US body sees renminbi as threat to dollar
November 16, 2011--The Chinese renminbi could pose a threat to the international dominance of the US dollar within a decade, according to an independent commission set up by the US Congress.
The annual report of the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission, published on Wednesday, said China’s efforts to spread international use of its currency were succeeding in broadening its reach.
U.S. Stocks Climb on Italy, Economic Data; Treasuries Trim Gains
November 15, 2011-- U.S. stocks gained amid speculation that Italian Prime Minister-designate Mario Monti will form a new government to battle the debt crisis, while growth in retail sales bolstered optimism in the economy. The euro pared losses and Treasuries erased their advance.
The Standard & Poor's 500 Index added 0.5 percent to close at 1,257.81 at 4 p.m. in New York after losing as much as 0.6 percent. The euro slipped 0.8 percent to $1.3527, trimming a 1 percent drop. Italian 10-year yields topped 7 percent and rates on French, Belgian, Spanish and Austrian debt rose to euro-era records above German bunds. Ten-year U.S. Treasury yields fell one basis point to 2.05 percent after dropping seven points earlier. Oil rose to $99.37 a barrel, a three-month high.
Thomson Reuters Global Equities Monthly Market Share Data Reports-October 2011
November 14, 2011-Trading is fragmenting between exchanges and competing venues. But by how much and which venues? Find out in the summarised monthly reports.
read more
Composite Leading Indicators (CLIs), OECD, November 2011
OECD composite leading indicators continue pointing to slowdown in economic activity
November 14, 2011--Composite leading indicators (CLIs) for September 2011, designed to anticipate turning points in economic activity relative to trend, continue pointing to a slowdown in economic activity in most OECD countries and major non-member economies.
Compared to last month's assessment, the CLIs point more strongly to slowdowns in all major economies. In Japan, Russia and the United States the CLIs point to slowdowns in growth towards long term trends. In Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, Brazil, China, India and the Euro area, the CLIs point to economic activity falling below long term trend.
Scoach Receives Licence from Hong Kong Regulator
Largest exchange for structured products in Europe builds bridges with Asia / Investors benefit from late trading supervised by stock exchange
October 14, 2011--Scoach has been licensed by the Hong Kong regulator SFC (Securities and Futures Commission) to connect market participants in Hong Kong directly to the Xetra trading system.
In the future, banks and brokers can use the Xetra network to place structured product orders for trading on Scoach.
Hong Kong has the highest turnover of structured products in the world. Clients of connected banks and brokers there will now gain access to supervised stock exchange trading in Germany. Due to the time difference between Hong Kong and Frankfurt, Scoach trading operates from 4 p.m. to 3 a.m. Late trading extends the trading time for the leverage products that are very popular in Hong Kong. The entire offering of around 400,000 tradable leverage products is available to investors. Trading is also subject to the strict regulation of the German and European supervisory authorities which demand comprehensive investor protection as well as numerous information and transparency requirements.
Many issuers active on Scoach are already active in Hong Kong. They can now offer investors a broad product range of CBBCs (callable bull & bear contracts) and warrants in Hong Kong dollars (HKD) and other currencies. Scoach already offers selected warrants denominated in HKD and in addition, over 5,200 structured products with underlying instruments listed in Hong Kong. Scoach offers a product finder in Chinese script to help investors and order flow providers navigate better. This allows investors to filter the extensive product offering according to their own preferences and to access real-time price information.
“Connecting market participants in Asia clearly demonstrates the international character of Scoach,” said Scoach CEO Christian Reuss. “Having already connected many European markets, we are now taking the next logical step overseas. We are convinced that the world’s largest market and Europe’s largest market will complement each other very well and that both sides will benefit.”
New methodology for calculation of the indicative USD/RUB exchange rate has been published
November 11, 2011--A new methodology for calculation of the indicative USD/RUB exchange rate is now available on the website.
As a step towards integration of MICEX and RTS the indicative USD/RUB exchange rate will be calculated from 10:00 am to 07:00 pm based on the prices of the regulated FX market of MICEX.
From 7:00 pm, after the FX market of MICEX is closed, to 11:50 pm, the indicative USD/RUB exchange rate will be calculated based on indicative quotes published by the interbank market participants and disclosed by Thomson Reuters.
The indicative USD/RUB exchange rate is employed in calculation of RTS Indices and determination of the tick value for a number of derivatives contracts trading on FORTS.
The effective date of the new methodology will be announced shortly.
FESE European Equity Market Report October 2011
November 11, 2011--FESE has published the ‘European Equity Market Report’ which gathers data from all the market segments operated by FESE members (including Regulated Markets and Multilateral Trading Facilities) as well as from the major MTFs operated by investment firms in the European market. The FESE Statistics Methodology used in the Report has been agreed by all the trading venues involved, both RM and MTFs.
view the European Equity Market Report- Year 2011 (updated with October figures)
NYSE Euronext Announces Trading Volumes For October 2011
Global Derivatives ADV Up 9%; U.S. Equity Options ADV Up 19% - European Cash ADV Up 21%; U.S. Cash ADV Up 6%
November 10, 2011--NYSE Euronext (NYX) today announced trading volumes for its global derivatives and cash equities exchanges for October 2011[1].
Global derivatives average daily volume (“ADV”) of 8.2 million contracts in October 2011 increased 9.1% versus the prior year, driven by an 18.7% increase in U.S. options ADV. Cash equities ADV in October 2011 were stronger, with European cash trading ADV increasing 21.0% and U.S. cash trading ADV increasing 5.6% from October 2010 levels.
Highlights
NYSE Euronext global derivatives ADV in October 2011 of 8.2 million contracts increased 9.1% compared to October 2010, but decreased 13.9% from September 2011 levels.
NYSE Euronext European derivatives products ADV in October 2011 of 3.4 million contracts decreased 3.8% compared to October 2010 and decreased 29.0% from September 2011 levels.
Excluding Bclear, NYSE Liffe's trade administration and clearing service for OTC products, European derivatives products ADV decreased 5.2% compared to October 2010 and decreased 19.9% from September 2011.
OCC Announces 2011 Options Volume Passes 4 Billion Contracts
November 10, 2011-OCC announced today that year-to-date total options volume surpassed 4 billion contracts yesterday. This is the first time that U.S. exchange-listed options volume has ever reached this milestone in a single year.
Options volume has continued the high-growth trend of recent years to reach unprecedented levels in 2011. Total options volume hit 3 billion contracts for the fourth time ever on August 23, 2011. Roughly 2 and a half months or 55 trading days later, 4 billion options contracts changed hands on November 9.
"This has been a year when more investors have looked to options for risk management than ever before," said Michael E. Cahill, OCC President and Chief Operating Officer. "Average volume today is higher than the single highest volume day of just four years ago."
Year-to-date average daily options volume stands at 18.5 million contracts, about 3 million contracts per day more than the daily average in 2010. Total year-to-date options volume reached 3,921,499,350 contracts on Tuesday, November 1, passing 2010's annual record volume of 3,899,068,670.
2011 will be the ninth consecutive year a new annual trading volume record has been set.
Ties to Old World Hit Emerging Markets
November 10, 2011--As the eurozone crisis spreads from Greece to Italy, countries far afield are being sucked into the maelstrom.
The world’s emerging markets, which led the way out of global recession in 2009, are now suffering because of their ties to the Old Continent. And they may not be as well placed as three years ago to again help pull the world back from the brink.
On Thursday, Asia bore the brunt, with equities falling 3.8 percent in U.S. dollar terms, the biggest drop for nearly two months, and Asian currencies generally sliding against the dollar, led by a 1.2 percent drop in South Korea’s won.