Asian Banks Struggle with FRTB

Banks across Asia are widely divergent in their implementation of Basel III rules, including the new Fundamental Review of the Trading Book (FRTB) regime. Panellists at the recent International Swaps and Derivatives Association (ISDA) conference in Hong Kong warned that this divergence is creating uncertainty, with some banks implementing the new rules to a high global standard while others have not yet begun or considered their compliance strategy.

FlexTrade Partners Goldman Sachs to Provide IOI Liquidity Directly from the Trading Blotter

FlexTrade Systems has partnered Goldman Sachs to release an extension of the latter’s indications of interest (IOI) functionality in the FlexTRADER execution management system (EMS). The functionality adds IOI profiling and analysis to FlexIOI, a framework for IOI distribution embedded in the EMS and providing interaction with IOI liquidity directly from the trading blotter. Traders are alerted in real-time to available IOIs for orders they are working, creating a view of liquidity avenues to achieve best execution. By actioning IOI liquidity directly from the blotter, traders can see the order proportion that can be completed using Goldman Sachs’ actionable liquidity.

Nucleus195 Partners Acuris to Join TIM Trade Idea Network

Nucleus195, a provider of global research and content across developed, emerging and frontier markets, has partnered with TIM, an Acuris company. The partnership will give content providers on the Nucleus195 platform an opportunity to potentially profit from their trade ideas via the TIM trade idea network. Colin Berthoud, founding partner at TIM, says Nucleus195 has a broad range of providers that will increase TIM’s trade idea network and provide investors with additional and innovative trade ideas.

AxiomSL Achieves ISO Certification

AxiomSL, a global provider of regulatory-reporting, risk and data-management solutions, has received ISO/IEC 27001:2013 certification (known as ISO 27001). The certification covers AxiomSL’s core software and ControllerView flagship product, its system development, professional and client support services and company operations. It also covers AxiomSL’s cloud-based solutions, operations and client support. Companies receive this certification following a rigorous audit; which in AxiomSL’s case was performed by the Standards Institute of Israel, a certification body accredited through the ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board.

Accuity Adds AI to Financial Crime Compliance Screening

Accuity has introduced an AI-driven account screening capability, Firco Automated Alert Reduction, aimed to increase accuracy in detecting and evaluating screening matches during Know Your Customer (KYC) processes. The solution results from Accuity’s acquisition of Safe Banking Systems in July 2018 and has been optimised through integration with WorldCompliance data. Rather than leaning on manual processes and managing an abundance of false positives, the Firco solution applies AI techniques to potential matches produced by screening systems and includes a scoring methodology that calculates the probability of a match being correct and evaluates how material the risk is to the business.

Imandra Gains Seed Funding for AI Platform Designed to Make Algos Safe

Imandra, creator of a cloud-native automated reasoning engine designed to make algorithms safe, has completed a $5 million round of seed funding led by UK and US investors AlbionVC, IQ Capital and LiveOak Venture Partners. The capital will be used to support application of the company’s Reasoning as a Service platform in financial services and other sectors, and to hire more AI, engineering and product specialists. Grant Passmore, co-founder and co-CEO at Imandra, notes that as reliance on complex software grows, advances in AI are needed to ensure the algorithms we depend on are safe, explainable and fair.

CME Group Releases ENSO Data Insights

CME Group has released ENSO Data Insights, a benchmarking tool using ENSO’s alternative dataset. ENSO is part of the CME Group. Data Insights gives hedge funds, asset managers and banks access to a diverse pool of global multi-asset class securities to help them compare best execution financing rates, trend analysis for long and short position sector changes, sector breakdown, top position movers and most active stock borrow rate changes as they relate to the ENSO rate. Users can evaluate how market dynamics are driving costs and demands to borrow stock, optimise counterparty management and seize alpha generating opportunities.

Glue42 Adds Apps to Desktop Interoperability Ecosystem

Glue42 has expanded its desktop interoperability ecosystem with the addition of independent software vendors Adaptable Tools and BCC Group, and service provider Norman & Sons. The providers are offering their services via the Glue42 platform that uses the FINOS FDC3 open standard to provide a seamless user interface and data integration between desktop apps. Adaptable Tools adds its Adaptable Blotter DataGrid solution, BCC Group real-time market data sources via its cloud native ONE Solution, and Norman & Sons’ its expertise in ensuring user experience and interface designs, as well as desktop implementations, align with customers’ business goals.

Sequantis Expands RegTech Offering

Sequantis, the French specialist in services and tools to help investors effectively monitor their financial investments within the accounting and regulatory rules framework, has announced the expansion of Sequantis Look-Through (LT), its RegTech company. With expertise in regulations analysis and compliance assistance, Sequantis LT was founded by Sequantis partners Nicolas Fournier and Olivier Durquety.

The company offers a regulatory reporting outsourcing service and currently assists asset management companies and institutional investors in relation to compliance with the various forms of regulation, such as PRIIPS, Solvency II and MIFID II.

Australia To Invest $390m in Financial Regulation

Australia’s new budget will include an additional AUD550 million ($390 million) to boost funding for policing the country’s financial sector, according to Reuters, citing Treasurer Josh Frydenberg.

The funds will finance the implementation of recommendations issued earlier this year by a government-appointed Royal Commission enquiry into financial sector greed and malpractice. The recommendations include a new oversight body for corporate regulators and the overhaul of remuneration structures across the industry.

The government will allocate A$400 million in additional funding to the Australian Securities and Investments Commission and A$150 million for the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority over the next four years.