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Dawnay Day Quantum, a U.K. structured investments provider, has issued a revamped version of its commodity-linked note to lure investors still interested in the asset class.

The first U.S. property derivative transactions tied to the National Council of Real Investment Fiduciaries (NCREIF) Index of U.S. commercial property values have been completed.

Equity investors in Europe are starting to turn away from long-favored capital-protected notes and accounts--unlike their credit counterparts (see above)--and are buying products with geared exposure to equity indices.

The Royal Bank of Scotland is road showing in Europe first-of-a-kind capital-protected notes referencing the U.S. synthetic ABS indices.

Investors buying into managed collateralized debt obligations are increasing their scrutiny of the firm handling the transaction, said a panel of asset managers.

The iTraxx Crossover index will be expanded to 45 from 40 names when the European credit derivative indices roll March 20.

Goldman Sachs has hired Saad Ashraf, the former managing director and head of structured credit sales to Europe, the Middle East and Africa at Merrill Lynch in London.

A pair of derivative salesmen has quit Lehman Brothers' structured solutions business in London.

Lehman Brothers' Robert Lance, managing director and co-head of Asia-Pacific equity in Hong Kong, has left the firm for personal reasons, according to officials familiar with the move.

Nomura Securities International has launched a constant proportion portfolio insurance deal managed by Fischer Francis Trees & Watts in New York and London.

Merrill Lynch has hired Eugene Yeung, equity derivatives structurer at Macquarie Bank in Hong Kong, as a v.p. for its strategic solutions group in Hong Kong.