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Credit-default swap spreads on German chemical company Degussa plunged and trading volumes picked up to record levels last week after the market interpreted a government announcement as paving the way for the company going public.

A growing block of investors is circling the equity piece in collateralized debt obligations before the deals come to market and taking a more activist role in their structuring and pricing.

Deutsche Bank and Schroder Investment Management are planning a second close late this month of two hybrid cash and synthetic credit funds.

Benign monetary policy in mature market countries and high liquidity-induced demand have put a premium on the risk diversification of alternative asset classes outside of conventional investment, such as emerging market equity.

The influx of macro hedge funds into synthetic asset-backed securities has created opportunities for other credit investors, according to speakers on a hedge fund panel.

JPMorgan in Hong Kong across asset classes for Asia ex-Japan has tapped John Robson as head of retail structured products.

JPMorgan has landed David Beever, former head of liquid equity trading at TD Securities, to fill a new slot to run proprietary equity trading across derivatives and cash.

Salespeople at the conference report it has been difficult to attract U.S. investors to constant proportion debt obligations, leaving their firms lagging behind European desks who've been issuing the highly-rated and highly-leveraged deals backed by corporate indices.

The International Swaps and Derivatives Association has presented the Reserve Bank of India with comments on its draft comprehensive guidelines on derivatives published at the end of last year.