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  • Editorial: Don’t believe the scaremongers – vote Lincoln 28 May 2010

    You can almost hear the inertia – it’s like the grinding of heavy, rusty machinery.

  • German draft bill could restrict trading in equity and currency derivatives 28 May 2010

    Germany’s short selling ban could be replaced by tougher regulation which would ban speculation on currency derivatives and would restrict the use of equity futures to go short.

  • Transaction data monitoring essential to industry's future, says Ce-Nif 28 May 2010

    Allan Mendelowitz, head of Ce-Nif, has urged US legislators not to water down proposals contained within the Senate’s Wall Street Reform Act which would mandate data monitoring of all financial transactions.

  • Asia and Latin America: the new frontier for algo trading 27 May 2010

    As Hugo Cox discovers, there is plenty of appetite for high speed trading in Asia and Brazil, from both the traders and the exchanges. All that needs to happen is for barriers to be cleared away.

  • China to open up CSI 300 futures to foreign investors 27 May 2010

    China has confirmed that it will allow Qualified Foreign Institutional Investors to trade the China Financial Futures Exchange’s CSI 300 equity index futures.

  • Movie futures controversy thrashed out before CFTC 24 May 2010

    The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission initiated a public hearing yesterday (May 19) into the feasibility of futures and binary options linked to movie box office receipts.

  • Derivatives face radical change as Senate passes reform bill 21 May 2010

    The US Senate passed the Wall Street Reform Bill last night, taking the lead among developed nations in addressing the causes of the financial crisis and giving Democrats victory in perhaps the hardest battle in their campaign to strengthen financial regulation.

  • Frankfurt: Quiet capital of Europe’s derivative market 21 May 2010

    Frankfurt hasn’t half the glamour and hubbub of London – but when it comes to derivatives, it’s the gently pulsating heart of the European market. Tom Osborn reports from the banks of the Main.

  • CTAs - good crisis, bad recovery? 20 May 2010

    Commodity trading advisors outperformed spectacularly in the traumatic markets of 2008, but were wrongfooted by the rebound in 2009. Have they emerged from the crisis with their appeal enhanced? Elise Coroneos reports.

  • Derivatives industry gets wilder with women’s group 20 May 2010

    Women In Listed Derivatives (Wild), a new group for women in the exchange-traded derivatives industry, yesterday held its fourth event, which took place in Chicago.

  • Eurex restructures teams as management revamp continues 19 May 2010

    Eurex has shaken up its customer and sales strategies, creating two new clearing teams and a new product management and services team to sit between its product development and sales teams, FOi has learned.

  • Volcker confident his rule will pass the Senate 17 May 2010

    Paul Volcker, the veteran US central banker, is confident that the ‘Volcker Rule’ forbidding commercial banks from proprietary trading will be passed into law in the US.

  • Markets fizz for second week as traders’ sentiment swings 14 May 2010

    Derivatives trading has been volatile and volume has been high for a second week running, after the agreement of a euro zone debt rescue package last weekend and the formation of a new government in the UK.

  • Product focus: India’s FX war heats up 14 May 2010

    In a tightly controlled derivatives market like India’s, regulatory permission to launch a new product is like the starting gun in a race. As Benjamin Beasley-Murray reports, the hardest battle now is over FX derivatives.

  • Angberg joins Pimco 13 May 2010

    Pacific Investment Management Company (Pimco), the US bond fund manager, has hired Mikael Angberg, former head of Nordic equity derivatives sales at BNP Paribas, as head of business development in the Nordic region.

  • Bahrain exchange to launch in October 13 May 2010

    The Bahrain Financial Exchange has confirmed that it will be formally launched in October. It will list cash instruments, derivatives, structured products and Sharia-compliant financial instruments.

  • Bloomberg sources Forts data using RTS Fix/Fast feed 13 May 2010

    Data for futures and options on the Russian Trading System market on Bloomberg is now being sourced using the RTS Fix/Fast feed. The move is part of RTS’s policy of improving market data distribution to its customers.

  • Byrne adds precious metals at Pru Bache 13 May 2010

    Prudential Bache Commodities, Prudential Financial’s futures commission merchant arm, has promoted Ryan Byrne, the head of its equity derivatives desk, to take over responsibility for its precious metals desk. The previous head, Ray Keenan, stepped down in April.

  • Capital Futures uses Orc for Taifex DMA 13 May 2010

    Capital Futures, the broking arm of Taiwan’s Capital Group, has begun using Orc Software’s Connect tool to provide clients with direct market access to the Taiwan Futures Exchange.

  • CME secures Canadian oil index swap rights 13 May 2010

    CME Group has bought the right to offer cleared over the counter swaps based on Net Energy’s Canadian Daily Index for Western Canadian Select Heavy grade crude oil. The group will offer cash-settled swaps on its Nymex trading floor, with clearing through its ClearPort clearing service

  • DGCX adds three FX pairs 13 May 2010

    Dubai Gold and Commodities Exchange plans to introduce three currency futures on June 15. These will be on the Swiss franc, Australian dollar and Canadian dollar, all against the US dollar. They will be cleared by the Dubai Commodities Clearing Corporation.

  • ECX rules out CERs based on big hydro projects 13 May 2010

    The European Climate Exchange has ruled that Carbon Emission Reduction certificates generated by large hydroelectric projects will not be included in its basket of eligible CER types.

  • Eurex prepares for dairy volatility with milk and butter contracts 13 May 2010

    Eurex is set to launch butter and skimmed milk powder futures in the second quarter of 2010. Both will be settled in cash, based on spot market references.

  • FIA leads charge against energy position limits 13 May 2010

    The Futures Industry Association has urged the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission to withdraw its proposal to introduce position limits on US energy derivatives trading.

  • Financial Technologies’ Spot Exchange offers retail gold contract 13 May 2010

    India’s National Spot Exchange has launched what it called the first mini gold contract aimed at the retail market. Investors can trade gold in one gramme denominations.

  • Fiserv improves FX functions of Tradeflow 13 May 2010

    Fiserv has cut the cost of pre- and post-settlement activity by improving TradeFlow’s foreign exchange capabilities. It automatically identifies which trades are available for Continuous Linked Settlement, so there is no longer a need to work with custodians for exception management.

  • GFI gets new US equity head 13 May 2010

    US interdealer broker GFI has hired Robert Roberto as North American head of equities. Roberto joins from Knight Trading, where was managing director and head of institutional sales trading.

  • Goldman joins SGX securities market 13 May 2010

    Goldman Sachs Futures has joined Singapore Exchange’s securities market as a trading and clearing member, the US investment bank announced on March 22. It is already a member of its derivatives segment. The addition brings the total number of SGX securities trading members to 25.

  • ICDX joins palm oil futures battle 13 May 2010

    The Indonesian Commodity and Derivatives Exchange plans to list crude palm oil futures this month. The launch of the commodity will intensify competition in the region for dominance in crude palm oil trading.

  • Jakarta Futures Exchange buys trading platform from Trayport, 3i Infotech 13 May 2010

    Trayport Exchange Systems and 3i Infotech are to develop a new trading platform for the Jakarta Futures Exchange.

  • L’Huillier becomes CIO of Tradition 13 May 2010

    Yann L’Huillier has been appointed chief information officer of Compagnie Financière Tradition, the parent company of Tradition, the Swiss interdealer broker.

  • LCH.Clearnet migrates members to BT Radianz 13 May 2010

    LCH.Clearnet SA has migrated all its 56 members to the BT Radianz Shared Market Infrastructure. The migration took more than six months. The clearing house also plans to roll out BT Radianz to 68 members of LCH.Clearnet Ltd and five other partner organisations by May.

  • Liffe looks to continent for barley derivatives demand 13 May 2010

    NYSE Liffe will launch malting barley futures and options on May 10. The euro-denominated contracts will be based on malting barley from any European origin and have a lot size of 50 tonnes. The exchange suggested they could be used for hedging by maltsters, brewers and distillers.

  • LME issues first cobalt warrants 13 May 2010

    The London Metal Exchange has issued the first warrants based on its new cobalt contracts, introduced on February 22.

  • Lukken to head New York Portfolio Clearing 13 May 2010

    Walter Lukken is to start on May 1 as chief executive of New York Portfolio Clearing, the joint venture between NYSE Liffe US and the Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation which plans to clear bonds and derivatives together.

  • More senior hires at NYSE Liffe US 13 May 2010

    NYSE Liffe US has appointed three new independent directors to its board. They are Andrea Corcoran, adjunct professor of futures regulation at Georgetown Law Center; Ronald Filler, professor of law at the New York Law School; and Todd Petzel, chief investment officer of Offit Capital Advisors.

  • Nasdaq launches iPad app 13 May 2010

    Coming soon to an Apple enthusiast near you. Nasdaq OMX has launched a portfolio manager application for Apple’s new iPad, similar to its existing product for the iPhone.

  • Nasdaq lists internet stock index options 13 May 2010

    Nasdaq OMX PHLX, the US options exchange, has listed options contracts based on the level of its QNet index of internet stocks. Launched in 2007, the index tracks the performance of web-based service firms, such as those that host domains, access providers and site designers.

  • Nymex adds 12 swaps 13 May 2010

    The New York Mercantile Exchange will launch eight petroleum swap futures on April 25. They are the Singapore Mogas 95 unleaded vs. Singapore Mogas 92 unleaded spread (Platts), European 3.5% fuel oil (Platts) cargoes FOB Med BALMO, Singapore fuel oil 180 cst (Platts) crack spread, East-west naphtha: Japan C&F vs. cargoes CIF NEW spread (Platts), European 1% fuel oil cargoes FOB Med (Platts), European 1% fuel oil cargoes FOB Med vs. European 1% fuel oil cargoes FOB NEW spread (Platts), Mont Belvieu ethylene (PCW) financial and Mont Belvieu ethylene (PCW) BALMO.

  • NYSE Euronext brings AEX dividend futures 13 May 2010

    NYSE Euronext will launch a dividend index future on the Amsterdam Exchange Index on May 3. It is based on the cumulative value of ordinary gross cash dividends from the individual constituents of the AEX index over one year. The period begins on the business day after the third Friday in December.

  • NYSE Euronext clearing houses: lock-in or route to choice? 13 May 2010

    NYSE Euronext’s decision to stop using LCH.Clearnet and create two new clearing houses of its own will lead to a substantial change in the European clearing landscape, and will feed into the interoperability debate .

  • NYSE Liffe US to launch interest rate futures in Q3 13 May 2010

    NYSE Liffe US will list interest rate futures in the third quarter of the year, to coincide with the opening of New York Portfolio Clearing, the joint venture between the exchange and the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation.

  • Osaka completes Jasdaq merger 13 May 2010

    Japan’s Osaka Securities Exchange and Jasdaq Securities Exchange announced in early April that the merger between the two exchanges had been completed.

  • Pay cuts for Deutsche Börse senior managers 13 May 2010

    Deutsche Börse Group’s remuneration report for 2009 shows a fall in performance-related remuneration for the exchange’s senior management. The exchange has already announced restructuring plans that will involve substantial job cuts (see FOW, April 2010).

  • Portware integrates Thomas Weisel’s algo strategies 13 May 2010

    Boutique investment bank Thomas Weisel Partners will integrate its suite of algorithmic strategies into Portware’s Enterprise platform using the Fix Algorithmic Trading Definition Language (FIXatdl). Portware is a multi-asset electronic trading systems provider.

  • RealTick adds Goldman’s execution services 13 May 2010

    RealTick has added Goldman Sachs’ global futures and options execution services to its platform. The trading platform’s users can now use Goldman Sachs’ latest algorithms and direct access execution services for the futures and options markets.

  • RiskMetrics, Syncova team up on margin 13 May 2010

    RiskMetrics Group has partnered with Syncova to develop an integrated solution for risk-based margin management. The firm will provide this via the Optima platform for hedge funds and prime brokers. RiskMetrics Group provides risk management and corporate governance services. Syncova is an independent margin services provider.

  • Samsung first in Asia to link to Omgeo CTM 13 May 2010

    Post-trade specialist Omgeo has announced that Samsung Securities is the first broker in Asia to connect to its central matching engine, Omgeo Central Trade Manager.

  • SEC to investigate funds’ use of derivatives 13 May 2010

    The US Securities and Exchange Commission is to investigate exemptions employed by mutual and exchange-traded funds in their use of derivatives because of what it calls the increased complexity of the instruments employed.

  • SGX to compete with TSE for Nikkei dividend futures 13 May 2010

    The Singapore Exchange will list futures on the soon-to-be-launched Nikkei Stock Average Dividend Point Index by the third quarter of this year, subject to approval by the Monetary Authority of Singapore.

  • Sucden expands DMA with new Storm system 13 May 2010

    Sucden Financial will bring multi-asset trading facilities to its institutional and corporate clients through a new system called Storm, which enables users to have direct market access to a range of cash equity and derivatives exchanges and platforms. The system uses SunGard’s technology.

  • Tocom to relist gas oil futures 13 May 2010

    The Tokyo Commodities Exchange is to relist its gas oil futures contract on May 6, in response to calls from Japan’s oil and gas industry to restart trading amid rising volatility.

  • Tradeweb links to swap clearing houses 13 May 2010

    Tradeweb announced in early April that an insitutional client had used Tradeweb for the first time to centrally clear an electronic swap on a multi-dealer platform.

  • TSE and Tocom agree to form carbon exchange 13 May 2010

    The Tokyo Stock Exchange and the Tokyo Commodity Exchange have finalised their agreement to introduce a Japanese carbon trading exchange. When live, the new Japanese carbon exchange will be the first dedicated carbon bourse in Asia.

  • TT aims at BM&F 13 May 2010

    Trading Technologies plans to provide direct access to BM&F Bovespa’s new multi-access platform via its X_Trader system.

  • BM&F launches ethanol futures as sugar price slumps 12 May 2010

    BM&F Bovespa, the Brazilian securities, commodities and futures exchange, has said it will launch cash-settled hydrous ethanol futures and options on May 17.

  • CFTC warns firms not to break position limits as trading records tumble 10 May 2010

    The Commodity Futures Trading Commission has told US market participants to ensure that they comply with position limits on significant price discovery contracts at all times during the day, rather than just at the end of the day.

  • DCE vows to expand product suite as exchange aims for global leader position 10 May 2010

    In an intervioew with FOW, Jun Li, executive vice president at the Dalian Commodity Exchange, has said the exchange is examining increasing its product suite.

  • Climate Exchange move should pay off for ICE, says analyst 06 May 2010

    Intercontinental Exchange’s £395m ($604m) takeover of Climate Exchange will give the group a further grip on the booming European energy markets, a senior London-based analyst has said.

  • The Wall Street Reform Bill 06 May 2010

    A snapshot of derivatives-related measures - FOW summarises the key points in Senator Dodd's bill.

  • Prop profile: Sunshine, no income tax – is Dubai the traders’ heaven? 05 May 2010

    Proprietary trading carries its own risks and rewards. But do the risks – and returns – look different from 31 floors up Dubai’s Jumeirah Lake Towers? Tom Osborn meets the Dubai trading arcade, DPTG.

  • Vince Cable: Futures markets are a model of transparency 05 May 2010

    Vincent Cable, the Liberal Democrat shadow Chancellor, has said the exchange-traded futures industry serves as a model of transparency for the effective running of financial markets.

Poll

Will the Dodd-Frank Act harm exchange-traded derivatives markets?

Yes
19%
No
69%
It's not clear
12%