Global ETF News Older than One Year
Component Changes Made To STOXX Select Dividend Indices
December 17, 2012--STOXX Limited, the market-moving provider of innovative, tradable and global index concepts, today announced component changes in the STOXX Global Select Dividend 100
Index, STOXX Europe Select Dividend 30 Index and EURO STOXX Select Dividend 30 Index.
Due to a cancellation of its dividend payments, KPN (Netherlands, Telecommunications, KPN.AS) is no longer eligible to be included in the index.
The following component changes to the STOXX Global Select Dividend 100 Index, STOXX Europe Select Dividend 30 Index and EURO STOXX Select Dividend 30 Index will be effective with the open of markets on December 20, 2012.
Source: STOXX
Quarterly Changes to the NASDAQ Q-50 Index
December 17, 2012--The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc. (Nasdaq:NDAQ), parent of the world's first electronic stock market and a leading index provider' today announced the results of the quarterly re-ranking of the NASDAQ Q-50 IndexSM(Nasdaq:NXTQ), which will become effective prior to market open on Monday, December 24, 2012.
The following fourteen securities will be added to the Index: ARM Holdings, Plc (Nasdaq:ARMH), Electronic Arts Inc. (Nasdaq:EA), Flextronics International Ltd. (Nasdaq:FLEX), Lam Research Corporation (Nasdaq:LRCX), Medivation, Inc. (Nasdaq:MDVN), MercadoLibre, Inc. (Nasdaq:MELI), Marvell Technology Group Ltd. (Nasdaq:MRVL), Nordson Corporation (Nasdaq:NDSN), Netflix, Inc. (Nasdaq:NFLX), Patterson Companies, Inc. (Nasdaq:PDCO), Research In Motion Limited (Nasdaq:RIMM), Ryanair Holdings Plc (Nasdaq:RYAAY), VeriSign, Inc. (Nasdaq:VRSN) and Yandex N.V. (Nasdaq:YNDX).
Source: NASDAQ OMX
ETF Securities-ETFS Precious Metals Weekly-'Fiscal Cliff' Discussions Dominate Precious Metals in Final Days of 2012
December 17, 2012--The US 'fiscal cliff' and Europe growth risks are the dark clouds over an otherwise improving outlook for the "industrial" precious metals. US industrial production rose 1.1% m-o-m in November, far higher than the 0.3% consensus expectation and is likely to maintain that momentum judging by the flash December Markit manufacturing PMI which rose to an 8-month high.
The flash HSBC Chinese manufacturing PMI rose to a 14-month high of 50.9, confirming the economic recovery is gaining momentum in China as well. Normally, the more cyclical precious metals such as silver, platinum and palladium should perform well in this environment. However, businesses remain reluctant to invest because of the uncertainty surrounding potential automatic tax rises and benefit cuts if the US Congress doesn't agree to a new fiscal program. With minimal economic data to be released in the final weeks of the year, the markets will be particularly sensitive to outcomes from the budget negotiations. Holdings of gold ETPs extended their all-time highs to $84.6bn as investors continue to hedge against worst-case outcomes from fiscal cliff discussions.
FOMC announces extension of QE3 and confirms its commitment to lower unemployment. The Fed confirmed that it will be replacing "operation twist" with $45b of monthly purchases of longer-dated treasuries from January 2013 (in addition to the $40bn of MBS currently purchased every month). Although the move was already largely priced into precious metals, the Fed's actions are significant as they will see balance sheet expansion (whereas operation twist simply changed the maturity of existing assets). Importantly, the Fed has made its ultra-accommodative policy conditional on unemployment remaining above 6.5% and inflation projections remaining no more than 2.5%, providing substantial leeway for continued expansionary policy.
Visit www.etfsecurities.com for more info.
Source: ETF Securities
EEX facilitates access for US participants
December 17, 2012--The European Energy Exchange (EEX), Europe's leading energy exchange, aims to expand its presence in the US market. Therefore, EEX and the derivatives marketplace Eurex Exchange have launched a joined incentive program to win more Eurex participants from the United States, who will also trade on the EEX.
In the framework of the existing co-operation, Eurex participants can use the current infrastructure and a simplified admission process to trade and clear the power, natural gas, emissions and coal products offered by EEX.
As an incentive for this expanded partnership, EEX and Eurex will not charge the annual fee of 12,500 Euro (for trading on all EEX markets) for the year 2013. This program is valid for US based companies which become a member between 1 January and 30 June 2013.
Source: Eurex
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System : Federal Reserve Board releases proposed rules to strengthen the oversight of U.S. operations of foreign banks
December 14, 2012--The Federal Reserve Board on Friday proposed rules to strengthen the oversight of U.S. operations of foreign banks.
The proposal would require foreign banking organizations with a significant U.S. presence to create an intermediate holding company over their U.S. subsidiaries, which would help facilitate consistent and enhanced supervision and regulation of the U.S. operations of these foreign banks. Foreign banks would also be required to maintain stronger capital and liquidity positions in the United States, helping to increase the resiliency of their U.S. operations.
“The proposed rulemaking is another important step toward strengthening our regulatory framework to address the risks that large, interconnected financial institutions pose to U.S. financial stability,” Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke said.
EPFR Global Fund Data News Release-Fund flows reflect pre-Christmas cheer about China, Eurozone and fiscal cliff
December 14, 2012--Investors may not believe in Santa Claus. But, in the run-up to Christmas, there's evidence they believe in China's rebound and the Eurozone's ability to muddle through.
Flows into EPFR Global China Equity Funds hit a four year high during the week ending December 12 while Europe Bond and Equity Funds both took in over $1 billion.
A modicum of faith that US lawmakers will not drive the country over the fiscal cliff and the Federal Reserve’s latest easing measures also bolstered risk appetite, with flows bypassing US Government Bond, Dividend Equity and Gold Funds in favor of funds investing in emerging markets debt, junk bonds and emerging markets equity. Dividend Equity Funds posted outflows for only the fifth time in the 50 weeks year-to-date and seventh time since the beginning of 2011.
Overall, EPFR Global-tracked Equity Funds posted net inflows of $8.9 billion during the week, over half of which flowed into Emerging Markets Equity Funds, while Bond Funds absorbed $5.2 billion which took YTD inflows over the $460 billion mark. Money Market Funds experienced modest redemptions totaling $3.5 billion.
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Source: EPFR
Disclosure framework and assessment methodology for their principles for financial market infrastructures issued by CPSS-IOSCO
Decemeber 14, 2012--The Committee on Payment and Settlement Systems (CPSS) and the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) have today published a disclosure framework and assessment methodology for their Principles for financial market infrastructures PFMIs), the new international standards for financial market infrastructures (FMIs).
The disclosure framework is intended to promote consistent and comprehensive public disclosure by FMIs in line with the requirements of the PFMIs.
The assessment methodology provides guidance for monitoring and assessing observance with the PFMIs.
Both the disclosure framework and the assessment methodology facilitate greater transparency, objectivity and comparability of assessments of observance of the PFMIs and support consistent implementation and application of the PFMIs.
Source: BIS
Implementation of the Basel III Framework
December 14, 2012--At its meeting on 13-14 December, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision discussed the progress of its members in implementing the capital adequacy reforms within Basel III.
The Basel Committee has been actively monitoring on a continuing basis the progress of members in implementing the Basel III package of regulatory reforms, as well as the implementation of Basel II and Basel 2.5. To date, it has published three progress reports and two reports to the G20.
Source: BIS
Financial Stability Review
December 2012
December 14, 2012--The ECB's Financial Stability Review, published today, highlights a tangible easing of euro area financial stability strains since the summer that has been evident across various market indicators.
The ECB’s announcement of its Outright Monetary Transactions (OMTs) programme and the decisions taken by the European Council in June are fundamentally responsible for the improvement felt in the financial markets that has reduced the dispersion of yields and spreads of sovereign debt instruments. The agreement reached by the ECOFIN (and the European Council) on the establishment of a Single Supervisory Mechanism, centered in the ECB, is another important indication of the Monetary Union framework continuous improvement with positive consequences for future financial stability.
Nevertheless, key financial stability risks remain and there is no room for complacency. These potential risks stem from imbalances and vulnerabilities in the fiscal, macroeconomic and financial sector domains and they can be grouped into three categories:
1.Possible aggravation of the euro area sovereign debt crisis, partly because of implementation risk for agreed policy measures at the national and EU level: a steady commitment to necessary adjustment by member countries, along with a determined implementation of European-level decisions to complete the strengthening of the institutional framework for Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), is necessary to avoid the materialisation of this risk.
2.A further deterioration in bank profitability and credit quality owing to a weak macro-financial environment: fostering market confidence in the solidity of banks’ balance sheets is paramount – and efforts at the national level to enhance the transparency of balance sheets, notably through strengthened asset quality reviews coordinated by supervisory authorities, are a key step towards easing existing banking vulnerabilities in the euro area.
view the Financial Stability Review December 2012
Source: ECB
Annual Changes to the NASDAQ-100 Index
December 14, 2012--The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc. (Nasdaq:NDAQ), parent of the world's first electronic stock market and a leading index provider, today announced the results of the annual re-ranking of the NASDAQ-100 Index(R)(Nasdaq:NDX), which will become effective prior to market open on Monday, December 24, 2012.
"Since its inception, the NASDAQ-100 Index has evolved into a world-renowned brand that includes the 100 largest non-financial stocks listed on The NASDAQ Stock Market," said NASDAQ OMX Executive Vice President John L. Jacobs. "The securities being added to the NASDAQ-100 Index will join Facebook, Costco, Apple, Google and other household names that are leading the new economy forward. Our objective re-ranking process ensures the NASDAQ-100 remains a relevant investable index that is the underlying benchmark for about 7,100 products in 22 countries with a notional value of about $1 trillion."
Source: NASDAQ OMX
