Trading
BNP Paribas ends year on USD high
BNP Paribas topped this week's 12-month forecast rankings by predicting overall dollar strength in 2008 as investors deleveraged amid increased volatility in financial markets.
EM to diversify in 2009
LONDON - The Indian rupee, Chinese yuan, yen and Swiss franc will outperform in the new year, benefiting from strong fundamentals in an environment driven by capital account deficits, says Bank of America.
Future bright for CE-3
With the Slovak koruna joining the eurozone in January, the Hungarian forint and the Polish zloty are next in line for a convergence rally in 2009, says David Hauner, currency strategist at Bank of America in London
Yen intervention risk rises
TOKYO - Analysts expect the Japanese government to intervene to curb the rapid appreciation in the yen, which reached near-record levels against the US dollar last week.
Forex turnover slumps in Sweden
STOCKHOLM - Turnover slumped 14% in the Swedish foreign exchange markets in November compared with the same month last year, according to the country's central bank.
Risk reversals slowing down
LONDON - Risk reversals on emerging market currencies indicate a reduction in the magnitude of the sell-off compared with that over the past six months, according to Barclays Capital.
Offshore króna market trading thinly
REYKJAVIK - The offshore market in Icelandic króna remained illiquid last week despite a loosening up of capital controls, as liquidity providers stayed out of the market.
Yen rally leaves traders short
TOKYO - The value of retail trading accounts at FXOnline Japan fell by 75% between July and October, as the yen rally caused losses in short yen positions.
Lloyds pulls ahead as growth slows
Expectation of slowing global growth has put Lloyds TSB at the top of FX Week 's 12-month currency forecast rankings this week.
Forex forwards bounce back as year ends
LONDON - Efforts by global central banks to boost interbank trading are reaping returns, with short-dated foreign exchange forwards basis falling sharply last week. But longer-dated tenors remain a concern, say traders.
Strong Q3 for FX derivatives
BASEL - Trading volumes in exchange-traded foreign exchange derivatives grew in the third quarter this year, despite an overall decline in volumes in exchange-traded derivatives, according to the Bank for International Settlements (BIS).
Portlock new spot FX chief at WestLB
DUSSELDORF - WestLB appointed Mark Portlock global head of spot foreign exchange last Thursday, following the decision by Dan Jones, head of FX and commodities trading for liquid markets, to leave the bank.
New EUR/ISK domestic pair launches
REYKJAVIK - Thomson Reuters is set to list a new currency pair, EUR/ISK Domestic, on the Spot Matching System in January to support trading between Icelandic banks onshore.
The return of PPP
The rapid fall of currencies against the US dollar is restoring balance to the currency markets, as stability in purchasing power parity (PPP) returns, says Margaret Kempner, currency strategist at Brown Brothers Harriman
Currency strategy success continues
LONDON - The reversal of fortunes for currency managers continued in November, with all but those employing carry strategies generating positive returns, said the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS).