Free content

The distinction of being the widest constituent in the Markit iTraxx Europe is clearly one that most companies would prefer not to have. Yet Glencore has held this dubious honour since before the last index roll in March. It had a challenger in fellow miner Anglo American, but Anglo’s downgrade to junk and consequent removal from the investment grade index left the field open to the Swiss firm.

I have often said the glamour that was once associated with banking has faded away and the recent antics of a good friend only illustrate my point.

The Cover’s 10th annual covered bond awards took place this year at the Rheinterrace in Düsseldorf on Thursday, September 15.

Robert Louis Genillard, who died on September 18 at the age of 87, was one of the most visionary pioneers of the post-war international capital markets. In the 1950s he played a leading role in developing the emerging market of its day, Venezuela, and at the end of the 20th century had a successful second career as an industrialist. But it was for his critical role in developing the Eurobond market in the 1960s and 1970s that he will be best remembered.

The US is one step closer to becoming a renminbi hub with Bank of China New York officially appointed as the country’s first RMB clearing bank, a major development towards the internationalisation of the currency.

On Tuesday, September 20, GlobalCapital held its annual Global Derivatives Dinner at Banking Hall in London and revealed the winners of its Global Derivatives Awards for 2016.

The European Union’s newly militaristic tone risks undermining the socially responsible activities of its pet bank.

Chin-stroking academic studies have mostly failed to find evidence of the ‘liquidity crunch’ which investors and traders alike say has taken hold of bond markets in the wake of tougher regulation. Now that looks to be changing.

Hong Kong and China-based fintech lender WeLab could be a sign of things to come in the Asian syndicated loans market as the start-up seeks out its debut borrowing. Some banks will no doubt cast off the industry as a fad and give it a miss. But now is as good a time as any to take a fresh look at fintech.

The Basel Committee’s meeting this week looks like a victory for the industry. But Deutsche Bank has plenty of other things to worry about.

Though the Ranger is a native of the wild west, last week we were deep in conversation with a banker about the horrors of the deep blue — as links between the loan market and the treacherous seas came to mind.

Veolia Environnement priced its debut Panda bond on September 1, becoming the first French issuer to tap the onshore Chinese market. The firm was also one of the first corporates to be allowed to repatriate funds out of China despite ongoing capital controls, its treasurer told GlobalRMB.