Foreign exchange
A flying start to 2007
GLOBAL – The year is off to a flying start as currency markets opened with a healthy level of volatility last week, said traders.
Algo trading goes mainstream
COPENHAGEN – Saxo Bank is bringing algorithmic trading into the mainstream with plans to launch an algo trading tool for retail investors this quarter.
May 2006 - Reuters and CME to set up FXMarketSpace
CHICAGO & LONDON – Industry heavyweights Reuters and the CME announced plans to establish a centrally-cleared FX market-place for early in 2007.
November 2006 - RBS and JP Morgan scale back prop trading
LONDON & NEW YORK – November saw mixed fortunes for FX traders. Just as volatility returned to the market, two major banks made cuts to their prop trading desks.
April 2006 - Icap purchase of EBS completed for $775m
LONDON – In mid-April, Interdealer broker Icap agreed to a deal that saw it acquire electronic forex heavyweight EBS. The deal saw Icap pay $775 million for EBS Group, with a share alternative option for EBS shareholders to switch a third of their cash…
January 2006 - Acquisitions in e-FX take precedence
LONDON – The year started with a bang with two high-profile acquisitions in the electronic trading space.
February 2006 - BoA builds algorithmic forex capabilities
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS – Bank of America (BoA) took a major step towards building up its algorithmic trading capabilities in the FX space, with the acquisition of algorithmic-driven pricing and trading specialist, Financial Labs.
March 2006 - FXCM abandons Refco negotiations
NEW YORK – Forex Capital Markets (FXCM) abandoned negotiations with Refco creditors to acquire the assets of the defunct brokerage's unregulated currency trading operation.
Bank of Thailand backtracks on reserve requirements
BANGKOK – The Bank of Thailand (BOT) went back on regulations introduced on December 18, by removing the 30% foreign currency reserve requirements on current account activities and equity investments.
October 2006 - Flextrade to launch block trading platform
CHICAGO, NEW YORK AND LONDON – October was a month where new players looked to make their mark on the industry. Reuters CME joint venture FXMarketSpace announced 20 more banks signed to be clearing prime brokers while it emerged trading technology vendor…
July 2006 - FXall stake sold to TCV for $77.5 million
NEW YORK – FXall sold a minority stake worth $77.5 million to private equity firm Technology Crossover Ventures (TCV).
February 2006 - Refco saga continues with veto of FXCM deal
NEW YORK – Refco creditors vetoed a deal that would have seen the remains of the unregulated business sold to Forex Capital Management.
August 2006 - FXall to launch anonymous platform
NEW YORK – It emerged in August that FXall was looking to launch an anonymous trading platform to target both buy-side and sell-side market participants. The multi-bank portal sent details to banks outlining how the new platform was set to work.
Wooden Nickel scammers fined $25 million
NEW YORK – Individuals and companies involved in the Operation Wooden Nickel trading scam have been ordered to pay some $25 million by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).
August 2006 - ABN Amro trader faces execution in Vietnam
HAI PHONG – August saw an ABN Amro FX trader face possible execution in Vietnam after participating in activity that lost a state bank $5.4 million after participating in allegedly unauthorised prop trading.
March 2006 - FXall agrees to sell 20% stake to TCV
NEW YORK – FXall agreed to sell a 20% stake to private equity firm Technology Crossover Ventures (TCV), based on an overall valuation of $300 million for the company, sources told FX Week .