U.S. derivatives professionals at a recent Structured Products Association conference highlighted hybrid products as the hot topic for the year and said firms are so keen to get in on the action many of them are reorganizing their capital market groups. Goldman Sachs will finish integrating its equity derivatives and fund-linked structured products groups in New York within weeks, according to one official who said the integration belongs to a greater industry trend of ramping up and consolidating structured products and equity derivatives businesses. Michael Dweck, managing director and head of the structured equity solutions group in New York, and spokesman Ed Canaday declined comment.
Jason Manske, a managing director and co-head of the interest rate products coverage group with Credit Suisse First Boston in New York, said, "[Structuring products across asset classes] is going to be the flavor de jour."
Deutsche Bank, Wachovia Securities and JPMorgan have also undergone changes to take advantage of cross-asset opportunities. In addition, SG Corporate & Investment Banking introduced earlier this month a cross-asset research initiative
