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Parker Global launches investable forex index
STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT – Investment consultant Parker Global Strategies (PGS) has launched PGS FX Alpha Edge, an investable foreign exchange index.
Banks gear up for emerging markets push
The competition for emerging market business is hotting up, with US banks preparing for a push.
FXMarketSpace to spur consolidation
WESTBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – FXMarketSpace will facilitate consolidation in e-FX, according to Robert Iati, partner at research and advisory company TABB Group.
Deutsche and RBC appoint senior currency strategists
TOKYO & TORONTO – Currency strategists are en vogue this month, with banks building up FX research teams in Tokyo and Toronto.
BNP Paribas overhauls e-business
PARIS & NEW YORK – BNP Paribas has overhauled its electronic foreign exchange business as it looks to establish itself as a leading player in the arena.
Société Générale CIB names new FICC heads
PARIS – Société Générale Corporate and Investment Banking (SGCIB) has appointed Marc Breillout and Gregoire Varenne to head the new fixed income, currencies and commodities division in Paris.
Consolidation is the key theme
The theme of consolidation in the brokerage industry continues this year, with Société Générale and Calyon confirming exclusive negotiations to merge their brokerages Fimat and Calyon Financial. But what happened to all that talk about consolidation in…
ABN Amro cuts back London forex staff
LONDON – ABN Amro has made cuts to its London FX team, resulting in the departure of John Marley, European head of sales.
FXall volumes surged 45% in 2006 on growing market
LONDON – Trading volumes on multibank platform FXall surged 45% in 2006, with over $9.8 trillion traded on a single-count basis.
India pledges to pursue a less restrictive FX strategy
MUMBAI & HONG KONG – Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh issued a statement last week, confirming the country's commitment to gradually move towards a less restrictive forex regime.
China launches benchmark Shibor rate
SHANGHAI – China has taken further steps towards developing its interest rates derivatives market, with the launch of the Shanghai interbank offered rate (Shibor) last Thursday (January 4).
StanChart restructures institutional sales team
LONDON – Standard Chartered has implemented a new structure for institutional sales in London, following the departure of Tara Hunt, head of global investor sales in October last year.
Algo trading goes mainstream
COPENHAGEN – Saxo Bank is bringing algorithmic trading into the mainstream with plans to launch an algo trading tool for retail investors this quarter.
Nybot launches peso and real FX futures to support coffee traders
NEW YORK – The New York Board of Trade (Nybot) is preparing to launch futures in the Colombian peso and Brazilian real next month.
Spotradar from Nostradamus predicts good times ahead
LONDON – Nostradamus, a forex predictions company, is looking to sign a raft of new clients for its Spotradar automated trading system in the next few months.
Algo trading goes mainstream
COPENHAGEN – Saxo Bank is bringing algorithmic trading into the mainstream with plans to launch an algo trading tool for retail investors this quarter.
November 2006 - RBS and JP Morgan scale back prop trading
LONDON & NEW YORK – November saw mixed fortunes for FX traders. Just as volatility returned to the market, two major banks made cuts to their prop trading desks.
April 2006 - Icap purchase of EBS completed for $775m
LONDON – In mid-April, Interdealer broker Icap agreed to a deal that saw it acquire electronic forex heavyweight EBS. The deal saw Icap pay $775 million for EBS Group, with a share alternative option for EBS shareholders to switch a third of their cash…
January 2006 - Acquisitions in e-FX take precedence
LONDON – The year started with a bang with two high-profile acquisitions in the electronic trading space.
February 2006 - BoA builds algorithmic forex capabilities
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS – Bank of America (BoA) took a major step towards building up its algorithmic trading capabilities in the FX space, with the acquisition of algorithmic-driven pricing and trading specialist, Financial Labs.
March 2006 - FXCM abandons Refco negotiations
NEW YORK – Forex Capital Markets (FXCM) abandoned negotiations with Refco creditors to acquire the assets of the defunct brokerage's unregulated currency trading operation.