The Asset Plus

Are cryptocurrencies on the cusp of an inflection point? Despite recent strides with financial regulators, challenges persist

The idea of cryptocurrencies has been both praised and criticized in the financial community. Yet, they represent a new type of asset class that could ...

Sibos 2018: Why asset service providers need DLT in derivatives Creating the distributed ledger technology (DLT) for derivatives as an asset class will eliminate the differing interpretations of data within asset classes

SYDNEY, Sibos 2018 Sydney – As regulators require more transparency of financial data and transactions, asset servicers and technology providers are ...

Better safe than sorry - why low volatility investing hits the spot With the market outlook for equities remaining uncertain, analysts are advocating minimum volatility strategies, which are now outperforming market benchmarks

The high level of volatility gripping the global equity markets is expected to persist moving through the fag end of this year and on through the next ...

Why private debt is set to take off in China Serving a dual purpose, private debt is set to explode in China, as many companies are short of funds, plus this debt often offers higher risk adjusted returns for investors

For growth privately-owned enterprises (POEs) which need working capital or acquisition financing, bank loans may not necessarily be available, especi ...

Opportunities rise amid Broader access to Markets Chinese and foreign custodians stand to benefit from the proliferation of cross-border schemes

Since Bond Connect was launched in 2017, the new cross border fixed income investment channel has attracted a number of overseas institutional investo ...

The new economy opportunity What service providers can do to make a difference

Growing at a rapid pace, new economy companies such as the likes of Alibaba and Grab are creating a new industry segment that transaction banks are pa ...

Why global wealth managers yearn for robo-advisors to build AUM Without diminishing the role of organic growth, major wealth managers are increasingly overcoming regulatory hurdles and harnessing new technology to capture market share

Goldman Sachs, which traditionally plays in the UHNW segment, is also building its capabilities to serve the HNWI market and is reportedly considering ...

Sibos 2018: Businesses pushing banks to enhance small value mobile payment Banks have to enhance their competitiveness and technology capability by making tech investments to capture opportunity in areas such as small value mobile payment

Sibos 2018 Sydney - Despite relatively limited revenue generated from a single transaction, small value payment is expected to thrive on the back of i ...

Three key takeaways from Sibos 2018 Sydney A synopsis of SWIFT’s annual event has three major themes – the prevalence of data and the free flow of information, the rise of Chinese participation, and the desire to collaborate

SYDNEY, Sibos 2018 Sydney – From Ghana to Japan to Turkey and beyond, 7000 delegates flocked to Australia to attend the annual Sibos event held in t ...

Global wealth managers eye Asian alliances so as not to miss the boat With the rapid swelling of high net worth individuals across Asia, global wealth managers are keen to form strategic partnerships and alliances to tap into burgeoning demand

The partnership will bring together the regional footprint of the established Malaysian asset manager, and the investment acumen of a leading global a ...

How ESG is being integrated into the investment process Asian institutional investors are shifting significant allocations to ESG assets as part of a global trend

It may not be apparent on the surface but global asset owners, including those in Asia, have been shifting significant allocations of their investment ...

Sibos 2018: What’s holding up trade finance technology development A Sibos panel considers the drive to modernize a historically paper-based industry and urges stakeholders to engage in an open discussion on connecting trade finance systems

Just yesterday at Sibos 2018 Sydney several banks agreed to build a trade-sharing network to make it easier for corporates to share trade information ...

Digital technology offers hope for inclusive growth The digital ecosystem which is developing around the growth of mobile technology and such like can play a powerful role in promoting inclusive growth as entry barriers are low

So far, it seems that the rise of the digital economy has already contributed to a broad pattern of income and job polarization in the developed world ...

DBS Group announces senior level appointments

DBS Group Holdings has announced several senior level organizational appointments, underscoring its commitment to grooming talent from within. The app ...

Is green finance in Japan set to get serious? With substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions earmarked, plans are afoot to harness investor interest and reverse recent Japanese apathy in the green yen bond market

Activity is starting to ramp up, however. The country’s green bond guidelines were established last year under the aegis of the environment ministry ...

EU gets tough as state support for Pirelli takeover spawns new policy Mechanisms are being drawn up coordinating policies across the EU to combat perceived unfair takeover practices by foreign companies partly in response to anti-dumping findings

The EU promises to use this tool in a transparent, predictable and non-discriminatory manner, but Beijing will clearly see itself as the main target. ...

Goldman’s reputation under the spotlight as 1MDB saga winds on 1MDB scandal takes yet another twist – one senior employee of US investment bank Goldman Sachs has been convicted of fraud and others are now in the spotlight

The former has already pleaded guilty and agreed to forfeit US$43.7 million in relation to his crime. The latter was arrested in Malaysia on the same ...

Here's why ESG awareness is on the rise... and it isn't what you think Now in its 18th year, The Asset Corporate Awards recognize this year’s ESG leaders, with six outstanding achievers winning the highest honours for the 10th consecutive year

Now on its 18th year, The Asset Corporate Awards recognizes this year’s ESG leaders. Six merit a special mention for having won the highest honours ...

Overcoming challenges in promoting green finance Education is key in driving green finance in the Philippines

Green finance suffers from lack of understanding from many stakeholders in the Philippines. Also posing as a barrier is the small investor base for gr ...

Supply chain finance still lags in APAC The uptake of factoring and supplier finance programmes suggests they are yet to reach their full potential within Asia, despite benefits in forging closer business relationships

This situation comes in spite of the fact that supplier finance has potential to forge a closer relationship between a company and its suppliers. For ...

What holds back the growth of Asian green bonds A regulatory environment that favours investor protection over market development and multiple ESG standards are stifling the growth of Asian green bonds

Despite this explosive growth, two major challenges could block the further development of green bonds in Asia. ...

The treasurer as a business enabler

The role of treasuries is evolving with the changing technological landscape, bringing new challenges and new opportunities, with a discernible shift ...

The benefits of an active ETF for ESG investors The up-and-coming launch of an active ETF with an ESG framework plugs a gap in the market and allows portfolio managers to talk directly to companies about ESG strategies

ESG (environmental, social, governance) investors have often been challenged by the limited number of ESG-related exchange-traded funds (ETFs) availab ...

Toshiba UK nuclear deal collapses – will the Chinese get the red carpet? The collapse of a Japanese-led bid to build a nuclear plant leaves a gaping hole in Britain’s energy provision, this may leave the door open for China to up its stake

The collapse of NuGen may persuade the UK government to work more closely with China, especially since Chinese companies often bring their own debt fi ...

Green financing gaining momentum, concerns still exist Delegates discuss the uplift in green finance over recent years, and conclude a differentiator for green bonds and green loans will be set up in the long run

But as the concern over setting up a universal standard or definition regarding green financing grows, the market is seeing efforts from the governmen ...

Bond defaults in China – is the risk assessment process up to scratch? The refinancing environment in China continues to be challenging for private sector companies, this comes despite measures to encourage investment in the bond market

In China, there is no junk bond or high-yield bond market, as only large issuers, most of which are triple A or double A rated, are able to tap the ca ...

Sibos 2018: Efficient data usage key for banks to succeed Information could be better utilized in the financial sector and by banks to gain a better understanding of the customer base, but fears surrounding sharing data persist

Banks aspiring to stay relevant to their clients need to leverage on their data. That’s according to Eli Rosner, chief product and technology office ...

ESG Achievers

This year, 37 companies have achieved the highest award – the Platinum Award for environmental, social and governance (ESG). Six of these compan ...

Unease as first Australian state signs Belt & Road MoU Victoria has taken the lead by signing a memorandum of understanding with Chinese authorities over BRI projects, and it remains to be seen if other states follow suit

Analysts expect more Australian states to make similar moves, though Victoria has come in for some domestic criticism for an action seen in some quart ...

Blockchain has hardly improved upon the spreadsheet, says economist After the collapse of many cryptocurrencies, the technology that underpins its widespread use, the so-called blockchain, is also a bubble that is due to burst, says Nouriel Roubini

It is telling that all “decentralized” blockchains end up being centralized, permissioned databases when they are actually put into use. As such, ...

Qualities of a great ESG leader – playing the long game Asset Benchmark Research announces The Asset Best CEOs of 2018

Asset Benchmark Research names this year's The Asset Best CEO ...

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