Derivs - People and Markets

Chris Neale, head of index flow trading at Macquarie in London, has left the firm less than a month since joining.

The International Swaps and Derivatives Association has pushed back the release of new equity definitions from Jan. 1, 2011 to May 31, 2011. The proposals were delayed due to the complexity of the products associated with the definitions.

Securities and futures regulators should make it clear that annuities and other insurance contracts are not swaps and, therefore, not subject to being regulated as such, according to the Committee of Annuity Insurers.

The Royal Bank of Scotland has hired David Stuff, head of JPMorgan’s U.K. structured product sales team in London, as a director within its multi-asset structured product sales team, also in London.

Several industry associations have come out against the buy-in provision in the European Commission’s proposed regulation on short selling.

The long term focus of the recently announced over-the-counter derivative clearinghouse coming to the Hong Kong Exchange will be likely renminbi-denominated derivatives. That’s despite the fact the first products to be cleared will be interest rate swaps and non-deliverable forwards.

Smaller banks, retail investors and the growth in algorithmic trading have been the main drivers of the 20% increase in foreign exchange activity over the past three years, according to a report from the Bank for International Settlements.

A European Commission proposal to introduce a consolidated tape, or an integrated trade reporting system, for Europe across all financial instruments could have dealers lobbying strongly against it.

Malaysia will continue to tighten over-the-counter derivative regulation and investor protection measures for structured products in the coming decade, according to Tan Sri Zarinah Anwar, chairman of the Malaysia Securities Commission.

Société Générale strategists are recommending two over-the-counter plays on Japanese stocks to take advantage of so-called year-end window dressing.

Corporate income statement volatility will fall under the International Accounting Standards Board’s proposed accounting standard changes for derivative transactions released last week.

U.K. companies could face higher costs for hedging inter-group exposures via loans or derivatives under draft legislation proposed today.