With Interest Rates Low, Brazil Pensions Get Okay To Diversify
Brazilian pension funds will now be able to move out of their traditional government and corporate debt holdings and into other, more esoteric, investments.
Regulation
As Regulators Step Up, Securities Lending Comes Under the Spotlight
Regulation is a certainty in many different niche financial markets, and so it was only a matter of time before the SEC turned its gaze toward securities lending, which saw seemingly risk-free practices turn risky in 2008.
As Custodians Search for Profits and the EU Regulates, Prices Rise
With higher-margin services on the decline, European custodians have started to raise basic rates, and the trend is expected to continue if proposed depository rules are enacted.
Knowing They Were Selling “Crap,” UBS under Siege in CDO Case
Despite internally acknowledging that some of their CDOs were “crap” and “vomit,” UBS still sold such instruments to unwitting investors—and now are being sued for doing so.
To Entice Foreign Capital, China Relaxes Regulations
Although still miniscule in nature, the Chinese Qualified Foreign Investor (QFII) program will—if proposed regulation passes—raise limits, lower minimums, and reduce lockups for foreign institutions, a sign of encouragement for foreigners wishing to pour money into the country.
Offered More Votes, Institutions Reject UK Shareholder Proposals
Institutions, despite being offered greater voting power in recent London proposals, are balking at a two-tiered shareholder system.
In the United Kingdom, Pensions Join Alternatives Battle
With European regulators looking to tighten the alternative investment collar, UK pension funds – who now, more than ever, need the excess returns that alternatives are purported to provide – have stepped into the battle.