Top Headlines
Dollar Slips as Rally Loses Momentum – Reuters
The dollar fell from a five-month high, losing momentum after a broad rally prompted by rising US bond yields and relief at an easing in US-China trade tensions.
Bank of England Rate Comments Lift Sterling to One-Week High Versus Euro – Reuters
Sterling rallied to a one-week high against a broadly firm euro after a top central bank official struck an upbeat note on the outlook for future interest rate increases.
Emerging Markets Currencies Reverse Course After Torrid Trading – Financial Times (subscription)
It’s still early, but emerging markets currencies are staging something of a recovery this morning after a nasty start to the week.
Turkish Lira Extends Declines with Heavy Drop to New Record – Financial Times (subscription)
Pressure keeps on building while central bank stands aside.
Esma Questions CCP ‘Free Ride’ for Sovereigns – Risk (subscription)
Regulator has asked EC to take a stance on venues that let public entities clear without posting margin.
Wells Fargo Cuts 22 Jobs in Currency Trading – Bloomberg
Wells Fargo & Co.’s foreign-exchange business cut 22 salespeople, according to a person briefed on the matter, the latest casualties of a slump in market activity.
Ex-Barclays Trader Says He Felt `Used’ by Swaps Colleagues – Bloomberg
A former Barclays trader on trial for rigging a key interest rate said he felt used by colleagues on the swaps desk who messaged with rivals at other banks to discuss their trading positions.
Regulatory News
Banks Are Getting Another Volcker Rule Win – Bloomberg
Rewrite is said to lower burden on trades that mitigate losses.
Fed’s Mester Warns Against Dismantling Post-Crisis Bank Reforms – Bloomberg
Says rulemakers should watch how regime performs through cycle.
Crypto News
CFTC Releases Crypto Guidance – Profit & Loss
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s (CFTC) Division of Market Oversight (DMO) and Division of Clearing and Risk (DCR) have issued a joint staff advisory that gives exchanges and clearinghouses registered with the Commission guidance for listing virtual currency derivative products.
State Regulators Launch ‘Operation Crypto-Sweep’ to Police Cryptocurrency Investment Schemes – CNBC
Regulators in the US and Canada are launching a widespread crackdown on some cryptocurrency investment schemes, members of the North American Securities Administrators Association said.
How the Winklevoss Twins Are Trying to Tame Bitcoin – Institutional Investor
It took a scandal for Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg to concede a need for regulation. Some cryptocurrency entrepreneurs got to that point more quickly and voluntarily.
Robert Shiller Warns Crypto May Be Another Cincinnati Time Store – Bloomberg
Cryptocurrencies could be the latest case of more than a century’s worth of failed efforts to revolutionize money, according to Robert Shiller, famed for his warnings about the dot-com and housing bubbles.
Company News
NEX Group Reports Profit Lift as CME Deal Looms – Profit & Loss
NEX Group’s full year results for year ending March 31 indicate healthy growth at the firm as it continues to close in on a sale to CME Group which was last week approved by NEX shareholders.
Concentration of Client Positions Rises at LCH – Risk (subscription)
The share of client positions at LCH, the group’s UK-registered clearing house, that are handled by the five largest clearing members exceeded 75% at end-2017, with concentrations rising over recent quarters at three of its services.
Market Savvy
Argentina Unleashes Crisis Crackdown and Tells Investors to Toe the Line – Bloomberg
Closed-door meeting quickly turned testy after peso plunged.
In First Move Since FX Crackdown, Iran Lowers Rial vs. Dollar – Reuters
In a sign that it will allow some flexibility in exchange rates under threatened US sanctions, Iran has lowered the official value of the rial versus the dollar for the first time since it tried to stamp out a free currency market last month.