Top Headlines
How British Firms Built a Pyramid Scheme in China That Lost Millions – Reuters
As David Byrne ate breakfast at the Tongli Lakeview Hotel outside Shanghai one Sunday in April, an angry customer was waiting for him.
The U.K. Is the New Engine of Bond-Market Distortion – WSJ (subscription)
Britain has taken over from Japan as the world’s wildest bond market, raising new questions about the distortions being caused by central banks.
Negative Rates for the People Arrive as German Bank Gives In – Bloomberg
When the European Central Bank introduced a negative interest rate on lenders’ deposits two years ago, few thought things would ever go this far.
Banks See Big Role for Blockchain in Massive Trade Finance Sector – WSJ (subscription)
A broad range of banks and tech companies say they have found ways to apply blockchain technology to commercial lending operations known as trade finance.
European Bank Stress Tests Get More Stressful When You Make Them American – Bloomberg
The European Banking Authority’s stress tests released on July 29 served as a key plank in the region’s effort to publicly demonstrate to markets and regulators around the world that its banking system is on the mend.
For Top Banking Talent After Brexit, London Loses Some Allure – WSJ (subscription)
Thomas Ozello, a student at France’s elite École Polytechnique, planned to follow the well-trodden path from applied mathematics to a London trading desk.
Regulatory News
Wall St. Banks Ask Fed For Five More Years to Comply With Volcker Rule – Reuters
Big Wall Street banks are asking the U.S. Federal Reserve to grant them an additional five-year grace period to comply with a financial reform regulation known as the Volcker rule, people familiar with the matter said.
EU Opens Antitrust Probe on Dow Chemical, DuPont Merger – WSJ (subscription)
The European Union’s antitrust authority opened a full-blown investigation into the proposed merger of Dow Chemical Co. and DuPont Co., which could require the companies to make bigger concessions to clear their blockbuster deal.
Company News
Bats Targets NDF Market With SEF Acquisition – Profit & Loss
Bats Global Markets (Bats) has announced plans to acquire Javelin, a Swap Execution Facility (SEF) that is registered with the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).
CME Drops More FX Futures Contracts – Profit & Loss
The CME Group has delisted its E-micro USD/JPY and E-micro USD/CHF futures contracts with immediate effect.
Market Savvy
Stocks Hit New Highs, and That Could Be Just the Start – WSJ (subscription)
A troika of stock indexes hit records in tandem for the first time since 1999. The question is whether the party is just getting started.
European Stocks Flat as China Slows – WSJ (subscription)
European stocks struggled for direction Friday as investors weighed concerns about the Chinese economy against a recent rebound in oil prices.
Investor Demand for Bond Funds Relative to Stocks Is Highest on Record – WSJ (subscription)
Stocks have bounced, but investors prefer bonds.
Asia Rises on Wall Street’s Record, China Data Prompts Stimulus Bets – Reuters
Asian stocks inched up on Friday, after a surge in oil prices helped propel Wall Street to record highs , while mainland shares held on to gains on hopes that weaker-than-expected Chinese economic data would spur policy easing.