United States

Apple leapt back into the dollar market on Thursday to take advantage of huge levels of demand as investors grabbed for yield and confidence was then boosted further by a dovish statement from the Federal Reserve.

The US Federal Reserve added fuel to an already dramatic rally across asset classes this week, as it scaled back its expectations for rate hikes this year. This came a week after European Central Bank president Mario Draghi had worked the market into a frenzy by increasing the scope of the bank’s asset purchase programme.

The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has added to the push for cross-border harmony with European Union regulation by approving a substituted compliance framework for central counterparties that are also registered in Europe, thus freeing them up from the restrictive burdens of double regulation.

UK utility company SSE is in the market for its first private placement since its debut in 2012 and investor appetite for the firm’s paper appears as strong as before.

A broad estimate of derivative market sentiment rebounded in March, but remains well below historical average levels.

CME Group has agreed to integrate truePTS, the post-trade business that was spun off from swap execution facility trueEX in December, into its preferred global network of regulated trade repositories.

Options traders are increasingly pricing renminbi in line with G7 foreign exchange, a trend that could boost the intensity of swings in market positioning, strategists have warned.

Markit has launched a service that allows banks to affirm over-the-counter foreign exchange trades executed by interdealer brokers.

Western Digital, the US computer data storage manufacturer, had bank meetings Wednesday in London for its $9.5bn loan package, backing its $17bn acquisition of SanDisk.

In another European healthcare M&A deal, three banks have increased their commitments in a loan which veterinary pharmaceuticals company Dechra will use for a US acquisition.

Bank of America Merrill Lynch has promoted a new head of global capital markets from its leveraged finance division.

Proposed changes to US financial adviser rules could ban options use in retirement accounts, leaving investors exposed and quashing a growing market.