Top Headlines
EBS Restructuring? – Profit & Loss
Less than a year after EBS BrokerTec announced a new management structure, it appears to be in the process of retooling.
IMF Warns of “Substantial” Economic Damage from Brexit – Independent
Brexit would have “negative and substantial” long-term economic consequences for the UK, the International Monetary Fund has warned.
Lula’s Central Banker Returns to Take on Hardest Job of His Life – Bloomberg
Henrique Meirelles is one of Brazil’s most accomplished financial officials, a former president of BankBoston Corp. and President of the Central Bank during the country’s acclaimed period of growth and stability. But he will have to deliver fast to pull the nation out of its worst recession in a century and win back investor confidence.
BOJ Will Act Decisively Using Its ‘Ample’ tools: Kuroda – Reuters
Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda said on Friday the central bank will act “decisively” to achieve its 2 percent inflation target, stressing that it still has “ample” policy options available if it were to expand stimulus again.
Barclays’ Libor Rigger Hit Trader with Baseball Bat to Humiliate Him – The Times (subscription)
A former Barclays banker accused of rigging the Libor rate was “whacked across the back of the head” with a 12-inch baseball bat by his boss when he made mistakes at work, a court heard.
Brexit Carries Risk of Recession, warns Bank of England – FT (subscription)
A vote for Brexit could cost jobs, raise prices, see the pound fall sharply and even lead to recession, the Bank of England warned in its quarterly inflation report on Thursday.
Company News
Bloomberg Trumps Benchmarks Alignment – Profit & Loss
While many seasoned FX participants will always question why anyone would want to deal at a fix, there is no doubting that they do seem to meet a need.
Hotspot Introduces Connectivity Fees – Profit & Loss
Hotspot is due to implement monthly connectivity fees for accessing its platform, effective July 1, 2016.
Swift Finds Evidence of Second Malware Attack – WSJ (subscription)
Hackers have again gained access to the world’s largest system for transferring funds among banks, a breach the network’s operator said indicates a wide-ranging effort to penetrate the financial system.
Apple Invests $1bn in Chinese Ride-Hailing App Didi Chuxing – FT (subscription)
Apple is to invest $1bn in Didi Chuxing — the biggest injection received by the lossmaking Chinese ride-hailing app that is Uber’s main competitor in the country, and the US group’s biggest minority investment.
VW’s European Market Share Slumps to Five-Year Low on Scandal – Bloomberg
Volkswagen AG’s European market share narrowed for an eighth consecutive month since the German carmaker’s admission to rigging diesel cars to cheat on emissions tests, as BMW AG and Mercedes-Benz wooed buyers with sport utility vehicles.
UK banks Close More than 600 Branches Over the Last Year – BBC
More than 600 bank branches have closed across the UK in the last year, with rural areas worst affected, according to figures obtained by the BBC.
Market Savvy
Germany Records Strongest GDP Growth for Two Years, but Falls Back into Inflation – City AM
Germany confirmed its status as the powerhouse of Europe in the first quarter, as its economy grew by a mighty 0.7 per cent in the first three months of the year.
CCPs: An Evolutionary Jump? – Profit & Loss
A new report from the Bank of England says that although the current legal framework around CCP default management is largely robust, the “piecemeal” nature of this framework presents challenges.
It’s Time to Put a Stop to all the Banker Bashing – The Telegraph
Greedy tax-dodgers who have to be bailed out by the taxpayers. Bonus-hungry charlatans who skim their customers for outrageous fees.
Deutsche Bank Bumps up Euro Forecasts – fastFT (subscription)
Another big currencies dealing bank is backing away from its prediction that the euro will sink to parity against the dollar.
China’s Steel Futures Head for Biggest Weekly Plunge on Record – Bloomberg
China’s steel futures headed for the biggest weekly slump on record as mills increased output and regulators reined in speculative trading.
China Decides Debt Can Be Dangerous – Bloomberg
The Chinese Communist Party is now officially worried about mounting debt. “A tree cannot grow up to the sky—high leverage will definitely lead to high risks,” said a front-page commentary in the People’s Daily on May 9.