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Office of Financial Research Issues Statement on Progress to Date and Next Steps Forward in the Global Initiative to Establish a Legal Entity Identifier (LEI)
August 12, 2011--Today, the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Financial Research (OFR) issued the following statement on the progress made to date and next steps forward in the global initiative to establish a Legal Entity Identifier (LEI).
In November 2010, the OFR stated that if a universal LEI was established by July 15, 2011, it planned to issue a notice of proposed rulemaking that would require the LEI to be used for data reported to the OFR.
Although significant progress has been made to date in developing an LEI—including discussions of principles by global regulators; recommendations by a global coalition of financial services firms and trade associations; a technical specification for the identifier by an international standards body; and proposals by parties to manage the LEI—additional work needs to be done to build international consensus on key issues before the OFR issues a rule.
“The OFR will continue to work with policymakers, regulators, and the private sector to achieve a mutually agreeable, effective, and timely global LEI solution,” said Richard Berner, Counselor to the Secretary of the Treasury. “An LEI would serve as a cornerstone in fulfilling the G-20 mandate to improve market integrity and regulators’ ability to mitigate risks posed to the financial system.”
The Financial Stability Board (FSB) is hosting a workshop on September 28 and 29 to discuss how to coordinate work on LEI and move the initiative forward. Additionally, because of the work that has been done to date, the OFR believes that sufficient progress can be made to allow for an initial phase of implementation in 2012, consistent with the needs of regulatory authorities in a variety of jurisdictions. The OFR intends to issue a notice of proposed rulemaking consistent with that timeline. In the United States, the OFR’s objective remains to coordinate with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), which are issuing rules for reporting swap transactions to trade repositories, and for all three agencies to require the same system for identifying parties in reporting.
An LEI is a unique number that would identify a legally distinct entity that engages in financial market activities. Currently, there are many ways to identify entities, but there is no universal identification scheme for legal entities across markets and jurisdictions.
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Source: US Department of the Treasury
CFTC.gov Commitments of Traders Reports Update
August 12, 2011--The current reports for the week of August 9, 2011 are now available.
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Source: CFTC.gov
Microsoft, Wal-Mart Stores Added to Dow Jones U.S. Contrarian Opportunities Index
Qualcomm, MasterCard Class A, Norfolk Southern Also Placed in Index
Following Regular Semi-Annual Review By Dow Jones Indexes
Index Gauges Performance of Stocks Lagging Broader Market,
But Outrank Peers on Fundamentals, Other Qualitative Criteria
August 12, 2011--Two of the largest companies in the world, Microsoft Corp. and Wal-Mart Stores Inc., were added to the Dow Jones U.S. Contrarian Opportunities Index, it was announced today.
The index is designed to systematically measure the performance of stocks that lag behind the broader market in terms of recent performance, but outrank their peers based on fundamentals and other qualitative criteria.
Including Microsoft (the world's sixth-largest company, measured by free-float market capitalization) and Wal-Mart Stores (37th-largest), a total of 64 companies were added to -- and 62 deleted from -- the index as part of a regular semi-annual review by Dow Jones Indexes, a leading global index provider. Following the review, the Dow Jones U.S. Contrarian Opportunities Index now has 125 components, up from 123; all changes are effective after the close of trading on August 19, 2011.
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Source: Dow Jones Indexes
Direxion files with the SEC
August 12, 2011--Direxion has filed a post-effective amendment, registration statement with the SEC.
view filing
Source: SEC.gov
SEC Doesn’t Plan to Restrict Short Selling
August 12, 2011--The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission doesn’t plan to take action to stem short sales after four European countries banned the practice, a spokesman said.
We do not intend to further restrict short sales, as the commission already has in place restrictions on short selling that are triggered when a stock is experiencing significant downward price pressures,” SEC spokesman John Nester said in an e-mailed statement today.
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Source: Bloomberg
PowerShares files with the SEC
August 12, 2011--PowerShares has filed a post-effective amendment, registration statement with the SEC for the PowerShares Fundamental Investment Grade Corporate Bond Portfolio (NYSE Arca, Inc. – PFIG).
view filing
Source: SEC.gov
DB Global Equity Research: North America-US ETF Market Weekly Review : $72.5bn vanished from ETP AUM on market free fall
August 11, 2011--Risk Off trade rules the markets
The widespread sell-off continued into last week and intensified as the US debt ceiling deal failed to meet market expectations. In addition, the European Sovereign woes and global recovery concerns confirmed the risk off trade as the new ruler across the markets. Equity markets in the US (S&P 500) plunged by 7.19%, the largest weekly drop since November 2008.
The total US ETP flows from all products were $5.5bn of outflows last week vs $1.9bn of outflows the previous week, setting the YTD weekly flows average at +$2.0bn. US ETP AUM lost $72.5bn, closing at $1.02 trillion or 2.4% up YTD.
Long only equity ETPs recorded $7.7bn of outflows last week vs $3.2bn of outflows the previous week. From a geographic allocation perspective, most segments were in red, US-focused, DM ex US, and EM ETPs all experienced outflows of -$6.1bn, -$949m and -$711m last week, respectively; while Global products experienced small inflows of $77m in the same period.
Long-only fixed Income ETPs recorded inflows of $470m last week. Sovereign ETPs received $547m in inflows, followed by Sub-Sovereign funds with $139m. Commodity ETPs recorded inflows of $2.0bn last week. At a sector level, Precious Metals ETPs recorded the largest inflows with $1.8bn; while no sector experienced significant outflows.
After weeks of uncertainty, it seems that investors have finally elected the risk off trade as the new ruling trend. After about 5 weeks since the beginning of Q3, long-only US-focused Equity, Fixed Income, and Gold ETPs have experienced flows of -$2.1bn, +$3.2bn, and +$5.1bn, respectively (Figure 1).
Flow patterns, the free fall of the equity market, the rally in the Bond (mainly IG) and Gold markets, and the surge in Volatility levels, all suggest that the risk off trade is back in full. Although we see some similarities between this and last year’s risk off trade in Q2, we also recognize some important differences that suggest that the size of the current flight from risky assets could be larger and more extended (Figure 2 and 3).
New Launch Calendar: more alternatives for equity investing
Three new products were launched in the NYSE Arca during the last week. The new ETPs offer additional equally-weighted version for US benchmarks and new strategies for broad Emerging Markets exposure.
Turnover Review: trading almost doubled as VIX reached a new 2011 high
Total weekly turnover increased by 93.5% to $727bn vs. $376bn in the previous week. The largest increase was on Equity ETP turnover which rose by $313bn or 94.4% to $644bn. Commodity ETPs turnover increased by $19.3bn to $44.7bn last week driven by Precious Metals and Crude Oil. Finally, Fixed Income products turnover increased by 102% totaling $32.6bn at the end of last Friday.
Assets Under Management (AUM) Review:
Market free fall erases $72.5bn Markets entered panic mode and triggered a global sell-off across equities. ETP AUM dropped by $72bn or 6.6% falling to $1.02 trillion as of the end of last Friday. Assets on a YTD basis have recorded a $24bn (2.4%) increase.
to request report
Source: Deutsche Bank - Equity Research
Component Changes Made To Dow Jones Cyprus Titans 10 Index
August 11, 2011--Dow Jones Indexes, a leading global index provider, today announced component changes in the Dow Jones Cyprus Titans 10 Index.
Muskita Aluminium Industries PLC (Cyprus, Construction & Materials, MAI.CP) will be deleted from the Dow Jones Cyprus Titans 10 Index and replaced by Vasilikos Cement Works PCL (Cyprus, Construction & Materials, VCW.CP).
Muskita Aluminium Industries PLC is being removed due to its acquisition by Muskita Investments Ltd. The changes in the Dow Jones Cyprus Titans 10 Index will be effective as of the open of trading on Wednesday, August 17, 2011.
The Dow Jones Cyprus Titans 10 Index measures the performance of 10 leading stocks traded on the Cyprus Stock Exchange. The Dow Jones Cyprus Titans 10 Index is reviewed annually in March.
Further information on the Dow Jones Cyprus Titans 10 Index can be found at www.djindexes.com
Company additions to and deletions from the Dow Jones Cyprus Titans 10 Index do not in any way reflect an opinion on the investment merits of the company.
Source: Dow Jones Indexes
Standard & Poor's Announces Changes In The S&P/TSX Canadian Indices
August 11, 2011--Standard & Poor's Canadian Index Operations announces the following index changes:
On August 5, 2011, Bridgewater Systems Corporation (TSX:BWC) received shareholder approval for their Plan of Arrangement with Amdocs Limited (NYSE:DOX).
Amdocs will acquire Bridgewater for $CDN8.20 cash per share. Bridgewater will be removed from the S&P/TSX SmallCap and Equity SmallCap Indices effective after the close of Wednesday, August 17, 2011.
Company additions to and deletions from an S&P equity index do not in any way reflect an opinion on the investment merits of the company.
Source: Standard & Poor's
SEC's New Whistleblower Program Takes Effect Today
August 11, 2011-- With its new whistleblower program officially becoming effective today, the Securities and Exchange Commission today launched a new webpage for people to report a violation of the federal securities laws and apply for a financial award.
The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act provided the SEC with the authority to pay financial rewards to whistleblowers who provide new and timely information about any securities law violation. Among other things, to be eligible, the whistleblower's information must lead to a successful SEC enforcement action with more than $1 million in monetary sanctions.
The SEC's new webpage at www.sec.gov/whistleblower includes information on eligibility requirements, directions on how to submit a tip or complaint, instructions on how to apply for an award, and answers to frequently asked questions.
Source: SEC.gov
