Global ETF News Older than One Year
NYSE Euronext, Deutsche Boerse cancel merger deal
February 2, 2012--Deutsche Boerse and NYSE Euronext cancelled their mega-merger Thursday after European regulators vetoed the deal.
The decision to abandon the plan to create the world's largest exchange operator potentially dominating the global derivatives trade was expected after the European Commission on Wednesday rejected it.
"NYSE Euronext announced today that in light of the decision by the European Commission to block the proposed merger agreement, both companies have agreed to a mutual termination of the business combination agreement originally signed by the companies on February 15, 2011," NYSE Euronext said in a brief statement.
Source: EUbusiness
The Europe Dow Rose 3.15% In January, According To Dow Jones Indexes
Daimler Topped All 30 Europe Dow Components with 25.59% Gain for the Month
Investors ‘Selective’ in Identifying Large-Cap, European Equity Opportunities in January
February 1, 2012–The Europe Dow, an equal-weighted index that measures 30 of the continent’s leading blue-chip stocks, gained 3.15% in January, according to data compiled by Dow Jones
Indexes, a leading global index provider.
The index’s top component performer for January was Daimler AG of Germany, which closed up 25.59%. Shares of Rio Tinto PLC (Great Britain) and Schneider Electric S.A. (France), up 23.64% and 17.70%, respectively, were the second- and third-leading stocks on The Europe Dow. Tesco PLC (Great Britain), which fell 19.56%, was The Europe Dow’s worst-performing stock in January.
By comparison, the Dow Jones Industrial Average ended January up 3.40%, The Asia Dow rose 9.17% and The Global Dow surged 6.20%. The Asia Dow is an equal-weighted, 30-stock index that measures leading blue-chips traded in the Asia/Pacific region; The Global Dow measures the performance of 150 leading companies from around the world.
Source: Dow Jones Indexes
Dow Jones-UBS Commodity Indexes January 2012 Performance Report
February 1, 2012 —The Dow Jones-UBS Commodity Index was up 2.47%, for the
month of January. The Dow Jones-UBS Single Commodity Indexes for tin, orange juice and silver
had the strongest gains with month-returns of 26.74%, 24.26% and 19.15%, respectively.
The Dow Jones-UBS Commodity Index is composed of 19 futures contracts on physical commodities and was introduced in 1999. The DJ-UBSCI family of indexes includes nine sector sub-indexes, multiple forward month indexes; sub-indexes for each individual commodity in the original DJ-UBSCI as well as for brent crude, cocoa, feeder cattle, gas oil, lead, orange juice, platinum, soybean meal and tin.
Source: Dow Jones Indexes
January 2012 Commodities Commentary: Dow Jones-UBS Commodity Indexes Up As Fed Signals Low Interest Rates Through 2014
February 1, 2012--The Dow Jones-UBS Commodity Index ended up 2.47% for the month of January as investors pondered word that the U.S. Federal Reserve is prepared to extend the time frame for exceptionally low interest rates through 2014 in an effort to provide additional stimulus to the U.S. economy.
This action could increase growth and boost demand for commodities such as industrial metals. Further, a weakening of the U.S. dollar against other key currencies including the euro made dollar-denominated commodities more accessible to holders of other currencies.
The Dow Jones-UBS Single Commodity Indexes for tin, orange juice and silver had the strongest gains with month-end returns of 26.74%, 24.26% and 19.15%, respectively.
Tin gained in January as the prospect of low U.S. interest rates at least until 2014 boosted speculation of increased demand for the metal used in plasma screens, mobile phones and cars.
Source: Dow Jones Indexes
NYSE Euronext Statement On EU Decision To Prohibit Merger Announces Resumption Of $550 Million Stock Repurchase Program Following Termination Of Merger Agreement
February 1, 2012 – NYSE Euronext announced today that in light of the
decision by the European Commission to prohibit its proposed combination with Deutsche Boerse, the companies are in discussions to terminate their merger agreement.
NYSE Euronext said it would focus on the successful standalone strategy that has delivered strong growth and diversification of its core businesses and that it would leverage its financial strength to return capital to shareholders. In that regard, NYSE Euronext announced its intent to resume a $550 million share repurchase program following the termination of the merger agreement and after the release of its fourth quarter and 2011 year-end results on February 10, 2012.
Source: NYSE Euronext
BATS earns 11.1% U.S. equities market share in January.
February 1, 2012 – BATS Global Markets (BATS), a global operator of stock and options markets, today reported increased European market share in January and strong equities matched market share in the U.S. BATS reported 11.1% U.S. equities matched market share compared to 10.4% a year ago.
In Europe, BATS Europe and Chi-X Europe, which BATS is combining to form BATS Chi-X Europe, recorded consolidated market share of 25.9% compared to 25.4% in December 2011 and 23.8% a year ago. BATS Options reported 3.0% market share compared to 1.3% a year ago.
BATS operates two stock exchanges in the U.S., the BATS BZX Exchange and BATS BYX Exchange; BATS Options, a U.S. equity options market; and BATS Europe and Chi-X Europe, which operate FSA-authorized multilateral trading facilities.
Source: BATS Exchange
Macquarie Group Is Said to Compete for Deutsche Bank Asset-Management Unit
February 1, 2012--Macquarie Group Ltd. (MQG), Australia’s biggest investment bank, is vying with at least three companies to buy asset-management divisions from Deutsche Bank AG (DBK), said two people with knowledge of the matter.
The deadline for second-round offers is next week, and the German lender plans to reach an agreement by mid-March, said the people, who declined to be identified as talks are private. Other bidders include JPMorgan Chase & Co., State Street Corp. (STT) and Ameriprise Financial Inc. (AMP), people with knowledge of the matter said last month.
Source: Bloomberg
IMF Working Paper-Changing Patterns of Global Trade
February 1, 2012--Summary:Changing Patterns of Global Trade outlines the factors underlying important shifts in global trade that have occurred in recent decades.
The emergence of global supply chains and their increasing role in trade patterns allowed emerging market economies to boost their inputs in high-technology exports and is associated with increased trade interconnectedness.The analysis points to one important trend taking place over the last decade: the emergence of China as a major systemically important trading hub, reflecting not only the size of trade but also the increase in number of its significant trading partners.
view IMF working paper-Changing Patterns of Global Trade
Source: IMF
NASDAQ OMX Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2011 Results
February 1, 2012--FY 2011 Non-GAAP Diluted EPS Grows 27% Over Prior Year
2011 Full Year Net Exchange Revenues and Earnings Reach Record Highs
The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc. reported strong results for the fourth quarter of 2011. Net income attributable to NASDAQ OMX for the fourth quarter of 2011 was $82 million, or $0.45 per diluted share, compared with $110 million, or $0.61 per diluted share, in the third quarter of 2011, and $137 million, or $0.69 per diluted share, in the fourth quarter of 2010.
For the full year of 2011, net income attributable to NASDAQ OMX was $387 million, or $2.15 per diluted share.
Included in the fourth quarter of 2011 results are $44 million of pre-tax expenses associated with debt refinancing, the impairment of an available-for-sale investment security and merger and strategic initiatives.
Financial Highlights:
Source: NASDAQ OMX
Average daily volume of 8.2 million contracts at Eurex Group in January
February 1, 2012-- In January 2012, the international derivatives exchanges of Eurex Group recorded an average daily volume of 8.2 million contracts (Jan 2011: 10.4 million).
Of those, 5.5 million were Eurex Exchange contracts (Jan 2011: 7.1 million), and 2.7 million contracts were at the U.S.-based International Securities Exchange (ISE) (Jan 2011: 3.3 million). In total, 174.1 million contracts were traded, thereof 120.3 million at Eurex and 53.8 million at the ISE.
Eurex Exchange grew slightly in its equity index segment, the largest product segment, to 59.8 million contracts compared with 59.2 million contracts in January 2011. Futures on the EURO STOXX 50® Index stood at 21.1 million contracts while 24.9 million options were traded on this index. Futures on the DAX totaled 3.0 million contracts while the DAX options reached another 4.7 million contracts. The Eurex KOSPI product reached 3.0 million contracts, compared to 176,000 contracts in January 2011.
Source: Eurex
