50 Index.
All changes will be effective with the open of European markets on September 23 , 2013
Source: STOXX
ETFS Research Update-Physical Gold Shortage Drives Gold Price Higher
August 30, 2013--Summary:London Bullion Market Association (LBMA) gold forward offered rates (GOFO) rates have now been negative for over 7 weeks.
While GOFO rates have been negative during a few exceptional periods in the past, this is the first time they have been negative for a prolonged period, indicating tightness in the physical market for gold traded on the LBMA. Strong demand from Asia and developing countries' central banks, coupled with reduced supply from gold recycling and diminished mining supply, appear to have substantially tightened the market.
Source: ETF Securities Research
