A-Team Insight Brief
TNS Puts Hosting Solution into Interxion, ICE European Liquidity Centre, Equinix LD4 and FR2
Transaction Networks Services (TNS) has strengthened its European network by expanding its managed hosting solution, TNSXpress, at four key data centres in London, Slough, Basildon and Frankfurt. The solution uses the company’s ultra-low latency Layer 1 technology that offers trade executions 10 times faster than traditional Layer 3 architectures, and is available at the Interxion London data centre, ICE European Liquidity Centre in Basildon, Equinix LD4 data centre in Slough and Equinix FR2 data centre in Frankfurt. The solution enables traders to use TNS’ global point-of-presence footprint and on-net connections, which include more than 60 exchanges.
S&P Global Extends Knowledge of Emerging Technology with Acquisition of 451 Research
S&P Global, a provider of credit ratings, benchmarks and analytics, has acquired 451 Research, a privately-held research and advisory firm that provides intelligence, expertise and data covering high-growth emerging technology segments. 451 Research will be operated by S&P Global Market Intelligence, the S&P division that provides data, insights and powerful analytics to help navigate financial markets. The acquisition is expected to expand and strengthen S&P Global Market Intelligence’s research coverage, adding differentiated expertise and intelligence with comprehensive offerings in technologies such as artificial intelligence, internet of things, information security, data centres, cloud and devops.
ESMA Updates AIFMD Q&A
The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has updated its Questions and Answers on the application of the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (AIFMD), which are intended to provide common supervisory approaches and practices in the application of the AIFMD and its implementing measures. The regulator has added one new Q&A on the AIFMD reporting to National Competent Authorities, offering clarification on reporting requirements on liquidity stress tests for closed-ended unleveraged Alternative Investment Fund (AIFs).
Cboe Acquisition of EuroCCP Offers Potential for Equity Derivatives Trading
Cboe Global Markets has made a definitive agreement to acquire EuroCCP, a pan-European equities clearing house. The transaction will bring together two companies that champion competition, open access and clearing interoperability in Europe. Additionally, Cboe’s ownership of EuroCCP is expected to provide opportunity to pursue the development of equity derivatives trading and clearing capabilities in the region, subject to regulatory approvals. EuroCCP clears trades for 39 trading venues, which represent close to 95% of Europe’s equity landscape. The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2020.
QuantHouse Adds DVeX Cash Cryptocurrency Data to API Ecosystem
DVeX, the electronic digital asset exchange operated by DV Chain, is working with QuantHouse to make its real-time and historical data for cash cryptocurrency pairs available through QuantHouse’s API. QuantHouse clients will be able to access market data from DVeX via the QuantFEED API. Streaming data will be disseminated through QuantHouse’s global fibre optic network, with historical data recorded in parallel at the feed handler level and made available via the QuantHouse private cloud. Clients that trade on DVeX can use QuantHouse’s QuantLINK network connectivity to route orders back to the exchange via DVeX’s proprietary FIX API.
McKay Brothers Adds Low-Latency Market Data Distribution in Mumbai
McKay Brothers International has expanded its low latency market data services to India. The company’s Quincy Extreme Data (QED) market data service now distributes select London Metals Exchange data at Mumbai’s Banda Kurla Complex (BKC) in less than 51 milliseconds one-way. In addition, McKay offers select Aurora, Illinois sourced metals, energy and FX futures data at BKC in less than 85 milliseconds one-way, which it claims is the lowest known commercial latency.
IHS Markit Receives Authorisation as Benchmark Administrator in the Netherlands
The Netherlands Authority for Financial Markets has authorised the Dutch entity of HIS Markit, Markit NV, as an administrator under the European Benchmark Regulation. Last year IHS Markit was also approved by the UK’s FCA, making it the first benchmark administrator to be authorised by National Competent Authorities in both the UK and Europe. The dual authorisation should offer some reassurance to clients in the event the UK exits the EU, while the firm can also now endorse third country benchmarks for use in the EU and assist third country benchmark administrators gain recognition in the EU27.
EDI Partners Columba to Deliver Company Future Event Data Service
Exchange Data International (EDI), a provider of global security corporate actions, pricing and reference data has partnered Columba Systems, a provider of international future financial events data to sell-side and buy-side institutions. The partnership offers clients access to the dates and release times of company results and company meetings, and the dates of upcoming trade shows and investor conferences worldwide. The data feed is delivered as a zipped package including customised files. The delivery method and period depend on client requirements, but typically include FTP put or fetch. The partnership takes EDI into the front office and trading flow.
TT Adds Collocated Access to Thailand Futures Exchange
Trading Technologies (TT) continues to expand its global reach with the introduction of collocated execution and client connectivity services at the Thailand Futures Exchange (TFEX). This takes the TT trading platform into Thailand for the first time, providing TT’s global user base with direct market access to TFEX’s portfolio of listed derivatives, including futures, options and options on futures in certain equities, debt instruments, and commodities.
CAIXA Asset Management Selects Bloomberg AIM Solutions
CAIXA Asset Management, one of the largest asset managers in Brazil and Latin America, is planning to implement Bloomberg’s Asset and Investment Manager (AIM) solutions, including portfolio analytics and risk management, trade execution and compliance tools. The solutions are expected to increase efficiency and lower costs by optimising operations that ensure compliance with regional rules and regulations. The consistency of data, execution and flow of operations available through Bloomberg AIM is expected to support future growth of CAIXA’s business. The asset manager has also expanded subscriptions to the Bloomberg Terminal.