Brian Bollen's Blog

If at first you don't succeed

Mint – Blain’s Morning Porridge

“If at first you don’t succeed, call in an airstrike…”

New FI dark pool from Liquidnet

Liquidnet, a global institutional trading network, has launched a Fixed Income dark pool that it says facilitates direct, peer-to-peer trading of corporate bonds among asset managers in the US, Canada and Europe, creating what it says is a much-needed hub of institutional liquidity.

ICMA says repo growth stalled

If the data compiled by the European Repo Council of the International Capital Market Association (ICMA) are accurate, growth in Europe's repo market has stalled and market outstandings are nearly 3 percent down on a year ago.

Zurich lays out red carpet for Capital

Asset manager Capital Group has opened a new office in Zurich. It says the office will play an important part in a drive to further strengthen its relationships with global, regional and local financial institutions.

Blythe Barber new MD for JWG

Financial services regulation specialist JWG has appointed Blythe Barber as its new managing director.

Gwlad beirdd a chantorion

Mint – Blain’s Morning Porridge

“Gwlad beirdd a chantorion, enwogion o fri, Ei gwrol ryfelwyr, gwladgarwyr tra mad”

CME cuddles up to China

CME Group, the derivatives marketplace, and China Foreign Exchange Trade System (CFETS), a trading platform and pricing centre for China's yuan and related products, have signed an agreement on co-operation to explore opportunities and promote each other's market infrastructure and products.

Sam Allardyce for Liverpool?

Sam Allardyce for Liverpool? Just a thought.

He indicated when he left West Ham that he'd expect a Premier League club to come knocking around Christmas. He does, after all, have a reputation for getting the most out of mediocre players and Liverpool have plenty of those and his direct no-nonsense style would be no worse to watch than the fare on offer in Kenny Dalglish's brief post-Hodgson stint.

Rodgers must go.

You gonna bake a cake?

Mint – Blain’s Morning Porridge

“What is that? I come here for a proper shootout! What you gonna do with that rollin pin? You gonna bake a cake?”

Back on Planet Markets

Mint – Blain’s Morning Porridge

“I’ve been alive for four-and-a-half centuries and I cannot die”.. “Well, everyone’s got their problems.”

All eyes on Scotland

Mint – Blain’s Morning Porridge (complete with picture of Bill as Pyrate, below)

“Now’s the time and now’ the hour, see approach proud Nippon’s power..”

Forward indicator up

SS&C GlobeOp says its Forward Redemption Indicator for September 2015 shows notifications of 3.79%, up from 3.46% in August.

Bpf Bakkers mandates State Street

Stichting Bedrijfspensioenfonds voor het Bakkersbedrijf (Bpf Bakkers), the €3.4bn Dutch pension scheme for the bakery sector, has mandated State Street to provide a range of investment servicing solutions.

RBC wins Bennelong mandates

Australian boutique asset manager Bennelong Funds Management Limited (Bennelong) has appointed RBC Investor & Treasury Services as its custodian and administrator. 

Time...consoler of affliction

Mint – Blain’s Morning Porridge

“Time… consoler of affliction and softener of anger….”

Back to the markets

Mint – Blain’s Morning Porridge

Fed hawks still grounded

Alan Higgins, UK chief investment officer for Coutts, considers the Federal Reserve's decision to leave rates unchanged.

Is the Fed behind the curve?

Is the Federal Reserve behind the curve? That is one of the important issues raised by Schroders' chief economist and strategist Keith Wade in his consideration of the factors weighing on the Federal Reserve's decision yesterday to hold rates.

Fed chose wisely

Robeco’s chief economist, Léon Cornelissen, comments on the Federal Reserve decision to leave rates unchanged.

Fed holds: but...

Lisa Hornby, fixed income fund manager based in Schroders' New York office, comments on the US Federal Reserve decision to hold rates.