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IMF-Western Hemisphere Region-Regional Economic Outlook: Seizing the Momentum
May 9, 2018--Executive Summary
The broad-based acceleration of global growth in 2017 is reflected in the solid gains posted by the economies of the United States and Canada, both of which are expected to grow above potential in the near term. More broadly, growth in both advanced and emerging market and developing economies is expected to gain further momentum in 2018 and 2019, reflecting the effects of expansionary US fiscal policy, favorable global financial conditions, and improved prospects for external demand.
Risks to the outlook are broadly balanced in the near term. Over the medium term, however, global growth is expected to soften, and risks are tilted to the downside, owing to the possibility of a sharp tightening of financial conditions, escalating trade tensions and risks of a further shift toward protectionist policies, and geopolitical strains.
view the IMF-Western Hemisphere Region-Regional Economic Outlook: Seizing the Momentum
Source: IMF
BlackRock and Acorns Partner to Expand Financial Participation Among the Next Generation of Investors
May 9, 2018--BlackRock becomes an Anchor Investor in Acorns
BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE: BLK) and Acorns, the country's fastest growing micro investing app with more than 3.3 million investment accounts, today announced a partnership focused on improving the savings and investing behaviors of the next generation of investors.
With a shared goal of helping more people prepare for life's most important financial moments, the firms have reached an agreement through which they will pursue new technology-enabled tools for Acorns' users.
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Source: Acorns
WisdomTree Canada Unveils Digital Portfolio Construction Tool for Canadian Advisors
May 9, 2018--Digital Portfolio Developer provides groundbreaking analytics technology for portfolio construction and optimization
WisdomTree Asset Management Canada, Inc. ("WisdomTree Canada") today announced the launch of the Digital Portfolio Developer (DPD), an on-demand tool for Canadian advisors that focuses on providing deep data analytics to evaluate client and prospect portfolios.
"Following the success of the launch of our Digital Portfolio Developer in the U.S., we are excited to offer the tool to advisors in Canada," said Kurt MacAlpine, WisdomTree Executive Vice President and Global Head of Distribution.
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Source: WisdomTree Asset Management Canada, Inc.
CFTC.gov Swaps Report Update
May 9, 2018--CFTC's Weekly Swaps Report has been updated, and is now available.
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Source: CFTC.gov
BlueStar Israel Equity Review & Outlook-Continued Momentum for Israeli Exporters and Tech in Israel
May 9, 2018--Israeli technology stocks, as defined by The BlueStar Israel Global Technology Index (BIGITech(R)), gained 1.3% in April, bringing the year-to-date gain up to 3.7%;
Israel's Q1 2018 GDP growth came in stronger-than-expected despite a mild slow-down in Israel's housing market, as services exports continue to grow.
These trends have resulted in a 1.2% year-to-date gain in the Solactive-BlueStar Israel Global Exposure Index, compared to a more than 10% pullback in the Solactive–BlueStar Israel Domestic Exposure Index;
The BlueStar Israel Global Index(R) is outperforming the local TA-125 by roughly 5 percentage points in 2018 as the TA-125 has missed out on the performance of some of Israel's top foreign-listed technology stocks such as Mellanox Technologies.
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Source: Blue Star Indexes
NYSE's Plans For 'Physical Delivery' Of Bitcoin Pave Way For Major Crypto Adoption, Analysts Say
May 9, 2018--Analysts Dominic Chu and Robert Kelly weighed in on recent reports that the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) plans to offer Bitcoin (BTC) swap contracts, on CNBC Tuesday, May 8.
Both Chu and Kelly argued that the fact that these contracts would be settled with the delivery of BTC itself is an important factor in Bitcoin’s mainstream adoption.
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Source: cointelegraph.com
CME Group Announces First Trades of New SOFR Futures
May 8, 2018--CME Group, the world's leading and most diverse derivatives marketplace, today announced the first trades of the new Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) futures contract, launched on May 7, 2018.
The total volume through the first trading day was 3,257 contracts, the majority of which traded with minimum tick markets, demonstrating liquidity through the tightest possible bid-offer spreads. More than 50 firms participated in the first day of trading. Open interest reached 2,033 contracts as of May 7.
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Source: CME Group
Cryptocurrency creeps into the mainstream
May 8, 2018--The irony is delicious. Bitcoin, biggest of the cryptocurrencies, was heralded as a technology that would set us free from the sclerotic institutions of a fetid financial system: central banks, commercial bank oligopolies, bought-and-paid-for regulators. What has happened instead?
As an alternative medium of exchange, bitcoin has gone essentially nowhere. It has thrived only as a speculative asset-and, in that capacity, trading in bitcoin is being pulled slowly into the very edifice it was meant to pull down.
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Source: FT.com
S-Network Expands Direct Index Lineup with SMArtX
May 8, 2018--S-Network Global Indexes, Inc. is pleased to announce a second round of indexes available for direct investment on SMArtX Advisory Solutions' Turnkey Asset Management Platform (TAMP).
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Source: S-Network Global Indexes
State Street Global Advisors Appoints Sue Thompson as Head of Americas Distribution for SPDR ETFs
May 7, 2018---State Street Global Advisors, the asset management business of State Street Corporation (NYSE: STT), today announced the appointment of Sue Thompson as head of Americas Distribution for SPDR ETFs, effective immediately.
Thompson will be based in Boston and report to Rory Tobin, global head of SPDR ETFs.
In this newly created role, Thompson will be responsible for developing and leading the SPDR ETF distribution strategy across all client channels in the Americas, including institutional, intermediary and strategic relationships.
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Source: State Street Global Advisors