Regulation
Turkish delight in strength of lira
ISTANBUL – The run-up to the introduction of the new Turkish lira (NTL) has coincided with a strong growth in the unit.
Review of 2004 - April: Banks draw EU25 battle plans
LONDON & FRANKFURT – Euro convergence may still be years away for the 10 new member states joining the European Union (EU), but far-sighted banks and brokers were already drawing up their FX battle plans for the new Europe in April. Deutsche Bank, HSBC,…
Euro gains status as reserve
FRANFURT – Buying by some of Eastern Europe’s and Africa’s central banks is buoying the euro as the central bankers come to the realisation the currency is here to stay, according to a leading forex fund manager.
Review of 2004 - January: NAB saga starts in earnest
MELBOURNE – The saga of National Australia Bank’s rogue trading scandal came to light on January 13. The bank said it had uncovered losses of up to A$180 million (US$140 million) from unauthorised trading in forex options during the fourth quarter.
Banks' 'indifference' to IAS 39 hints at software panic-buying
LONDON -- Software vendors are preparing to take advantage of any bank glitches once the IAS 39 accounting standard is implemented on January 1.
Cautious corporate approach to IAS 39
LONDON -- Corporates will look to use less complicated products because of the IAS 39 hedge accounting rules, as some believe it could signal significant changes in risk management strategies, according to Georgette Bailey, director, strategic solutions…
CLS below half of FX activity
LONDON – CLS lacks traction outside the major banks and still accounts for far less than half of all FX transactions, according to a report by the Bank of England published this week.
Opec turns its back on dollar
BASEL – Opec members have been reducing US dollar exposure in favour of the euro over the past three years, according to statistics released by the Bank for International Settlement (BIS) last week.
Intervention will not halt dollar weakness
SEOUL – The dollar's dive against Asian currencies to record lows is unlikely to be halted by large-scale intervention, according to analysts.
Euro role grows, says ECB
The euro is increasingly being used as an international currency and its place in the global markets is becoming ever more important, a European Central Bank (ECB) official told delegates at the FX Week congress in London last week.
Dynamic hedging strategies in Turkish lira
Emerging markets options offer the benefit of extreme differences in implied volatility and interest rate differentials. Here, James Davison, FX derivatives marketer at ABN Amro in London, outlines how corporate clients can see the benefits investors…
Protecting against losses while making gains
Given the rapid, one-way move in the Canadian dollar (CAD), many hedgers who are short CAD are looking for innovative hedging ideas. John McAuliffe, manager, US FX options sales at the Bank of Montreal in Chicago, suggests some options
Bayer Group's two-year plan pays off
LEVERKUSEN – As the dollar continues its slide versus all major currencies – it has lost 8% of its value against the euro in the past two months and 9% against the Swiss franc – corporates are struggling to readjust their hedging strategies.
Concerted intervention ruled out
FRANKFURT – Despite increasingly vigorous comments from European politicians arguing in favour of stemming the onward rise of the euro, concerted intervention from Europe and the US is extremely unlikely.
Banks review yuan reval forecasts
BEIJING – Some bank analysts have brought forward their expectations of regime change in the Chinese yuan, following the rate hike by the People's Bank of China late last month.
Bush win prompts dollar sell-off
NEW YORK – The re-election of President George W. Bush last week prompted a dollar sell-off, sending the euro to an all-time high just below 1.30 by close of trading on Friday (November 5).
RBS launches IAS 39 kit for corporate clients
The Royal Bank of Scotland launched a web-based IAS 39 Toolkit last week to help clients with the requirements set out by the IAS 39 accounting standard, which comes into force at the start of 2005.
New retail laws spark alarm in Japan
TOKYO – A debate is raging in Tokyo over the impact new retail FX trading laws will have on the developing market.
China rate hikes boost FX volatility
CHINA – Volatility in global FX has surged amid speculation that the first rate hike by the People's Bank of China (PBOC) in almost a decade could spark a sooner-than-expected yuan revaluation, according to analysts.
Funds repatriation bill set to pass
NEW YORK – A bill offering US companies the chance to repatriate overseas earnings at a hugely discounted tax rate is set to be signed into law in the next week – much sooner than previous estimates, said analysts.
Chinese currency to rise by 25% against dollar
LONDON – China's currency is up to one quarter below its true value and a significant adjustment on the forex market is inevitable.
SIBOS 2004
CLS rules the roost at Sibos