Investing & Trading
Calvin F. Williams Jr is Using His Business to Close the Wealth Gap
From creating investment management strategies to expanding financial education, Calvin F. Williams Jr. runs his business with one clear goal in mind: to close the racial wealth gap. Since age 12 when he first started his own lawn care service, he understood the value of building wealth, yet he also understood that many people lack the financial resources to do that.
This is John Lothian Podcast: Small Exchange SPRE Options to Launch January 25, 2022
The Small Exchange announced plans to launch its first options contract on Small Precious Metals Product (SPRE) index futures on January 25, 2022. I interviewed Small Exchange CEO Donnie Roberts about the new product, Small Exchange’s plans for future options contracts, and the impending deal for the exchange to be acquired by Crypto.com.
Book “Regtech, Suptech and Beyond” Looks at Technological Solutions for Regulatory Oversight
There is a new book out from Risk Books titled “Regtech, Suptech and Beyond.”
The book is a compendium of chapters addressing technology and innovation in regulatory and supervisory oversight in financial services. Different authors explore the emerging best practices in regulatory oversight and financial services that leverage technological solutions.
SEC Special Counsel Laura Harper Powell collaborated with the former President of ICE Trade Vault and current President and Founder of CoinReg Tech Bruce Tupper on a chapter in the book focusing on CFTC regtech implications for virtual currency trading.
Telstra’s Adam Day Expounds on November Equinix Deal; Opportunities for Trading, Fintech, Crypto, Gaming Into Asia
In early November Telstra partnered with Equinix to enhance the Telstra Octagon financial services solution and expand global access and direct connectivity between North America and eight of the world’s major futures and commodities exchanges. JLN interviewed Telstra’s Adam Day after the FIA EXPO about this deal and what it means for Telstra’s customers and potential clients.
The Telstra Octagon solution uses Telstra’s ultra-low latency global networks to support high-frequency trading activities. And now, with Telstra’s financial trading solution available on Platform Equinix, Telstra can now offer financial organizations improved network connectivity, access to the Equinix data center and colocation and Equinix Fabric interconnection services adjacent to the exchanges.
Alex Perry’s Optionstopia: Fed Moves Up Bond Taper, $65 Mln Option Bet & Blockbuster Options Activity in Alex Perry’s Optionstopia.
Hi, this is Alex with John Lothian News, and this is your recap of options news from the week. Here are some of this week’s top stories: Fed Interest Rate Decision...
Cannabis Shares Underperform Going Into Year-End Amid U.S. Regulatory Logjam
Although adult-use sales of cannabis remain robust in U.S. states where it is legal, Nasdaq IR Intelligence analyst Saleem Daya sees continued stock underperformance across the cannabis space going into year-end, building on activity in the second and third quarters of 2021.
In an interview with John Lothian News, Daya notes the benchmark Solactive North American Marijuana Index is about 13% lower this quarter and is down close to 20% year-to-date, a move he attributes to disappointment that the U.S. federal reform that many were hoping for in early 2021 has not taken place and impatience with a regulatory process that remains mired in disagreement over its scope and depth.
FIA: Global Exchange-Traded Volume up 38.8% in November; Open Interest Posts Record
The continued investor appetite for equity derivatives helped push global exchange-traded volume higher again in November, according to the FIA’s monthly report released on Monday. The group said 6.17 billion futures and options contracts were traded in the month of November, an increase of 11.5% from October and up 38.8% from November 2020.
Broadway 2.0’s Long and Winding Road to Independence
Michael Chin is the CEO of Broadway Technology, which recently went through a rebrand and is now just Broadway. The path to Broadway 2.0, as Chin called it, was an unusual one. Chin was interviewed recently by John Lothian News about its journey from acquisition to independence.
Broadway Technology has been working on a renewal since it was spun out of ION Trading after the U.K.’s Competitive Markets Authority told ION it had to spin back out most of Broadway because of overlap in both firms’ fixed income offerings.
FIA Asia-V: Call for Greater Operational Efficiency Unanimous, But ‘We Need a Few Heroes’
The COVID-19 pandemic and the period of intense volatility that followed its initial onslaught highlighted gaps in the infrastructure that supports global exchange-cleared derivatives systems. But those glitches have been at play for a while and need to be addressed, panelists at FIA’s Asia-V said.
In a panel on operational efficiencies during day two of the conference, Don Byron, FIA’s head of global industry operations and execution, pointed to the group’s November 2021 “Blueprint” plan to modernize trading processes.
FIA Asia-V Panel Addresses Lessons from Archegos default
The first topic brought up at the panel titled “Future State: Where do we go from here?” at FIA Asia-V was the fallout from Archegos Capital Management and what the industry might learn from it.
FIA ASIA-V: Major Exchange Leaders Highlight Growth, Vibrancy in Asia
The leaders of three of the major Asian exchanges spoke separately in keynote addresses on the first day of FIA Asia Expo-V. They talked about the rapid change in the financial industry over the past few years, the opportunities for growth in the region, and what’s on the table for their exchanges in the near future. What follows is a summary of their individual remarks.
FIA Asia-V: Facing Challenges of Pandemic, Opportunities in Retail, ESG and Crypto
Much like its Western counterpart, the Asian derivatives industry spent the last year navigating an ever-changing environment dominated by the pandemic and the emergence of new market trends in retail investment, cryptocurrencies and ESG.
In a discussion on the outlook for Asia-Pacific exchanges on Day One of the FIA’s Asia-V conference, panel participants reported no slowdowns in opportunities despite a host of challenges faced by exchange-traded markets in 2021.
Fireside Chat Launches FIA Asia with Regulatory Discussion
Regulatory issues were the first order of business at the first panel of FIA Asia Tuesday Morning (Monday night for those of us in Chicago) as Walt Lukken held a virtual fireside chat with Sharon Shi, chair of FIA Asia’s regional advisory board and managing director at G.H. Financials, and Bill Herder, FIA’s head of Asia-Pacific.
Hemp Prices Hold Mostly Steady As Year End Approaches; Added Volatility Seen In 2022
— Hempcrete finds a new role in as a carbon reduction agent
As the books close on the fall harvest, most midpoint hemp prices remain steady to marginally higher, according to the November 2021 PanXchange Hemp: Benchmark & Analysis report.
JLN Video Interview: Step by Step, HKEx’s Kevin Rideout Builds Interest in China A 50
China’s new economy — and markets — appear to have found a new hedging tool.
In an interview with John Lothian News, Kevin Rideout, managing director, global client development at Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEx), talked about the launch and reception for MSCI China A 50 Connect Index Futures, launched on October 18.
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The curious case of rising stocks in the night-time
First Read Hits & Takes John Lothian & JLN Staff Congratulations to uber journalist Jacob Bunge on being promoted to the role of Chicago deputy bureau chief for The Wall Street Journal. Bunge has been with the Journal since 2008, when he came over from...
We visit more than 100 financial news websites daily (Would YOU do that?)
The Spread
Stock Market Selloff Worries Investors & Regulators; Adam Dell Launches Domain Money; CME Group Announces Records
ALEX PERRY’S OPTIONSTOPIA: Alex Perry’s Optionstopia” takes a look at this week’s options news highlights: Regulators Crack Down on Trading apps; Adam Dell Launches Domain Money; The CME Group Announces New Options Records
JOHN’S TAKE: John talks with Henry Schwartz, president of Trade Alert LLC, for “John’s Take”
TERM OF THE WEEK: What is The VIX Index Anyway? with Russell Rhoads
Stock Markets: Time to Bet Against VIX After Recent Rising Streak, History Says
Lead Stories Stock Markets: Time to Bet Against VIX After Recent Rising Streak, History Says Akshay Chinchalkar and Joanna Ossinger - Bloomberg Seven straight jumps in the so-called "fear gauge" for the S&P 500 is a signal that it may be time to wager against...
