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ETF Investors Confident in the Economic Stability of Canadian Companies
Canadian Equity ETFs Led All Other Asset Classes in Q3 With $1.6 Billion in Net New Assets
October 12, 2011--Canadian equity ETFs received more than $2.5 billion in net new assets in the third quarter of 2011, according to information compiled by the iShares(R) exchange-traded fund (ETF) business at BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited (BlackRock Canada), an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of BlackRock, Inc.
This was led by the strong performance of the iShares S&P/TSX 60 Index Fund (XIU) which is the number one ETF in Canada by AUM ($10.5 billion) and net sales ($838 million) in the third quarter.
"These findings tell us that despite uncertainty in the global markets, domestic and international investors are still confident in the soundness of Canadian companies and of our marketplace," said Mary Anne Wiley, head of iShares distribution, BlackRock Canada.
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Source: BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited
Weak markets hit Canada ETF assets in Sept: BlackRock
October 12, 2011--Assets managed in exchange traded funds in Canada dropped by 3 percent to C$39.1 billion ($38.3 billion) in September due to slumping equity markets, though inflows to the funds were positive, according to a report released on Wednesday.
Canadian ETFs overall had net inflows of C$1.1 billion in September, said the monthly report from the Canadian ETF arm of New York-based BlackRock , the world's largest money manager.
ETFs are investment vehicles that own an array of stocks, similar to mutual funds, but which have shares that are traded on public exchanges.
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Source: Reuters
Pension funds shun gold and hedge funds
October 12, 2011--Pension funds are avoiding gold, hedge funds, private equity and exchange traded funds in their search for alternatives to fixed income returns, according to a report from UBS and Lane, Clark and Peacock.
Due to the low return from fixed income, pension funds need to look to alternative asset classes to supplement returns.
Allocation to equities has fallen from 85% in 1992 to 45% today, and allocation to fixed income has increased from under 10% in 1989 to close to 40% today. But the fall in real government bond yields is damaging funding calculations for pension plans.
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Source: Financial News
Standard & Poor's Announces Changes In The S&P/TSX Venture Composite Index
October 12, 2011--Standard & Poor's will make the following changes in the S&P/TSX Venture Composite Index after the close of trading on Wednesday, October 12, 2011:
Western Energy Services Corp. (TSXVN:WRG) will be removed from the index as well as the S&P/TSX Venture Select Index.
The company will graduate to trade on TSX under the same ticker symbol.
Company additions to and deletions from an S&P equity index do not in any way reflect an opinion on the investment merits of the company.
Source: Standard & Poor's
Minutes of the Federal Open Market Committee, September 20-21, 2011
October 12, 2011--The Federal Reserve Board and the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) on Wednesday released the attached minutes of the Committee meeting held on September 20-21, 2011
The minutes for each regularly scheduled meeting of the Committee ordinarily are made available three weeks after the day of the policy decision and subsequently are published in the Board's Annual Report. The descriptions of economic and financial conditions contained in these minutes are based solely on the information that was available to the Committee at the time of the meeting.
The FOMC minutes can be viewed on the Board's website at http://www.federalreserve.gov/monetarypolicy/fomccalendars.htm
view the Minutes of the Federal Open Market Committee September 20-21, 2011
Source: Federal Reserve Board
SEC Jointly Proposes Prohibitions and Restrictions on Proprietary Trading
September 12, 2011-- The Securities and Exchange Commission today voted to propose a rule implementing the so-called "Volcker Rule" requirements. The requirements stem from Section 619 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.
The SEC is issuing the proposal jointly with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board, and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.
"This proposal is intended to curb the proprietary trading of commercial banks and their affiliates in order to protect taxpayers and consumers by prohibiting insured depository institutions from engaging in risky proprietary trading," said SEC Chairman Mary L. Schapiro.
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Source: SEC.gov
SEC Proposes Rules for Registration of Securities-Based Swap Dealers and Major Security-Based Swap Participants
October 12, 2011--The Securities and Exchange Commission today voted to propose rules that lay out the process by which security-based swap dealers and security-based swap participants must register with the Commission.
The rules stem from Title VII of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.
"Registering the major market participants in the largely unregulated security-based swap markets is a critical step toward better protecting investors," SEC Chairman Mary L. Schapiro said in her remarks during today's SEC open meeting. "Today's proposal draws from our experience with registration rules regarding broker-dealers - rules that are familiar to many market participants."
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Source: SEC.gov
PowerShares files with the SEC
October 12, 2011--PowerShares has filed a post-effective amendment no. 257, registration statement with the SEC for the PowerShares Chinese Yuan Dim Sum Bond Portfolio.
view filing
Source: SEC.gov
CFTC.gov Financial Data for Futures Commission Merchants Update
October 11, 2011--Selected FCM financial data as of August 31, 2011 (from reports filed by October 2, 2011) is now available.
view updates
Source: CFTC.gov
CFTC To Hold Open Meeting To Consider Two Final Rules And One Proposed Amendment
October 11, 2011--The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) will hold a public meeting on Tuesday, October 18, 2011, at 9:30 a.m., on the following topics:
(1) Final Rule on Derivatives Clearing Organization General Provisions and Core Principles;
2) Final Rule on Position Limits for Futures and Swaps; and
(3) Consider a Notice of Proposed Amendment to Effective Date for Swap Regulation.
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Source: CFTC.gov
