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Dollar hits European banks
ZURICH – The dollar’s correction at the beginning of the year hit European banks, which posted a mixed bag of results in forex last week.
Size matters, finds Greenwich survey
GREENWICH, CT – The ability to execute large currency trades is one of the key components in winning new FX business from corporates and institutional clients, according to latest research from Greenwich Associates.
COESfx adds real-time FX data
PLAINVIEW, NEW YORK – Electronic currency network (ECN) COESfx has launched a new service, providing real-time streaming forex data directly to currency traders’ desktops.
Misys launches aggregation service
LONDON – Misys Banking Systems (Misys) has launched the Misys Treasury Exposure Aggregation Service (MTEAS), adding more features to its foreign exchange offering.
Selling £/$ at favourable rates to the forward
UBS Currency Management Advisory Service suggests using a ratio callable forward to sell GBP/USD at more favourable rates than the prevailing market forward rates
French referendum ups volatility
PARIS – The French referendum on the European Union (EU) constitution, set for May 29, has already affected euro trading, and continuing uncertainty will lead to further volatility.
Capping downsides, tapping upsides
Jeffery Todd Lins (right), director of quantative analysis, and Peter Ager Hafez, senior research associate, at Saxo Bank, suggest a mechanism to cap the downside risk while allowing for upside potential in the absence of options on a currency fund
India becomes latest CLS addition
MUMBAI – Indian FX settlement service the Clearing Corporation of India (CCIL) has gone live on CLS.
GFI expands Fenics with bank volatilities
NEW YORK – Interdealer broker GFI is expanding the coverage of its Fenics pricing and risk tool to include volatility surfaces – the methods by which options are priced – from bank clients.
IFX launches forex fund
LONDON – IFX Capital Management, a division of IFX Markets, will launch the Zenith Currency Fund this week.
Mixed reaction to EBS Prime initiative
LONDON – Interbank trading platform EBS' foray into the investor community is being taken up with varying degrees of enthusiasm by member banks.
New investors spur 2004 forex growth
GREENWICH, CONNECTICUT – An increase in FX trade by almost a quarter last year was largely driven by a new class of professional FX investors.
CLS set to expand remit
LONDON – CLS could substantially increase its remit with the introduction of a matching and netting facility for non-eligible currencies and settlement of options, non-deliverable forwards, futures and credit derivatives.
Options traders top pay bracket
LONDON – UK forex options dealers raked in the largest pay packets this year, with total packages averaging more than £500,000, according to a survey by City-based executive search firm, Napier Scott.
Departures hit Deutsche Bank
LONDON & FRANKFURT – Deutsche Bank has been hit by a series of departures across FX departments in recent weeks.
Korean banks report mixed FX results
SEOUL – Korean banks reported strong revenues from their FX business in 2004, with one bank seeing a rise of more than 40%.
Hires hitting the peak season
NEW YORK/ HONG KONG/ LONDON – The pace of foreign exchange hires is picking up, as banks hurry to recruit following the end of the bonus season and a cut-off from some institutions, according to headhunters.
Deutsche offers sharia FX product
MANAMA, BAHRAIN – Deutsche Bank has structured what it claims to be the first FX hedge to be compliant under sharia law.
Final chapter in NAB scandal begins
MELBOURNE – The former head of National Australia Bank’s foreign currency options desk is facing up to five years imprisonment for his part in the A$360 million rogue trading scandal that shook the bank last year.
EM currency volatility to continue
CENTRAL EUROPE – Volatility in emerging market FX has surged as market participants gauge the impact of improving US fundamentals, which resulted in a 25 basis point rate hike last week, according to analysts.