Foreign exchange
UK top tier to survive euro
LONDON -- The UK government outlined its view on euro entry last week, but the potential death of the sterling market would be unlikely to dent the top UK banks in FX.
Cheap volatility brings yen opportunities
Japanese economic growth has outstripped many western economies over the past year, and the next currency breakout in the FX markets could be yen strength. Alex Schumann and Trevor Nathan, of Commonwealth Bank of Australia in Sydney, show how investors…
Huge profits for German auto hedges
MUNICH -- The euro’s continued rise against the US dollar has turned forex hedges into a huge money-maker for German auto manufacturers, according to research made public last week.
ACI/ICA link-up welcomed
BEIRUT -- Forex vendors last week welcomed the decision by ACI -- The Financial Markets Association to combine its global forex congress with the InterArab Cambist Association (ICA) congress in Beirut, Lebanon.
ACI/ICA link-up welcomed
BEIRUT -- Forex vendors last week welcomed the decision by ACI -- The Financial Markets Association to combine its global forex congress with the InterArab Cambist Association (ICA) congress in Beirut, Lebanon.
Sars leaves FX untouched
HONG KONG/TORONTO -- Despite fears that the Sars outbreak would affect volumes and markets globally, the forex industry escaped the crisis unscathed.
Hedge optimisation under IAS39
All European Union listed companies must implement IAS 39 by the end of this year. Raymond Franzi, head of structuring, and Emmanuel Burot, head of structuring and accounting at Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein in London, outline how a European firm should…
ETrade enters FX with Saxo Bank
LONDON -- Online bond and equity retail trader ETrade has made its first foray into FX by becoming a white-label partner of Danish FX dealer and technology provider Saxo Bank.
BTM top in Japanese FX
TOKYO -- Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi (BTM) has cemented its position as the top Japanese forex provider, reporting a 3% rise in yen terms in revenues for the full-year 2002.
Prop desks reap rewards of heightened FX volatility
LONDON -- Banks could be reaping rewards from their proprietary FX trading desks, as swift intra-day market moves continue, dealers have told FX Week .
Icap thrives on market volatility
LONDON -- UK Inter-dealer broker Icap has seen "another outstanding year" on the back of market volatility, especially in medium-term interest rate markets, said group chief executive Michael Spencer on the announcement of the firm's full-year results…
FX derivatives activity flat but healthy
BASEL -- FX derivatives volumes were relatively unchanged in the second half of 2002, the Bank for International Settlements reported last month.
Reuters FX under threat EBS-Bloomberg forex alliance prompts defiant response from UK firm
LONDON -- Reuters was last week fighting back to secure its position in FX, following the announcement of an alliance between two rivals.
Gulf currency by 2010, say Saudis
RIYADH -- A common currency for Persian Gulf countries could be a reality as early as 2010, according to officials from the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA).
Intra-day volatility returns
LONDON -- Trading desks buzzed with the return of intra-day volatility to the markets last week, as the euro sailed over its launch price of 1.175 against the dollar.
Rand recovery spells good news for South African FX
JOHANNESBURG -- The dramatic recovery of the rand and surging international interest in South Africa have proved a money-maker for local banks, market participants told FX Week .
Forex dealers clear on US dollar policy
NEW YORK -- Despite conflicting comments last week, analysts said the market is clear on the US government’s strategy regarding the greenback.
Saxo Bank’s forex fund flourishes online
COPENHAGEN -- Saxo Bank’s managed FX fund has produced returns of over 3% so far this year, despite the war in Iraq and the geopolitical uncertainty that marked Q1. Saxo’s 3.08% return tops the aggregated performance of the 49 currency funds on the…
Crackdown on risk budgets
Trader sign-off on revaluing data must end, says industry body NEW YORK -- The Professional Risk Managers’ International Association (Prmia) is considering issuing guidelines recommending banks separate their risk management budgets from FX and other…
Japan steps up yen intervention battle
TOKYO -- Japanese authorities intervened in the forex markets again last week as the yen came under more pressure from the weakening dollar.
Bank of Japan intervention set to continue
TOKYO – Japanese authorities spent over $20 billion in the forex markets in Q1 this year, in an effort to ease the yen’s strength against the dollar and the euro.
Intesa bows out of London
LONDON – Banca Intesa, one of the last Italian banks still trading FX in London, closed its desk in April, becoming the latest of its compatriots to consolidate forex in Italy.
US judge dismisses Gain Capital law suit
WARREN, NJ – A lawsuit filed in New York against online forex dealer Gain Capital was dismissed last month.
EBS prime brokers unveiled
LONDON – Deutsche Bank, JP Morgan Chase (JPMC) and Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) will be the first prime brokers on a new interbank prime brokerage service from spot broker EBS.