Derivatives: Struggling Into the New Era – Outlook 2013/14

The past few years have been challenging for the global economy but it seems as though the derivatives industry sustained more than its share of insults and injuries over the past year or so. Still reeling from the trauma of MF Global in October of 2011, exchange-traded volume went into its first nosedive in decades.

Urgent regulatory requirements added intense cost and time pressures to company staffs that were already stretched. A non-clearing FCM, Peregrine Financial, collapsed in scandal. OTC derivatives struggled with complex regulatory mandates and weak volume.

Perhaps the only positive for the year was that mergers and acquisitions at both the macro and micro level imply that innovation and creativity are still powerful industry drivers. That in turn suggests that the creative dynamism that has characterized the derivatives industry for so many years still has some innings to go.

Read the detailed report about Derivatives market outlook, challenges and issue of big deals, exchange mergers and new start ups, customer protection, Regulatory,Extraterritorial and Tax problems  and more. 

Source: WEF 25.04.2013 by Nicolas Ronalds

Filed under: Asia, Brazil, Exchanges, Risk Management, Asia, ASX Australian Stock Exchange, Bankruptcies, Basel III, BM&FBOVESPA, Brazil, CESR Committe of European Securities Regulators, CFFEX China Financia Futures Exchange, CFTC Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Clearing and Settlement, CME, Credit Default Swaps, Currency Futures, Derivatives, Derivativos, Equity, ETF, Europe, Exchanges, financial futures, Futures and Options, HKEx Hong Kong Stock Exchange, Hong Kong, Index, Korea, KRX Kores Stock Exchange, Merger, Nick Ronalds, OSE Osaka Stock Exchange, Regulation, Risk Management, SGX Singapore Stock Exchange, Singapore, Tax Exemption, TSE Tokyo Stock Exchange, WEF World Exchange Federation

Latin America: Investors News Letter 18 April 2013

MEXICO

Mexico Peso Declines as U.S. Earnings Crimp Outlook for Exports

Mexico says Nestle to sell Pfizer baby food business

MEXICO CITY – Swiss food giant Nestle will sell the assets of U.S. pharmaceutical company Pfizer’s baby food business in Mexico, a business it acquired globally in an $11.85 billion deal last year, Mexico’s competition watchdog said on Monday.

Analysis: Mexico’s smaller homebuilders set to gain as top three struggle

MEXICO CITY – Mexico’s top three homebuilders, facing heavy debt burdens and holding land where Mexicans no longer want to live, will sell fewer homes this year, leaving a market wide open for smaller rivals or even private equity funds to snap up business.

Mexican manufacturing: from sweatshops to high-tech motors

SILAO, Mexico – Made in Mexico is increasingly more likely to mean cars than clothes as the country’s manufacturing sector moves away from the low-skill, high-volume production lines of the past toward more sophisticated products.

VIP Interview: Enrique Peña Nieto, forging the future

Enrique Peña Nieto, President of Mexico, on a new spirit of democracy and cooperation, and the economic future of Mexico.

BRAZIL

Itau Bet on Stocks Outside Brazil Leads Latin America Funds

QItau Unibanco Holding SA has found a winning strategy for the Itau Latam Pacific mutual fund: avoiding shares from the bank’s home country, Brazil.

 Brazil’s Votorantim Cimentos files for $5.4 billion IPO

Votorantim Cimentos S.A., Brazil’s biggest cement producer, on Wednesday filed with regulators to raise up to $5.4 billion in an initial public offering of its units.

Brazil clears Pão de Açúcar’s appliance stores deal

BRASILIA/SAO PAULO – Grupo Pão de Açúcar SA , Brazil’s biggest retailer, won regulatory approval on Wednesday for its 2009 purchase of the Casas Bahia and Ponto Frio appliance chains in exchange for selling less than 8 percent of their store fronts.

Brazil Indian-farmer standoff intensifies, tribes storm Congress

BRASILIA – Brazilian Indians are trying to derail a congressional proposal to change the way indigenous lands are recognized, intensifying a standoff between the powerful farm sector and a carefully protected minority by literally storming the floor of Congress.

Special Report: Rough justice as Brazil tries to right past wrongs to Indians

MARAIWATSEDE, Brazil – Damião Paridzané was nine years old in 1966 when the Brazilian Air Force loaded him and hundreds of other Xavante Indians onto a cargo plane. | Video

UK-based TMO Renewables building cellulosic fuel plant in Brazil

SAO PAULO – UK-based TMO Renewables said on Friday it plans to build Brazil’s first commercially viable second-generation ethanol plant, betting on the South American country’s need for non-food-based biofuels.

Brazil’s Embraer looks to shock Lockheed with price of cargo jet

RIO DE JANEIRO – Brazilian planemaker Embraer SA is looking to shock rivals with the price of its KC-390 military transport plane when it starts booking firm orders within the next 12 months, according to a senior executive.

Higher volumes and more investment for Brazilian railfreight
INTERNATIONAL RAILWAY JOURNAL – Despite a slowdown in economic growth, Brazil’s freight railways invested nearly Reais 4.9bn ($US 2.4bn) in new infrastructure and equipment last year, a 6.6% increase over 2011,

LATIN AMERICA

British Firms Explore Trade Opportunities in Mexico and Colombia

A four-day trade mission to Mexico and Colombia by medium-sized British businesses took place in March, focusing on high value opportunities in key sectors.

Jamaica’s decades of debt are damaging its future

The latest IMF loan does not ‘rescue’ Jamaica, whose debt must be written off if its people are to take control of their economy

 The Logistics Hub Project and Jamaica’s Development
An ideal location midway between North and South America, in close proximity to the Panama Canal contributes to this advantage. The Panama Canal will be widened by 2015 to accommodate wider ships and Jamaica hopes to capitalise on this by expanding its port facility and affiliated infrastructure spread over four south coast parishes: namely Kingston, St Catherine, Clarendon and St Thomas. An IDB (2010) study on the productivity of the LAC region concluded that “ports and airports are grossly inefficient.

Latin America’s top port faces logistical woes
Santos’ cargo handling volumes made a strong start to 2013, with the port hitting a record high of 7.9 MM tons, up 27 percent year-on-year, according to Santos’ Port Authority CODESP. If the trend continues, the port is expected to close 2013 with total cargo traffic of 109 MM tons, up from 104 MM last year and 97 MM in 2011. But a record soybean harvest this year has clearly overwhelmed its storage and loading capacity. “It seems that our infrastructure can’t cope with the growth in grain production,” said Sergio Mendes, executive director of the Brazilian Cereal Exporters Association (ANEC). Last month, the logistical nightmare reached epic proportions, with a 64-kilometer traffic jam of trucks waiting to unload their soybean cargo outside Santos port. And the port congestion and resulting shipment delays led Sunrise Group, China’s largest soybean importer, to cancel an order to buy 2 MM metric tons of Brazilian soybean.

Latin America’s Largest PV Projects

As of April 1, 2013, 9.8 gigawatts of large-scale PV projects had been announced in Latin America and the Caribbean. Currently, the generating capacity of projects in operation is just 114 megawatts. Of the 9.8 gigawatts’ worth of announced projects, 731 megawatts have signed off-take agreements of some sort (power purchase agreements, feed-in tariff contracts, etc.) and a further 168 megawatts are under construction. These large numbers have generated a lot of hype for various Latin American markets, in particular, for Chile, Mexico, and Brazil.

Filed under: Banking, Brazil, Central America, Chile, Colombia, Energy & Environment, Latin America, Mexico, Peru, Risk Management, Agriculture, Airports, Alternative Energy Markets, Banking, Brazil, Central America, Chile, Colombia, Commodities, Environmental Crisis, Food Industry, Fund Industry, FX Foreign Exchange, Infrastructure, Investment, IPO, Jamaica, Latin America, Logistic, Manufacture, Mexico, Peru, Regulation, Sea Ports, Trade

Mexico: Investment News Letter 14 March 2013

Mexican Peso Gains for Fifth Day on Export Outlook; Bonds Rally

Why you should be excited about Mexico

Group Of Investors Acquires Important Stake In Aeromexico

Mexico eyes telecoms revolution

The Mexican government on Monday announced a sweeping proposal to limit the reach of telecoms tycoon Carlos Slim and broadcasting giant Televisa as part of efforts to boost competition in Latin America’s second-biggest economy. The bill, which forms part of the most ambitious economic reform agenda in a generation, seeks to establish a powerful industry regulator armed with an array of tools to curb companies’ control of markets, while opening up space for new investors.

• Analysis: Mexico telecoms reform pits America Movil vs. Televisa
• Telcel maintains leadership on mobile telephones

Bold reforms of president buoy Mexico

If every government has a defining moment, that of Mexico’s new administration may have come this month when authorities arrested the head of the teachers’ union and put her behind bars without bail.

Mexico, among the lagged to do business

The study Doing Business 2012 locates the country in the 53rd place of 183 countries. Among the states with the best regulations are Colima and Aguascalientes.

Beer, tomato and avocado are among the most exported

U.S. is the main destination of the Agrifood exports of Mexico, with 74.2% but they also arrive to new markets, such as the Japanese.

Mexico will remain tied to the U.S.

The country exported almost 80% of their goods and for 2030 is expected that the neighbor to the north will capture 70% of Mexican exports.

For Mexican Insurers, Solvency II Reforms are all about the Details

As the global insurance industry prepares for the implementation in 2014 of the new risk-based capital requirements, known as Solvency II, many discussions about how new regulations will be written have been taking place in both local and international forums. Among the countries preparing for Solvency II is Mexico, where recently its Congress passed a new law that essentially sets the scaffolding for implementing Solvency II and merges current laws for the country’s insurance business. The new law’s primary objective is to strengthen the procedures for reserves calculation and defines levels of capital requirement according to each company’s risk profile. In contrast to what the current law required, the new one allows for a more precise distinction between capital and reserve requirements for different business lines under Pillar I of Solvency II, for strengthening corporate governance under Pillar II, and for adding more transparency under Pillar III.

Filed under: Latin America, Mexico, News, Agriculture, America Movil, Carlos Slim Helu, Currency, Export, FOREX, Insurance, Mexico, Regulation, Risk Management, Survey, Telecommunication, Televisa, Telmex

VAM: Vietnam Market Analysis – January 2013

All indices recorded strong gains in January as investors’ sentiment improved

Read detailed VAM monthly   Monthly Market Analysis and Chart January 2013

The VN-Index surged 15.5% to close at 479.8 while the HNX jumped 9.7% to 62.62. The VN30, after reaching its all time high at 577, eased back to 564.01 at the end of the month, gaining 16%.

 
Timely measures to give market a boost

With effect from15th January 2013, the trading band on HSX and HNX have been loosened to 7% and 10%, from 5% and 7%, respectively. Besides, SSC also introduced other measures to support the stock market such as tax incentives, allowing to issue stocks below par value, increasing margin ratio and most importantly, increasing foreign ownership limit by non-voting rights in some selective industries (namely at weak banks to over 30%, and at securities companies to 100%).

Furthermore, SBV also intends to participate in domestic gold trading to stabilize domestic gold price, closing the gap with global price, thus discouraging people from holding too much gold. Those measures to boost the stock market, especially the possibility on increasing foreign ownership and the proposal to tighten gold control have somewhat created the wave of optimistic buying in January.

 

A wave of Japanese FDI and record remittances to welcome Tet

According to the Ministry of Planning and Investment, FDI disbursement in January reached USD420mn in total, up 5% YoY. Total newly registered and top-up capital grew 74% YoY, of which newly approved projects registered USD257mn, a 293% YoY increase, and top-up capital touched USD24.3mn, rising 25.2% YoY. Japanese became the biggest investor making up 57.6% total newly approved projects so far this year.

Thanks to the surge before Tet holiday, total remittances this year are estimated at a record USD10 billion. The total foreign reserve has increased to USD26bn, equivalent to 2.3 months of imports, a historical high and an 8.3% increase from USD24bn as at the end of 2012. The healthier FX reserve helps to safeguard the value of the Dong.

 

Tet, on the other hand, narrows trade surplus

Januaryrecorded a smaller trade surplus as demand for imports increased before Tet holiday. Exports exceeded imports by only USD200 million in January, after a revised trade surplus of USD498 million in December. From the previous month, export value decreased 2.5% while the import value edged up about 0.4%, although both of them showed huge improvement, more than 40%, compared to the same period last year. Foreign invested enterprises continue to be the leading sector with 66% and 55% of total export and import value, respectively. They also outperform domestic sector in terms of more import growth and less export reduction during the first month of 2013.

 

Credit drop and CPI jump surprise market.

The industrial production index (IIP) decreased 3.2% from December amid pessimistic outlook for stagnation on retail sales. Indeed, consumers continued to reduce spending at the prospect of lower income and no year-end bonus. The retail sales edged up just 2.2% MoM in Jan, the month before a long Tet holiday. As a result, credit dropped 1.06% YTD, according to the press release from a government meeting.

In contrast, January’s PMI moved in a different direction with the IIP since it increased to 50.1 from 49.3, thanks to modest improvement in new order volumes from domestic market and marginal job growth. Amidst stagnation of industrial production and credit growth, a solid increase in average input prices, a component of PMI basket, after a marginal reduction in December, suggests that SBV should be more cautious about further easing as inflation risk came back from the beginning of a new year. Jumps in health care (9.5% MoM) and foodstuff (1.96% MoM) items led CPI to soar 1.25% MoM (7.07% YoY) in January, exceeding market expectation. Accordingly, inflation risk puts any rate cut rumors on hold until at least after Tet holiday.

 

Government charts out tasks for banking sector with focuses on inflation control and bad debt resolution

Main objectives of SBV in 2013 continue to be curbing inflation, stabilizing macro economy alongside with restructuring banking sector and tackling NPL issues. For 2013, the SBV targets to keep credit growth at 12%. Importantly, SBV has submitted to government the plan that allows AMC to purchase bad debts based on book value (after provision) and pay by bonds to the bank. Banks could use AMC bonds as collateral to get cheap fund from SBV at a discount rate. Commercial banks with NPLs higher than 3% will be forced to bring down their NPLs to 3%.

On the other hand, as there are many linkages between real estate market and NPL problems in banking system, government also issued the Resolution No.2, which introduces several tax incentives, credit line for low income individuals to purchase social houses and transferring commercial housing projects into social housing. However since social housing only accounts for a small portion of property sector, we think these solutions are not effective enough to rescue the whole troubled real estate market.

 

Our View – Bullish momentum remained in the first month of 2013 thanks to good round of macroeconomic indicators release. While capital inflow continued being positive, actions of authorities looked effective in boosting the market. However, as stocks ran too high and too fast during the last two months, we start to be skeptical about the strength of this momentum. A month before Tet, inflation risk seems to be coming back and industrial stagnation looks a bit tense. We maintain a cautiously optimistic view and relatively high equity holding, particularly stocks with strong fundamentals in consumers, pharmaceuticals and materials sectors. As Government is showing more and more determination to improve the economy and clean up the banking sector, stickers with strong cash flow, low debt and high beta are also in our consideration to pick up to ride the market’s uptrend.

Filed under: Exchanges, News, Vietnam, Wealth Management, Currency, FOREX, Gold, HaSTC Hanoi Stock Exchange, HOSE Ho Chi Ming Stock Exchange, Inflation, NPL Non Performing Loan, PMI Purchase Manager Index, Regulation, VAM Vietnam Asset Management, Vietnam

Falcon Private Bank goes live with the B-Source Wealthmanagment Outsource Solution

B-Source successfully migrated Falcon Private Bank with its global locations to the B-Source Master at the beginning of the year. This will enable the established Swiss private bank to further optimize its processes and concentrate on its strategic expansion.

The successful migration of Falcon Private Bank to the B-Source Master means another Swiss financial institution has put its faith in B-Source’s reliable and innovative banking solution. Falcon Private Bank opted to outsource the operation of its banking platform and migrate it to the B-Source Master, an Avaloq-based banking application landscape using the ASP (application service provisioning) model. All three banking locations in Switzerland, Hong Kong and Singapore were migrated. The work was successfully completed within 15 months, a short period given the differing regional legal regulations. Orbium, a long-standing partner of B-Source, also played a decisive role in the successful project implementation.

By outsourcing its banking platform, Falcon Private Bank has a powerful, efficient and scalable banking solution that will allow it to focus on its strategic expansion in emerging markets. The bank chose B-Source in part due to its extensive expertise and long-standing experience not only in Switzerland but also with locations in other countries.

“The main reason behind our decision was B-Source’s experience in international outsourcing business, as we wanted to migrate several locations to the new banking system at the same time,” explains Tobias Unger, COO of Falcon Private Bank. “The migration of our banking platform to the B-Source Master creates the basis for optimal fulfilment both of our clients’ growing demands for higher quality service and of new regulatory requirements, and for pressing ahead with our global strategy and direction,” adds Unger.

“The migration of Falcon Private Bank to the B-Source Master is a further success for us, and we are proud to count another renowned first-class Swiss private bank among our clients in the shape of Falcon Private Bank. B-Source’s long-standing experience with international private banks enabled us to successfully implement this challenging project in a very short time and to a high level of quality,” says Markus Gröninger, CEO of B-Source AG.

Source: B-Source, 30.01.2013

Filed under: Data Management, News, Asset Management, B-Source, Data Management, Data Strategy, Outsourceing, Private Banking, Regulation, Switzerland, Wealth Management

Latin America: Investor News Letter 14 December 2012

Mexcio

With a little help from my friends; Mexico´s new Government

The rise of Mexico The US needs to look again at it´s increasingly important neigbour

Mexico’s New President Offers Much to U.S. Investors

Macquarie Mexico IPO Offers REIT Where Murder Reigned

Thor Urbana Capital Launches $500M Investment in Mexico

HSBC became bank to drug cartels, pays big for lapses

Pemex Sues Siemens Claiming Bribery in Refinery Project
How to Invest in Mexico

Peru, Chile and Mexico are Societe Generale’s favourites for LatAm investments Cemex crumbles and Latin America starts to look weak

 

Brazil
Brazil stimulates construction to spur economy

Deutsche Bank Reduces Investment Bank, Research Teams in Brazil

Brazil Subsidizes Uncertain Shipyard Success

Rousseff Seeks Investment From Spain
Alstom handed Sao Paulo infrastructure contract

GE to Build Oil, Gas Facility at LLX’s Brazil Acu Port
New trains for World Cup host cities
Brazil´s Ceará to receive $66.5 million IDB loan to improve urban infrastructure and business environment

Latin America

LatAm Wealth Management Overview
The world has gotten wealthier, but not the whole world. The engine of growth for private wealth is by far the emerging markets such as LatAm and, particularly, East Asia ex-Japan, which is outpacing the rest of the world by a long shot …

South American airports need more investment: ALTA head
Can South America Become the New European Union?
IDB Approves $153 Million in Loans to Set Up IDB-China Eximbank Equity Investment Platform

Argentina

Argentina May Abandon International Court, Treaties Over Debt Ruling
Argentina raising energy tariffs to fund investment
Argentina’s YPF buys majority stake in natgas distributor

Chile

Chile approves Endesa 740 MW coal-powered project

Colombia

Colombia is Fast Becoming a Rising Oil Giant in Latin America

Southern Cross Group Invests in Sociedad Portuaria Regional de Barranquilla (Columbia)
Holcim to double capacity in Colombia by building new US$600mn cement plant
As Panama Canal expands, Latin America rushes to be ready
Embezzlement stalling Colombia’s infrastructure development: Minister

Infrastructure in Colombia

Peru

Peru Is Clear Investment Destination In Latin America: Minister

Peruvian ports in peril?

 

FiNETIK News Summarier, 14.12.2012

Filed under: Argentina, Brazil, Central America, Chile, Colombia, Energy & Environment, Latin America, Mexico, News, Peru, Risk Management, Wealth Management, Airports, Argentina, Banking, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Corrupution, Energy, Infrastructure, IPO, Latin America, Mexico, Money Laundering, Peru, Regulation, Risk Management, Sea Ports, Telecommunication, Wealth Management

Alternative Latin Investor: Hedge Fund Latin America Issue 19

We are proud to announce the launch of our 19th issue of Alternative Latin Investor, with a special focus on Hedge Funds within the region.

Special Issue: Hedge Funds Latin America

 LatAm’s Maturing Hedge Fund Industry  – The Need for More Managers in the Andean Region

Why LatAm Equity Funds are Looking Beyond Brazil

LatAm Hedge Fund Experts Weigh in on the Current Political and Economic Context

Hedge Fund Marketing Post-JOBS Act: Concepts to Begin the Advertising Conversation

Victor Hugo Rodriguez of LatAm Alternatives
LatAm’s Maturing Hedge Fund Industry
As they did in 2011, LatAm hedge funds are leading the world in returns in 2012. According to the November Eurekahedge Report, which tracks global returns through October, LatAm is up 8.17% in 2012, well head of Asia ex Japan, with 6.40%, and emerging markets in general, with 6.14% …

Latin American Art
2012 Auction Recap
Following inconsistent results during the 2-week stretch of mega-auctions of Impressionist/Modern and Art Post-War/Contemporary art at Sotheby’s, Christie’s and Phillips, anticipation for the Latin American art sales ran high. Evening sales featuring Latin American masterworks at both major auction houses preceded considerable day-sale offerings …

…and much more. Banking, Regulations, Political Risks,  Foreign Direct Investment, Renewable Energy, Agri Business, Wine Investment, Infrastructure, Art Investment

Please view and access Issue 19  in the following formats

Virtual Viewer    http://www.alternativelatininvestor.com/issue19-preview.htm

For more details and information please view http://www.alternativelatininvestor.com

Source: AlternativeLatinInvestor 14.12.2012

Filed under: Argentina, Brazil, Central America, Chile, Colombia, Energy & Environment, Latin America, Mexico, News, Peru, Risk Management, Wealth Management, Agriculture, Alternative Energy Markets, Alternative Latin Investor, Argentina, Art Investment, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Energy, Fund Industry, Hedge Fund, Latin America, Mexico, MILA Mercado Integrado LatinoAmericano, Panama, Regulation, Wealth Management, Wind Energy, Wine Investment

Latin America: Investor News Letter 2 November 2012

MEXICO

Mexico 2013 inflation view steady despite price spike

Credit Suisse Raises $420 Million to Create Mexico Fund
Mexico: Big investment for citrus producers

Indigenous Groups Protest Mexico’s Biggest Wind-Energy Project
FOX BUSINESS – Mexican fishermen and indigenous groups from the southern state of Oaxaca protested Wednesday in front of the Mexico City offices of participants in a wind-energy project that would be one of the largest ever in Latin America, targeting Coca-Cola bottler and convenience-store operator Femsa (FMX), the Inter-American Development Bank and the Danish government, among others.

BRAZIL

The Brazilian Law on Money Laundering
Precautions Investors Must Take when Investing in Brazil. Brazil has recently altered its money laundering law. The new bill has tightened the government’s grip on most of the investment operations and has significantly broadened financial institutions’ and investment brokers’ duties to report suspicious activities …

ThyssenKrupp Brazil mill fined for pollution, could face closure

The long, brutal haul from farm to port in Brazil

Brazil hit by new blackout, infrastructure in spotlight

Brazil Gives Tax Exemption to Foreign Mortgage Investors

Brazil Power Generators Ask to Renew 106 of 123 Concessions

LATIN AMERICA

Private Aviation takes off in Latin America
The growth of private wealth in LatAm has led to a rise in demand for private aircraft and private aviation services. For the region’s mounting numbers of high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, a plane can be purely a luxury item, of course; but for increasingly global and mobile professionals and business owners, it meets a demand unsatisfied by local transportation alternatives, as well .

Colombia Regulators Seize Interbolsa Brokerage on Funding

Colombia’s financial regulators seized Interbolsa SA’s brokerage, the country’s largest, after the company said it faces a “temporary” funding shortage.

 Latin America stocks rise on China, U.S. data

20 Latin American in the World’s 200 Richest People

Argentina bonds close lower after S&P downgrade
Argentina Plans Regulatory Overhaul to Spur Investments

Increase in pension fund investments makes for headwinds in Andean market
Colombia Equity Fund targets European countries for distribution
Protests in Peru Scaring Off Mining Investment, Government Responds With Social Programs

Honduran supreme court rejects idea of building independently governed ‘model cities’

CAF and OFIC ink agreement to promote energy efficiency projects in Latin America

Modern airport terminal to be opened in Bogota

IDB approves $200m financing for Latin America hydro plant

Filed under: Argentina, Asia, Banking, Brazil, Central America, Chile, Colombia, Latin America, Mexico, News, Peru, Risk Management, Wealth Management, Agriculture, Alternative Latin Investor, Aviation, Brazil, Central America, China 中国, Colombia, Energy, Environment, Fund Industry, Honduras, Infrastructure, Investment, Latin America, Mexico, Mining, Money Laundering, Regulation, Risk Management, Social Crisis, Tax Exemption, Water, Wind Energy

Alternative Latin Investor: Wealth Management Issue 18

The Alternative Latin Investor Issue #18 is focusing on Wealth Management in Latin America.

Special Issue: Wealth Management

The World’s First Diamond Fund
Lack of Transparency in Colombia: Root Causes
LatAm Wealth Management Overview
Private Aviation Takes Off in Latin America
High-Tech Financial Technology Hits LatAm

…and much more. Regulations,  Tax & Money Laundering, Structured Finance, Political Risks,  Agri Business, Impact Investment, Wine Investment, Infrastructure, Art

Please view and access Issue 18  in the following formats

Virtual Viewer http://www.alternativelatininvestor.com/Issue18-Preview.htm

For more details and information please view http://www.alternativelatininvestor.com

Source: AlternativeLatinInvestor 18.10.2012

Filed under: Argentina, Banking, BM&FBOVESPA, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Energy & Environment, Islamic Finance, Mexico, News, Services, Trading Technology, Wealth Management, Agriculture, Alternative Latin Investor, Argentina, Art Investment, Brazil, Chile, Fidessa, HNWI High Net Worth Individuals, Infrastructure, Investment Bank, Latin America, Mexico, Money Laundering, Private Banking, Regulation, Trading System, Wealth Management, Wine Investment

Latin America: Investor News Letter 21.September 2012

Mexico

Analysis: China worries spur Mexico stock market flows

MEXICO CITY – Mexico has been on the wrong side of China’s economic boom for the last decade, but is now seeing an upturn in its fortunes as the Asian powerhouse’s economy slows and international stock pickers look to hedge their bets.

Can Mexico live up to its investment potential?
Deutsche Bank Downbeat On Brazil In Wake of Intervention; Mexico Retail Sales Up

Mexico, the “Forgotten” Emerging Market

Brazil

Brazil mulls raising Mexico car trade quota – sources

Brazil is considering raising a three-year bilateral auto trade pact quota it agreed to with Mexico in March, potentially allowing Mexican exporters to sell around $350 million worth of additional vehicles to the Brazilian market annually.

Brazil: PE cools in Brazil, warmes in Mexico and Andes

US urges Brazil in “clear terms’ not to hike tariffs

Brazil reacts to US stimuli saying it will keep the Real ‘devalued’ and competitive

Brazil ethanol returns to US as biofuel rules pave way

Goldman Sachs Plans Private-Equity Comeback in Brazil

Latin America

Colombia rapidly becoming another “positive surprise” from Latinamerica

Uruguay’s economy suffers slight deceleration in 2Q but on track to the 4% target

IMF calls on Argentina to implement measures on the quality of official data

Moody’s changes Argentina rating outlook to negative from stable

Deal Analysis: Panama City Metro Line 1

Gazprom in talks with Argentina’s YPF on LNG supplies

Private equity in LatAm: less new money, more deals

Shadow banking to dominate in LatAm projects

Cuba struggles with foreign investment, growth

China Steps Up Push Into Latin America

Korean Art fair highlights Latin American art

Filed under: Argentina, Banking, Brazil, Central America, Chile, China, Colombia, Energy & Environment, Events, Latin America, Mexico, Peru, Risk Management, Wealth Management, Argentina, BM&FBOVESPA, BMV Bolsa Mexicana de Valores, Brazil, Chile, China 中国, Cuba, Economic Crisis, Energy, Export, IMF, Import, Investment, Latin America, Mexico, MILA Mercado Integrado LatinoAmericano, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Regulation, Trade, Uruguay, Wind Energy

China QFII quota increase April 2012

International asset managers are preparing to apply for the expanded quotas for China’s qualified foreign institutional investor (QFII) scheme and its renminbi-denominated equivalent (RQFII), but the opening will benefit only some.

Last week the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) said it would increase the total quota for the QFII scheme to $80 billion from $30 billion. At the same time, it released a second batch of RQFII quotas of Rmb50 billion ($7.92 billion), which will be used for A-share exchange-traded funds (ETFs) listed in Hong Kong.

“Even though the additional $50 billion QFII quota and Rmb50 billion under RQFII are not significant amounts for the A-share market, they still have a positive impact,” says Shenzhen-based Da Cheng Fund Management.

Unlike the first batch of RQFII quotas (Rmb20 billion released last December), which were shared by 21 Hong Kong subsidiaries of Chinese fund managers and securities firms, the second batch will only be granted to a few experienced managers.

“We have been preparing for this product for many months and we are confident we will be one of the managers to get the RQFII ETF quota,” says Michelle Chua, regional head of business development at Harvest Global Investors, the international arm of Beijing-based Harvest Fund Management.

The existing A-share ETFs offered in Hong Kong are mostly synthetic (swaps-based) products, but RQFII will broaden the range of physically backed products.

The new ETFs will directly invest in A-shares, explains Chua, so that “there will be no counterparty risk, no p-note [participation note] cost and no foreign exchange difference, as the ETF currency denomination [in renminbi] is the same as [that of] the underlying investments”.

Harvest FMC and Huatai Pinebridge were the two managers that jointly launched the CSI 300 ETF, the first cross-market ETF tracking stocks listed on both the Shanghai and Shenzhen exchanges.

The CSRC will take the RQFII pilot scheme to the next level by expanding its scale, allowing more types of financial institutions to participate and more flexibility in terms of asset allocation.

For the QFII scheme, the previous ceiling was lifted from $10 billion to $30 billion in 2007 after the China-US Strategic Economic Dialogue took place. The increase of $50 billion this time is hailed by local media as “unprecedented”.

Since the QFII scheme commenced in 2003, the CSRC has granted licences to 158 foreign financial institutions from 23 countries and regions. They include 82 asset managers, 11 insurance firms, 23 commercial banks, 13 securities companies and 29 other institutions, such as sovereign wealth funds, pension funds and endowment funds.

The CSRC says 129 out of the 158 qualifiers have obtained a total of $24.5 billion in QFII quotas. As of March 23, 74.5% of the assets in the QFII accounts were invested in the domestic stock market, 13.7% in bonds and 9.6 % in bank deposits. The total holding of QFIIs counts for 1.09% of the market capitalisation of domestic A-shares.

Z-Ben Advisors views the latest changes as “unambiguous signals of China’s intent to attract more offshore investors and a sign that market investments will play a key role in the government’s plan to internationalise the Rmb”.

The Shanghai-based consultancy suggests that, in the short term, asset managers in the QFII application queue should expect accelerated approvals.

Regulators have already upped the pace of approvals since the end of last year. In March, the State Administration of Foreign Exchange granted a record $2.11 billion of quotas to 15 companies, compared with a total quota of $1.87 billion handed out during 2011.

“The QFII programme enhances our experience of monitoring cross-border securities investment and capital flows,” the CSRC says. “The QFIIs, mainly overseas long-term value investors, have diversified the domestic investor structure, upgraded the quality of listed companies and promoted the international recognition of domestic capital markets.”

Source: Asian Investor, 10.04.2012

Filed under: China, News, Asian Investor, China 中国, CSRC China Securities Regulatory Commision, ETF, FX Foreign Exchange, Hong Kong, Investment, QDII, QFII, Regulation, RMB Renminbi, RQFII (RMB Qualified Foreign Institutional Investors), SZSE Shenzhen Stock Exchange

China Insight: QDII updates, Disparated Financial Standards and new Market Reforms – KapronAsia

Overview of the QDII Program in China

The QDII (Qualified Domestic Institutional Investor) program was first launched in 2004 initially for insurance companies to invest their foreign exchange funds in the Chinese companies traded in overseas markets, with PingAn insurance company being the first institutional investor to receive a QDII quota of US$8.89 billion. Since then, the program has expanded and now allows institutional investors, including commercial banks, security companies, fund companies, insurance companies and trust funds to raise funds in mainland China and invest in offshore capital markets under the control of China’s foreign exchange regulator.

China’s Disparate Financial Standards

China’s financial standardization lags behind the relatively rapid development of the financial industry globally and has yet to meet the demands of technology innovation and business expansion. This can slow the pace of technology advancement as competing standards add layers of complexity and make it more difficult to come up with straightforward technology solutions to clients’ problems. The PBOC has realized that financial standardization does and will continue to play a pivotal role in financial informationization and regards standardization work as an important strategic measure to promote China’s financial industry.

Further Reform of China’s Stock Markets in 2012
After being stuck in a bear market for the past few years, China’s stock market hasn’t kept up with the country that has become the world’s second largest economy following the U.S.. Facing this bear stock market, Guo Shuqing, the new chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC), seems confident in China’s stock market, saying that the blue chips in China’s stock market are of real value, although overhaul and reform are necessary now to move the market forward. He has raised several new ideas that may contribute to this needed reform.

Source: KapronAsia, 10.04.2012

Filed under: China, Exchanges, Standards, China 中国, CSRC China Securities Regulatory Commision, KapronAsia, Market Analysis, QDII, QFII, Regulation, RQFII (RMB Qualified Foreign Institutional Investors), SSE Shanghai Stock Exchange, SZSE Shenzhen Stock Exchange

Securities and Exchange Board of India issues Algo trading guidelines

It has been observed that adoption of technology for the purpose of trading in financial instruments has been on a rise over the past few years. Stockbrokers as well as their clients are now making increased usage of trading algorithm (hereinafter referred to as “algo”).

1. Based on recommendations of Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) and Secondary Market Advisory Committee (SMAC), it has been decided to put in place the following broad guidelines for algorithmic trading in the securities market.

Definition

2. Algorithmic Trading – Any order that is generated using automated execution logic shall be known as algorithmic trading.

Guidelines to the stock exchanges and the stockbrokers

3. Stock exchanges shall ensure the following while permitting algorithmic trading:

(i) The stock exchange shall have arrangements, procedures and system capability to manage the load on their systems in such a manner so as to achieve consistent response time to all stockbrokers. The stock exchange shall continuously study the performance of its systems and, if necessary, undertake system upgradation, including periodic upgradation of its surveillance system, in order to keep pace with the speed of trade and volume of data that may arise through algorithmic trading.

(ii) In order to ensure maintenance of orderly trading in the market, stock exchange shall put in place effective economic disincentives with regard to high daily order-to-trade ratio of algo orders of the stock broker. Further, the stock exchange shall put in place monitoring systems to identify and initiate measures to impede any possible instances of order flooding by algos.

(iii) The stock exchange shall ensure that all algorithmic orders are necessarily routed through broker servers located in India and the stock exchange has appropriate risk controls mechanism to address the risk emanating from algorithmic orders and trades. The minimum order-level risk controls shall include the following:

a. Price check – The price quoted by the order shall not violate the price bands defined by the exchange for the security. For securities that do not have price bands, dummy filters shall be brought into effective use to serve as an early warning system to detect sudden surgstem to detect sudden surge in prices.

b. Quantity Limit check – The quantity quoted in the order shall not violate the maximum permissible quantity per order as defined by the exchange for the security.

(iv) In the interest of orderly trading and market integrity, the stock exchange shall put in place a system to identify dysfunctional algos (i.e. algos leading to loop or runaway situation) and take suitable measures, including advising the member, to shut down such algos and remove any outstanding orders in the system that have emanated from such dysfunctional algos. Further, in exigency, the stock exchange should be in a position to shut down the broker’s terminal.

(v) Terminals of the stockbroker that are disabled upon exhaustion of collaterals shall be enabled manually by the stock exchange in accordance with its risk management procedures.

(vi) The stock exchange may seek details of trading strategies used by the algo for such purposes viz. inquiry, surveillance, investigation, etc.

(vii) The stock exchange shall include a report on algorithmic trading on the stock exchange in the Monthly Development Report (MDR) submitted to SEBI inter alia incorporating turnover details of algorithmic trading, algorithmic trading as percentage of total trading, number of stock brokers/clients using algorithmic trading, action taken in respect of dysfunctional algos, status of grievances, if any, received and processed, etc.

(viii) The stock exchange shall synchronize its system clock with the atomic clock before the start of market such that its clock has precision of at least one micro-second and accuracy of at least +/- one milli-second.

4. Stock exchange shall ensure that the stockbroker shall provide the facility of algorithmic trading only upon the prior permission of the stock exchange. Stock exchange shall subject the systems of the stock broker to initial conformance tests to ensure that the checks mentioned below are in place and that the stockbroker’s system facilitate orderly trading and integrity of the securities market. Further, the stock exchange shall suitably schedule such conformance tests and thereafter, convey the outcome of the test to the stockbroker.

For stockbrokers already providing algo trading, the stock exchange shall ensure that the risk controls specified in this circular are implemented by the stockbroker.

Additionally, the annual system audit report for a stockbroker, as submitted to the stock exchange, shall include a specific report ensuring that the checks are in place. Such system audit shall be conducted by Certified Information System Auditors (CISA) empanelled by stock exchanges. Further, the stock exchange shall subject the stockbroker systems to more frequent system audits, if required.

5. The stockbroker, desirous of placing orders generated using algos, shall satisfy the stock exchange with regard to the implementation of the following minimum levels of risk controls at its end –

(i) Price check – Algo orders shall not be released in breach of the price bands defined by the exchange for the security.

(ii) Quantity check – Algo orders shall not be released in breach of the quantity limit as defined by the exchange for the security.

(iii) Order Value check – Algo orders shall not be released in breach of the ‘value per order’ as defined by the stock exchanges.

(iv) Cumulative Open Order Value check – The individual client level cumulative open order value check, may be prescribed by the broker for the clients. Cumulative Open Order Value for a client is the total value of its unexecuted orders released from the stockbroker system.

(v) Automated Execution check – An algo shall account for all executed, unexecuted and unconfirmed orders, placed by it before releasing further order(s). Further, the algo system shall have pre-defined parameters for an automatic stoppage in the event of algo execution leading to a loop or a runaway situation.

(vi) All algorithmic orders are tagged with a unique identifier provided by the stock exchange in order to establish audit trail.

6. The other risk management checks already put in place by the exchange shall continue and the exchange may re-evaluate such checks if deemed necessary in view of algo trading.

7. The stockbroker, desirous of placing orders generated using algos, shall submit to the respective stock exchange an undertaking that –

(i) The stockbroker has proper procedures, systems and technical capability to carry out trading through the use of algorithms.

(ii) The stockbroker has procedures and arrangements to safeguard algorithms from misuse or unauthorized access.

(iii) The stockbroker has real time monitoring systems to identify algorithms that may not behave as expected. Stockbroker shall keep stock exchange informed of such incidents immediately.

(iv) The stockbroker shall maintain logs of all trading activities to facilitate audit trail. The stock broker shall maintain record of control parameters, orders, trades and data points emanating from trades executed through algorithm trading.

(v) The stockbroker shall inform the stock exchange on any modification or change to the approved algos or systems used for algos.

8. The stock exchange, if required, shall seek conformance of such modified algo or systems to the requirements specified in the circular.

9. Stock exchanges are directed to:

(i) take necessary steps and put in place necessary systems for implementation of the above within a period of one month from the date of this circular.

(ii) make necessary amendments to the relevant bye-laws, rules and regulations for the implementation of the above decision.

(iii) bring the provisions of this circular to the notice of the stockbrokers of the stock exchange and also to disseminate the same on the website.

(iv) For stockbrokers that are currently executing orders through algos, a period of three months is provided to the stock exchanges within which the approval process shall be completed and minimum risk controls shall be established, if not already done.

(v) communicate to SEBI, the status of implementation of the provisions of this circular in the Monthly Development Report.

10. This circular is being issued in exercise of powers conferred under Section 11(1) of the Securities and Exchange Board of India Act, 1992 to protect the interests of investors in securities and to promote the development of, and to regulate the securities market.

Source: Securities and Exchange Board of India, 05 April, 2012, Finextra

Filed under: India, Risk Management, Algo Trading, BSE Bombay Stock Exchange, India, NSE National Stock Exchange India, Regulation, Risk Management, SEBI Securities Exchange Board of India

Innovations in Accessing Asia: Listed Equity Derivatives and Delta One Products.

Institutional investors seeking exposure to emerging Asian equity markets face challenges in accessing many of the region’s closed markets and are turning to exchange-traded derivatives markets, as well as over-the-counter (OTC) instruments that can provide the exposure they need, says TABB Group in new research published today, “Innovations in Accessing Asia: Listed Equity Derivatives and Delta One Products.”

Investment managers are active users of OTC equity derivatives, including contracts for differences (CFDs), equity swaps, participation notes and other structured products, says Andy Nybo, a TABB principal, head of derivatives research and the report’s author. “However, global regulatory efforts to reduce concentration of counterparty risk have driven investment managers to explore alternatives for exposure, leading them to centrally-cleared, exchange-traded products that can lower overall levels of risk.”

According to TABB, as the appeal of developed markets waned in recent years, investors began examining new markets, searching for investment opportunities offering higher alpha and greater returns, especially emerging markets in Asia. Hedge funds are focusing their attention on the APAC markets, with 33% of US and European funds targeting the region for new investments. However, Nybo explains, direct investment in the emerging equity markets of Asia has been hindered by low market capitalization, restrictive regulatory environments and capital constraints that prohibit direct access to cash markets.

“Asia’s relatively stable political and regulatory environment has done well to attract investor interest,” Nybo says, “but some of the region’s regulators seem to use regulation as a policy tool in an attempt to control market fluctuations.” He adds that markets with heavy-handed regulatory authorities face a backlash from investors seeking opportunities and provide an opening for regional exchanges to launch products designed to meet investor demand for exposure to more closed markets.

“Pent-up demand from investors will contribute to innovation and new product launches by these emerging Asian exchanges to capture investment flows from both international investors and Asian-domiciled hedge funds,” he adds. “Many of the region’s regulators are very keen to promote greater participation in the financial markets. They are eager to attract strong capital flows from investors all over the world.”

The 33-page report with 24 exhibits is available for download by TABB Research Alliance Derivatives clients and pre-qualified media at https://www.tabbgroup.com/Login.aspx. For an executive summary or to purchase the report, visit http://www.tabbgroup.com or write to info@tabbgroup.com.

Other recent TABB derivatives research includes: Accelerated Expirations: The Growing Relevance of Short-term Options; US Options Trading 2011: Finding the Other Side of the Trade; Feeding the Options Beast: Big Data in the US Options Space; EU Equity Options Market Structure: Opening The Door To High Frequency Flow; VIX Trading: The Structure of Uncertainty; and TABB Group Options LiquidityMatrix.

Innovations in Accessing Asia:Listed Equity Derivatives and Delta One Products – Executive Summary

Source: MondoVisione, Tabb Group, 15.03.2012

Filed under: Asia, News, Trading Technology, Algo Trading, Asia, Asia Strategy, Co-Location, Derivatives, DMA Direct Market Access, FIX, Futures and Options, HFT High Frequency Trader, Investment, Liquidity, MondoVisione, Regulation, Risk Management, TABB Group, Trade Connectivity

Emerging Markets: Energy or Enigma? Mexico, Brazil & China – Dan Watkins

Emerging market trading strategies should remain closely aligned with inter-country trade relations, or so one would think.

A professional stock investor’s interest in a company, after all, coincides with that company’s vision and operational policies. Would such a metric be appropriate in trading an entire economy? Interestingly, popular opinion leans toward headlines rather than fundamentals as being the key determining factor.

That raises a question: Can a market investor be expected to trade a country’s equity, commodity or currency without being able to derive its true value on a balance sheet?

One would gather from the latest international finance journals that China and its markets dominate the emerging markets dialogue. Sure, China and the U.S. have strong trade programs in place but there are issues such as currency valuation headaches that must be considered.

The BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) countries all have exponential growth potential both short-term and long-term and can be considered underdeveloped vs. their population participation. Capital market returns usually delineate the leader of the pack so among the “fantastic-four” BRIC countries, Brazil reigns supreme.

Brazil has had unrelenting stamina in moving high-energy, high-value energy companies’ stocks higher over the last half decade. One reason for Brazil’s success is its massive capital markets restructuring in policy, participation and innovation. Of course the first thing Brazil had to do was stabilize its currency from its inflation plague so that the Real could sustain itself against economic and political monetary fatigue.

Brazil is on top of asset manager and retirement account lists in equity, equity options, futures contracts and fixed income because of the basis of its economic stability and strong natural resources. So while Brazil has brought equilibrium to its markets, Russia, India and China deal with inflation. But trading Brazil can also be worrisome due to inter-country trade relations with the U.S. being less-than-favorable.

Those issues raise an interesting question: What market doesn’t make the news but is hot, has been hot and continues to sizzle like fajitas-picante?   MEXICO

News stories on Mexico cover drug war violence, immigration and tourism, but is that the end of the story? Washington – and therefore public discourse – has focused on the $100 billion in trade to China over the last year. What most don’t hear is that the U.S. has exported nearly $400 billion to Mexico during the same time period. Compare all BRIC countries with Mexico and Mexico tops them all collectively.

Mexico reached 4 percent annual GDP growth rate last year, helped by direct investments from the U.S. and China. On the day the U.S. Federal Reserve announced that it would maintain its low interest rate policy through 2014, the Mexican peso rose 0.6 percent, marking a 7 percent climb for the month of January. How many other markets can be traded as strongly in response to a U.S. Treasury policy announcement?

If Mexico were to equitize or make public its oil production industry as Brazil has, by publicly trading leading oil company Petroleos Mexicanos, also known as Pemex, for example, a major trade explosion in Mexico’s capital markets would quickly follow. Pemex is a Mexican state-owned company worth over $415 billion – that’s $100 billion in assets more than Brazil’s giant Petrobras.

Mexico worth more than Brazil and China long term? Mexico reaches higher ground four times that in trade over the entire BRIC countries. One of Mexico’s oil companies is four times the size in assets over Brazil’s all-star Petrobras. What’s more, Mexico’s inflation is under 5 percent while Brazil, Russia, India and China all have inflation rates closer to 7 percent.

A reflection of U.S. involvement and stabilizing influence in Mexico can be seen in the Mexican stock market with more than 1,000 symbols, many of which are high value and liquid ADRs from the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq OMX.

Why not follow the money? Taking a look at the presence of Wall Street on La Reforma in Mexico City, where the Bolsa Mexicana de Valores (the Mexican Stock Exchange) is, you’ll find BMV members such a Citigroup, JPMC, Credit Suisse, Barclays, Deutsche Bank, Merrill Lynch, HSBC, Scotia, ING and UBS. No small potatoes there.

The top players and astute institutional investors are solidly positioned in Mexico. They monitor and believe they can best forecast movement in the market by keeping an eye on U.S. and Chinese import/exports with Mexico. A closer eye is kept on the cash equity ADRs and the Mexican bond markets. Many investors tend to believe that Mexico is just undervalued and other emerging markets are overvalued. But one more thing to remember, the U.S./Mexico trade policy should provide Mexico with lots of energy to outlast the steam of the emerging markets chatter.

Perhaps we should start thinking about MBRICs?

By Dan  Watkins, CC-Speed (dwatkins@cc-speed.com)

Sourc: TABB Forum, 07.03.2012

Filed under: BM&FBOVESPA, BMV - Mexico, Brazil, China, Exchanges, Mexico, BM&FBOVESPA, BMV Bolsa Mexicana de Valores, Brazil, Capital Markets, CETES, China 中国, Commodities, Currency, Derivatives, Exchanges, Export, Fixed Income, FOREX, Import, Investment, Latin America, MexDer, Mexico, Regulation