News Centre

UK’s Financial Conduct Authority Sets Out Approach To Non-Executive Directors And The Senior Managers Regime

Date 23/02/2015

Non-Executive Directors (NEDs) with specific responsibilities, such as Chairman, will come under the new Senior Managers Regime (SMR), the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) confirmed today.

Investors Urged To Invest Overseas To Mitigate Risks Posed By UKIP Gains

Date 23/02/2015

Investors need to take precautions against a fall in the value of UK assets, which may be triggered by UKIP gains at the polls, warns one of the world’s largest independent financial advisory organisations.  It advises sterling-based investors to consider increasing exposure to overseas markets.

UK's Financial Conduct Authority Challenges Firms To Review Approach To Consumer Vulnerability

Date 23/02/2015

• Some vulnerable consumers meeting a ‘computer says no’ approach 
• FCA Occasional Paper on Vulnerability is first step in regulator and industry addressing issue 
• Challenge set to grow over the coming years so a clear need to develop more inclusive policies 
• FCA provides Practitioners’ Pack for firms 
• Video: Industry leaders give their view on vulnerability 
• All information at: fca.org.uk/consumer-vulnerability

Better Finance: A Successful “Capital Markets Union” Initiative Must Involve And Attract Individual Investors

Date 23/02/2015

Better Finance, the European Federation of Financial Services Users, welcomes the European Commission initiative and the Green Paper on Building a Capital Markets Union (CMU).  We fully agree that indeed:

• Europe needs to “find ways of linking investors and savers with growth”;
• “Capital markets need to play a larger role in channeling financing to the economy”; and
• Europe needs to “boost the flow of institutional and retail investment into capital markets”.

BME Clearing Applies For Authorisation To Launch A New Segment For Interest Rate Swaps

Date 23/02/2015

• The Spanish CCP segments would increase to 4: financial and energy derivatives, repos and now, OTC IRS
• The Interest Rate Swaps market is the largest globally, with annual gross notional outstanding exceeding 550 trillion Euros  

Dubai Financial Market (DFM) Signs Memorandum Of Understanding With Korea Securities Finance Corporation - The MoU Outlines Key Areas Of Cooperation Including Exchange Of Information And Training Of Staff

Date 23/02/2015

Dubai Financial Market (DFM) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Korea Securities Finance Corporation (KSFC) in order to create a mechanism for long-term co-operation to foster the continuing relationship between the two sides for the benefit of the respective securities markets in Dubai and Korea.

Genscape: Mannheim Unit 9 Operational Ahead Of Official Commissioning Date

Date 23/02/2015

With reports from GMK that Mannheim Unit 9 is on time for commissioning in May 2015, it is important to know when the unit is undergoing full-performance testing in order to gain valuable information on additional power supply in Germany. Genscape's New Built & Decommissioning Report was released to Power Real-Time subscribers on Friday, February 20, giving users timely insight to Mannheim Unit 9, as it was confirmed during an on-site visit that the unit is in fact feeding into the grid, even though it is still in testing period.

ECB Joins Misys Infusion Programme To Promote Core Banking In Africa

Date 23/02/2015

Misys, the leading financial software company, has signed an agreement with ECB, a Zimbabwe-based application software and services provider, to join the Misys InFusion partner programme.  Working with banks and government institutions in Zimbabwe, Malawi, Angola, Botswana, Zambia and other African countries, ECB provides expertise in application development, managed services, strategic sourcing, training and consulting, designed to bring efficiency and automation to client companies.

Hong Kong's Securities and Futures Commission Bans Former CEO Of Ping An Of China Securities (Hong Kong) Company Limited For 12 Months Over Internal Control Failures

Date 23/02/2015

The Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) has banned Mr He Zhi Hua, former chief executive officer of Ping An of China Securities (Hong Kong) Company Limited (Ping An), for 12 months in relation to any regulated activities for contributing to Ping An’s serious internal control deficiencies and other matters between August 2010 and April 2011 (Notes 1 & 2). 

Thai Bourse Holds “Opportunity Day” Connecting 134 Firms To Investors

Date 23/02/2015

The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) will hold its quarterly "Opportunity Day", when top management of listed companies meet directly with analysts and investors, from February 23 to April 2. This event will showcase 134 firms with an all-time high combined market capitalization of THB 5 trillion (approx. USD 151.52 billion). The events will be broadcast live and recorded, making it available for viewers to watch at their convenience via SET’s website, partners’ websites and “OppDay” Application on iPhone, iPad and Android tablet following the success of the previous events having gained popularity among audiences, drawing 711,289 viewers from 148 countries on the live broadcast and re-run.