Top Headlines
Sterling Volatility Hits New Heights after Polls – fastFT (subscription)
Sterling volatility has surged to new heights, breaking levels not seen since the financial crisis as new opinion polls support evidence seen last week that the ‘Leave’ camp is nudging ahead in the Brexit referendum campaign.
- Don’t Be Confused Now, Wait for June 21 Before Deciding on “Brexit” – Profit & Loss
- Pound Tumbles, Volatility Jumps After Polls Show Brexit Momentum – Bloomberg
- MPs ‘Considering Using Majority’ to Keep UK in Single Market – BBC
- AEP: ‘Irritation and Anger’ May Lead to Brexit, Says Influential Psychologist – Daily Telegraph
Clinton Picks up Win in Puerto Rico’s Democratic Primary – Reuters
Hillary Clinton won the Puerto Rico Democratic primary on Sunday, moving her a step closer to prevailing over her rival, Bernie Sanders, in the fight for her party’s presidential nomination.
Rosengren Flags Jobs Report, Yet says Fed Rate Hikes Coming – Reuters
The US economy’s rebound from a weak winter has moved the Federal Reserve closer to raising rates, though last month’s poor employment report might give it pause, a top Fed official said on Monday.
Exclusive: Saudi Reform Plan Approved by Top Economic Council – Reuters
Saudi Arabia’s National Transformation Plan, a pivotal element of the “Vision 2030” reforms announced in April by Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, will be put before the cabinet for approval on Monday, a senior Saudi source told Reuters.
Raggi’s Populist Surge Leads Rome Mayoral Race Ahead of Run-Off – Bloomberg
The anti-establishment Five Star Movement’s Virginia Raggi leads the first round of local elections in Rome and may become the city’s first female mayor in a run-off later this month, the latest sign of a populist surge across Europe, preliminary results show.
Regulatory News
EU Financial Transaction Tax Progress Stalls – FT (subscription)
Europe’s faltering bid to introduce a financial transaction tax has suffered a further blow as officials acknowledged that little headway has been made in the last six months despite finance ministers in December setting a June deadline for a deal.
Margins and Haircuts as a Macroprudential Tool
Remarks by Vítor Constâncio, Vice-President of the ECB, at the ESRB Conference on Macroprudential Margins and Haircuts.
Stephen L. Cohen, Associate Director of Enforcement, to Leave SEC After Nearly 12 Years of Service
The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has issued today an update of its Q&A on practical questions regarding the European Markets Infrastructure Regulation (EMIR).
Company News
Inside McKinsey’s Private Hedge Fund – FT (subscription)
McKinsey quietly runs an investment arm for partners but experts warn of conflicts of interest
China Appliance Retailer Suning to Buy Inter Milan Football Stake – FT (Subscription)
Chinese appliance retailer Suning Commerce Group is poised to acquire a majority stake in Italian football club Inter Milan, in the latest foray into European sport by a big Chinese company.
Goldman Sachs Attracts 250,000 Student Job Applications – CNBC
Goldman Sachs attracted more than a quarter of a million applications from students and graduates for jobs this summer, suggesting fears of a ‘brain drain’ in the sector may be exaggerated as banks introduce more employee-friendly policies.
$1bn Manchester United Remain Top of Brand Finance’s Football 50 list – City AM
Manchester United have retained their status as the club with the most valuable brand in world football despite failing to qualify for next season’s Champions League and a campaign which culminated in the axing of manager Louis van Gaal.
Market Savvy
Leverage – The Weakest Link – Profit & Loss
Barely a week after trading was halted at UK-based proprietary trading firm Futex, another London-based company was, according to sources, out touting for fresh business by offering clients 300:1 leverage.
Pessimists on Earnings Growth Have Got it Wrong – FT (subscription)
The third wave of deflation that hit the global economy over the past year is passing, with limited damage to the developed world.
Disruption in FX? Don’t Believe the Hype – Profit & Loss
“The banks’ role of maintaining this ecosystem of credit and liquidity in the market is not going to change anytime soon,” said John Ashworth, CEO of Caplin Systems.
OPEC Unity Keeps Oil Near $50, Sends Speculators to Sidelines – Bloomberg
Far from sending the oil market into gyrations, the run-up to last week’s OPEC meeting kept oil pinned near $50 a barrel and sent hedge funds to the sidelines.
- Saudi Aramco Raises Most Asia Oil Pricing Amid Robust Demand – Bloomberg
- Saudi Arabia Cuts Oil Prices in Europe as Iran Ramps Up Exports – WSJ (subscription)
Reuters Throws Ball of Confusion – Profit & Loss
Reuters has added to the market volatility following the US non-farm payrolls shocker – only 38k jobs were created in May versus the analysts’ consensus for 160k – by flashing that the Swiss National Bank had introduced negative rates.
Mixed Picture on Exchange Volumes – Profit & Loss
As was the case with the first batch of OTC market volumes released by FastMatch, Gain GTX and Hotspot FX, three exchanges have reported mixed news in terms of FX turnover in May.