Structured products
Europe’s institutional investors look to alternatives and cost-effective exposure
Institutional investors in Europe favour fixed-income and alternative assets as they continue de-risking their portfolios, with a focus on cost-effective market exposure and downside protection
Macquarie to offer bespoke beta and absolute return commodity products from June
Macquarie is extending its existing commodity sales and trading platform with the launch of a commodity investor products business, which will be led by ex-Goldman Sachs global head of commodities
Absa Capital unveils five ETNs based on precious metals and currencies
Absa Capital has launched five exchange-traded notes, providing investors with exposure to precious metals and currencies.
Commerzbank revamps e-commerce platform to include FX structuring
The German bank will migrate existing clients this month from Click&Trade FX onto its rebranded Commander platform
FX Invest: Macroeconomic uncertainty boosts demand for gold and oil exposure
Continued uncertainty about inflation and deepening concerns over sovereign default risks in Europe are making the commodities increasingly attractive as hedging tools
Barclays Capital reshuffles FX structuring roles
Senior structurers to switch locations by mid-year as bank merges two business lines
BAML incorporates OTC trading in new risk index
Bank of America Merrill Lynch has launched a new index which measures risks not normally visible in public markets by incorporating assets trading in the over-the-counter market.
Ta Chong Bank live with FinIQ’s Liquidity Link
Ta Chong Bank in Taipei went live with FinIQ's Liquidity Link system at the end of November, to automate the liquidity-provision process in forex options.
EU Prips consultation document accepts one size does not fit all
The European Union has published its consultation document on the legislative steps for the Packaged Retail Investment Products (Prips) initiative. The document contains few surprises and is available for final comments until January 31, 2011.
Clearing saga threatens structured products
Citi has usurped Barclays Capital as best bank for structured products, a category that could be in the spotlight as regulations are clarified.
Citi indexes offer low-cost forex exposure
Citi has launched the CitiFX Beta Indexes series, aimed at providing investors with an inexpensive, flexible means of accessing foreign exchange as an asset class.
Banks could circumvent Volcker rule by gaining hedge fund exposure synthetically
Volcker rule may contain loophole that allows banks to invest in hedge funds
Ohmän gains structured products team from Swedbank
Ohmän investment bank in Sweden has recruited eight members of the 12-person structured products team from Swedbank in Sweden.
Lloyds strengthens structuring team with new hires
Phil McCabe joins Lloyds as head of client structuring in FX rates and commodities. He is based in London and reports directly to Patrick Shone, head of structuring.
Bank of China targets high net worth with FinIQ
Bank of China International Holdings (BOCI) has licensed the FinIQ Structured Products System to support its new private wealth management business, officials said last week.
SuperDerivatives releases SDX
LONDON - SuperDerivatives is migrating customers to its new multi-asset front-office system, SDX, on October 10, David Gershon, chief operating officer at SuperDerivatives in London has told FX Week.
Triple hire for Macquarie Private Wealth Asia
Macquarie hires three senior executives to boost its private wealth operation in Asia
UK structured products stuck on repeat
An unfavourable pricing environment and investor caution is resulting in a series of familiar structures in the UK market. A few variations in underlying are evident but all come back to income
BNP Paribas enters US retail market via Bank of the West
BNP Paribas is offering market-linked certificates of deposit to US retail investors for the first time through subsidiary Bank of the West
Chris Lee reappears at Deutsche Bank as head of GMIP and db-X, Asia
Deutsche Bank has hired Chris Lee as head of structured products for Asia, just a few months after he left a similar position at UBS
Dow Jones and CME create FX index to hedge against US dollar
NEW YORK & CHICAGO – Dow Jones Indexes and CME Group have created a foreign exchange index that represents the value of the US dollar against six major world currencies, creating a tool for investors wanting to hedge themselves against changes in the…
Investors ditch Bric basket plays as correlation soars
Correlation between Bric currencies has risen steadily since the onset of the crisis as investors have allocated heavily in favour of emerging markets rather than G-10 currencies
Structured products had strong finish to 2009, says Greenwich Associates
The global retail structured products market made a strong comeback at the end of last year, is poised to return to previous levels and might even grow in the near future, according to research by Greenwich Associates.
MAS lifts structured notes ban for DBS, Malayan Banking and RBS
Regulator eases controls as dealers improve risk systems