Feature
Stepping Up to SEPA
The Single Euro Payments Area project is standardizing the identifiers and messaging formats used for transactions throughout the eurozone. With six months left to comply, some firms have a lot of data mapping work to do, writes Nicholas Hamilton
Europe's Build-Up to Basel III
The European Union’s Capital Requirements Directive IV will implement Basel III proposals across the continent when it comes into force at the beginning of next year. With firms likely to do much of their risk-modeling internally, the demands on data…
On the Record: Mercado Keeps it ‘Simple'
Emilio Mercado has spent the bulk of his career working for market data vendors. Now, he's working for himself, running his own vendor, Simplified Financial Information, and aiming to simplify how firms manage market data usage and infrastructure, when…
Poland's Central Clarity: CEO Iwona Sroka, KDPW Group
Dr. Iwona Sroka designed the strategy for Warsaw’s KDPW Group to reflect an operational efficiency and a future for capital markets in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) that is increasingly bright. Strength in technology is the key. By Tim Bourgaize…
Risk Management a Challenge When Algos Go Rogue
In an article published in May, Waters explored the problematic task of performing market surveillance in automated, high-frequency trading environments. Another challenging area for algorithmic trading is that of risk management, when questions of risk…
AQR's Path to Reconciliation
In order to improve its reconciliations capabilities, AQR Capital decided it needed to replace its legacy reconciliation system, which relied largely on manual processes. The Greenwich, Conn.-based hedge fund turned to Electra Information Systems for…
Inventing the New Thing Is the New Thing
Innovation is like vacation—people spend more time talking about the amazing places they’re going than they spend actually getting there. There isn’t a company worth its salt where innovation is not part of its agenda, although its application varies…
Risk Management: Time to Get Real
It wasn’t long ago that it was acceptable for capital markets firms to manage their risk on an overnight basis, computing their various measures through lengthy batch processes while the markets slept. But that all changed with the 2008 credit crisis as…
Chief Data Officer: A Role Under Construction
Over the past few years, the capital markets have witnessed the promotion of data executives to the role of chief data officer (CDO), elevating data issues to the C-level. Marina Daras looks at how CDOs are making their way to the top of primarily sell…
The Search for Solvency II Solutions
Solvency II may be delayed, but it has not gone away. As the most focused industry participants chip away at the complexity of the European insurance regulation, Nicholas Hamilton discovers innovative compliance solutions, including data metering systems…
HSBC, Citi Contend With Standards Variations
Data management professionals continue to face multiple data standards that prove challenging when trying to achieve consistency. Michael Shashoua explores how semantic data is proving useful to aggregating data generated under these different standards.
Fatca-Fueled Shuffle
The US foreign tax collection regulation is beginning to drive firms to change data documentation and management procedures. Michael Shashoua audits the developments
The Nuclear Option: Eaton Vance's John Shea
John Shea sits down with Jake Thomases to discuss his interesting pre-Wall Street career and Eaton Vance's IT.
Dodd–Frank Turns Three—What's Next?
July marks the three-year anniversary of the Dodd–Frank Act being signed into law. Anthony Malakian takes a look back at the IT challenges faced, and previews what’s still ahead.
Poles Apart? Tech Push Boosts Poland's Prominence
Capital markets in Central Europe—and especially Poland—have made steady gains after being unlocked by the collapse of the Soviet Union, with new technology helping to both catalyze reform and create jobs. Tim Bourgaize Murray reports from Warsaw on the…
E-Trading Corporate Bonds: Act Two?
In part one of his two-part feature on the electronic trading of corporate bonds, Jake Thomases traveled back in time to understand why an early explosion of credit trading platforms disappeared almost as soon as it arrived. In part two, he asks whether…
SEFs at the Starting Gate, Technologists Prep for Challenges
On May 16 this year, US regulators finalized long-awaited rules that govern various aspects of how swap execution facilities will operate. Several years after the draft rules were first announced, attention now turns to the technology challenges…
Lessons from the Hash Crash
Over the past few months, a series of glitches similar to the one that caused the Hash Crash has made it clear that the financial markets are at the mercy of high-frequency trading machines. Some of these systems feed mostly on social media content,…
Putting a Value on Collateral
With the European Market Infrastructure Regulation set to impose margining requirements on parties to over-the-counter derivatives trades, firms are examining their own policies for valuing their collateral, writes Nicholas Hamilton
Taking Action Against Asian Fragmentation
The diverse nature of the Asia-Pacific region has long caused problems for the timely processing of corporate actions data. Nicholas Hamilton finds out how market participants manage these challenges and what is being done to improve standardization and…
Governing Data Governance
High-level data officers are being tasked with development of data governance frameworks. Michael Shashoua hears about some of the methods they are using to set up complete systems.
SocGen's New Lease: CTO Bob Schmeider Prepares a Built-to-Spec New York Trading Floor
In July, Société Générale is heading east to its new home at 245 Park Avenue. With the massive infrastructural consequences in store, Americas CTO Bob Schmeider has found a project—la nouvelle maison Americaine—that is ideally fit. By Tim Bourgaize…
Private Equity's Data Play
In private equity, general partners (GPs)—which invest directly in portfolio companies—are becoming more sophisticated about monitoring those companies’ performance, while limited partners, which invest in the GPs’ funds, are in turn scrutinizing the…
DTCC, ISITC, Major Firms Plan Collateral Data Processing Improvements
Lessons learned from transaction reporting, fund processing and settlement advances could prove useful in managing the growing trove of data being generated in the collateral space. Michael Shashoua uncovers the issues confronting collateral data…