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Chris Dorfman, head of energy trading at Sempra Energy in London, has left the U.S. merchant energy outfit and is set to resurface at a London investment bank within the next few weeks, say market watchers.

Eric Varvel, Asia Pacific head of investment banking at Credit Suisse First Boston, has been appointed to a newly-created investment banking division operating committee and also charged with running a derivatives and structured products group within the investment bank.

Research Paper by Ashmore Investment Management Limited

JPMorgan has launched the first tradable index linked to Asian regional currencies and plans to structure products referenced to the instrument.

In a rare interview, India's central bank chief, YV Reddy, tells Emerging Markets how he is helping to put his country's finances on a firmer footing after the financial turmoil of the early 1990s

Strong growth, low interest rates and buoyant exports are all evidence of Malaysia's economic vitality. The country, once criticized for its controversial stance towards foreign investment, is now one of Asia's star performers. In the second quarter, Malaysia's economy grew by 8%, its fastest pace since 2000. Much of this is down to the leadership of Prime Minister (and Finance Minister) Abdullah Badawi and Finance Minister II Nor Mohamed Yakcop

-- Henrik Gade Jepsen, chief fund manager at ATP, Danish pension fund with €36 billion in assets, on the impact of new accounting standards.

U.K. pension funds are allocating more of their portfolios to bonds and the trend is set to continue, driven in part by more stringent accounting that favors larger bond portfolios, according to industry consultants.

Fort Washington Investment Advisors will wait to add duration until rates rise and the 10-year Treasury yields 4 1/2%.

The market for longer-dated floaters has opened up in recent weeks, in a trend market watchers say is being fueled by demand from non-traditional sources, including hedge funds.

Commerzbank Securities has launched a fund of hedge funds aimed at institutional fixed income investors seeking an alternative product with low correlation to their existing holdings.

Levi Strauss' potential sale of its Dockers brand clothing business to buyout firm Vestar Capital Parners, which is reportedly close to being finalized, could bolster Levis' credit and fuel a run in its distressed bonds, according to fixed-income market professionals.