Trading
Hedging foreign currency earnings with basket options
By Ramon Espinosa , GFX-Portfolio and risk strategy, Jim Kamphoefner , GFX solutions and Andria McLintock , GFX options at Bank of America
EBS ends sale speculation
LONDON – Interdealer broker Icap last week confirmed it is in discussions to acquire electronic forex heavyweight EBS.
Western Union joins forces with Travelex
LONDON – Western Union, the worldwide money transfer service, and Travelex, the world's largest non-bank foreign exchange payment firm, have signed an exclusive agreement whereby the latter offers Western Union's transfer service.
Support for the greenback is fading
The factors supporting US dollar strength are starting to wear off, according to Trevor Williams, chief economist at Lloyds TSB Financial Markets in London.
Commerz continues to rebuild
FRANKFURT & LONDON – Commerzbank has boosted its FX team with four new hires in London and Frankfurt, as it continues to rebuild after cutbacks in late 2004.
BOA falls in FX
NEW YORK – Bank of America (BoA) posted a fall-off in FX trading-related revenue for 2005 versus the previous year in its annual results released last week.
Sale offers a fresh start for EBS
And they're off! Yes it's finally out in the open, EBS is up for sale, and we've got a good idea who the runners and riders are.
Fundamentals star in December
With hedge funds becoming increasingly interested in foreign exchange as a source of alpha, FX Week in conjunction with SEB and Mellon has collated data indicating how 35 leading hedge funds have fared over the last year and a half
EBS ends sale speculation
LONDON – Interdealer broker Icap last week confirmed it is in discussions to acquire electronic forex heavyweight EBS.
Tullett Prebon sets up volatility division
LONDON – Tullett Prebon has established a volatility division, in the final stage of restructuring since parent company, Collins Stewart Tullett, acquired Prebon Yamane in 2004.
And now, the weather, from CoesFX
PLAINVIEW, NEW YORK – New York portal CoesFX last week launched a tool to predict foreign exchange rates using a 'weather forecasting' format to enable users to factor in more variables.
Integral Development boosts staff
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA – Integral Development, provider of capital markets products and services, has hired five staff in business development, finance, research and marketing.
Reuters launches new version of DataScope
NEW YORK – Reuters last week launched DataScope Select, a new version of its back-office solution intended to provide more flexible access to a broader range of data.
Deutsche Bank cuts out $1 trillion
LONDON – Deutsche Bank cut out $1 trillion of what it described as 'predatory trades' last year, as it repositioned its business to make it more profitable.
BGC adds institutional FX
LONDON – BGC, the voice and electronic broking business of Cantor Fitzgerald, has confirmed the creation of an institutional FX trading desk.
A year of transition
G7 monetary policy will drive down the dollar, but in a year of policy gradualism and recovering global growth, its decline is likely to be orderly, say Lena Komileva , G7 market economist and James Potter , MD treasury at Tullett Prebon
This inequality must be reduced
The picture of the FX trader as a macho working class white male may to some degree be dated, but there is still not enough diversity in the market.
CLS Bank sets new volume record
LONDON/NEW YORK – CLS Bank has set a new record for the volume of payment instructions settled in one day.
London behind on gender equality
LONDON – The paucity of women forex professionals in London is likely to persist as its reputation as a male-dominated arena continues, according to market observers.
Facilitate to accumulate
Kim Fournais, chief executive of Saxo Bank, says the race to deliver the perfect multi-product trading platform need not be a zero-sum game
BarCap adds CME options to Barx
NEW YORK/CHICAGO – Barclays Capital has become the first bank to provide CME eurodollar options strategies capability to its electronic trading system, Barx.
TMS reaps benefits of US strength
TMS Brokers' purple patch in the 12-month rankings follows the firm's bullish dollar view it adopted a year ago, said Jarosaw Mikoajczyk, managing director at the Polish firm in Warsaw.
Korea to restrict currency data
SEOUL – The Bank of Korea (BoK) is set to restrict parties that are able to view real-time currency data, in a bid to curb currency speculation, from next month.
Milan bank makes cuts overseas
MILAN – Banca Popolare di Milano has closed its overseas FX capabilities and now operates exclusively from Milan.