Top Headlines
China Lifts Renminbi Capital Controls as Outflows Pressure Eases – Financial Times (subscription)
Central bank eliminates curb on outbound renminbi payments imposed in January.
Election Optimism Puts Sterling Back on Rise Against Dollar – Reuters
Sterling rose against a broadly weaker dollar with bullish polls for Prime Minister Theresa May’s Conservatives adding to expectations June elections may give her a stronger mandate for two years of Brexit talks.
Sterling’s Move Suggests a Softer Ride in Brexit – Wall Street Journal (subscription)
It is hard to put probabilities on political outcomes, but the reaction of sterling on Tuesday to the calling of a snap UK election offers one rough measure: it is now about 10% less likely that British politicians will take the economy outside and shoot it in the head.
Dollar Edges Away from Recent Lows with French Vote in Focus – Reuters
The dollar caught its breath in Asian trading, holding above lows hit earlier this week as investors anxiously awaited this weekend’s first round of presidential voting in France.
The Currency Manipulation Irony – Profit & Loss (subscription)
Has Trump just decided “if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em”?
Asia Currencies Softer as Dollar Edges Up – Financial Times (subscription)
Asian currencies in the region were by and large softer in the face of a rising dollar, with one notable exception.
Equity Derivatives No Longer Dominate Derivatives Trade – Financial Times (subscription)
Futures and options on equities no longer make up the majority of the global derivatives trade, eclipsed by a combination of record low market volatility and surging demand from Asia for commodity and currency hedges.
Mexican Peso Drops by Most in Three Months as Bulls Take a Break – Financial Times (subscription)
Two steps forward, one step back – that’s been the story of the Mexican peso over the past three weeks.
Worst of Both Worlds as Aussie Bucks China-Driven Drop in Iron Ore – Bloomberg
Australia is caught in a disconnect between the trajectory of its key commodity export and a currency that refuses to follow suit, constricting an economy that policy makers are trying to stimulate.
Regulatory News
The UK government will have “no say” on the location of key EU agencies such as the bloc’s banking regulator or medicines agency after Brexit, the European Commission has said.
EU Regulators Consider MiFID Electronic Trading Lock-Out – Risk (subscription)
Moves to restrict third-country firms from offering direct electronic access blamed on Brexit.
Volcker Open to Tweaking Dodd-Frank, But Not the Volcker Rule – Wall Street Journal (subscription)
Trump administration, GOP lawmakers have called for revamping both.
Markets Start to Ponder the $13 Trillion Gorilla in the Room – Bloomberg
After heading into the uncharted territory of quantitative easing, the world’s central banks are starting to plan their course through the uncharted waters of quantitative tightening.
Insider-Trading Cops Roar as UK FCA Probes Reach 10-Year High – Bloomberg
The FCA’s success tackling insider dealing has been a bright spot in an otherwise turbulent period for the four-year-old regulator.
The BIS Thinks Capital Controls are Dumb – Financial Times (subscription)
Hyun Song Shin of the Bank for International Settlements gave a thoughtful speech at the International Monetary Fund’s spring meeting.
Company News
Virtu Financial Set to Seal Takeover of KCG Holdings – Financial Times (subscription)
Deal between high-frequency trading groups comes as low volatility hits industry.
NEX Group Relocating Offices in London, New York – Finance Magnates
NEX Group will be relocating its New York and London offices, per a transition for the group.
Trax Integrates CME Trade Repositories – The Trade
Trax has integrated Chicago Mercantile Exchange’s (CME) global repository service into its platform to simplify regulatory reporting of derivatives.
Bats and Bloomberg Partner for MiFID II Reporting – The Trade
Bats Europe and Bloomberg have teamed up to combine their approved publication arrangement (APA) and reporting services ahead of MiFID II.
Bitcoin Exchanges Hit Snags – Wall Street Journal (subscription)
Bitcoin suffered a series of setbacks over the past few days, when the biggest exchange said it couldn’t enable customers to withdraw or deposit money except in other virtual currencies, while another exchange said a technical glitch sparked a crash in prices that caused investor losses.
Market Savvy
NZ Dollar Jumps as Inflation Hits Five-and-a-Half-Year High – Financial Times (subscription)
The New Zealand dollar is the best performing major currency following data showing inflation in the Shaky Isles hit the central bank’s target level for the first time since 2011.
Crown Tests Earlier Cap Level, French Vote a Risk on CEE FX – Reuters
The Czech crown extended its losses against the euro as investors sitting on a huge pile of long positions struggle to take profits, with risks from Sunday’s French elections weighing on sentiment.
Nigeria Naira Firms 1.3 Percent to 395 Per Dollar on Black Market – Reuters
Nigeria’s naira firmed 1.27 percent to 395 per dollar on the black market, traders said.