ICE Adds Weather Forecast Data to Connect Platform

Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) has extended provision of ESG data with the release of weather forecast data on its ICE Connect platform. ICE Connect users can connect streaming weather data to streaming tick information, making it easier to see how changing weather forecasts influence live market prices. All weather forecasts are archived and weather observations extend back 40 years for all forecast variables across locations. The factors include temperature, precipitation, visibility, wind and solar radiation, all of which have potential to influence the price of energy, agriculture and other weather-sensitive instruments.

SimCorp Adds Qontigo Portfolio Optimisation to Open Platform

SimCorp has partnered Qontigo, a provider of analytics and indices and part of the Deutsche Börse Group, to offer its clients a fully managed portfolio optimisation, risk management and modelling service within SimCorp Dimension. The partnership is one of many SimCorp is making to complement its own front office suite with a choice of tools for alpha generation and decision making. It is also part of SimCorp’s Open Platform that hosts numerous solutions and offers managed integration and connectivity services.

Etrading and ITSA Create Task Force to Discuss Digital Token Identifier Issuance Process

Etrading Software, acting as exclusive registration authority for ISO standard 24165 digital token identifiers (DTIs), and the International Token Standardization Association (ITSA), a non-profit organisation aiming at setting market standards for the global token economy, have created a joint task force to identify synergies in the issuance processes of both the DTI and the International Token Identification Number (ITIN), the technical identifier issued by ITSA for both fungible and non-fungible DLT-based cryptographic tokens. The task force was established in May and is due to run for the next six to twelve months.

A key deliverable of the task force will be to produce a set of recommendations for collaboration to the Digital Token Identifier Foundation (DTIF) and ITSA boards, including an outline implementation plan. These might include aligning DTIs and ITINs, automatic notifications between issuing authorities or white-label access and/or a federated model. In order to facilitate transparency, the task force charter, meeting agenda and minutes will be available to the public on the DTIF website.

SmartSearch Adds Documentation Verification Solution for AML and KYC

SmartSearch, provider of a digital verification solution for anti-money laundering (AML) and Know Your Customer (KYC) checks, has added SmartDoc, a complementary document verification system that combines facial recognition technology and expert analysis at a level similar to that of border security officials. The solution supports fraud prevention and regulatory compliance in capital markets, and also offers firms document verification as part of customer due diligence.

Broadridge Integrates OpenFin into Portfolio Management System

Broadridge Financial Solutions plans to integrate OpenFin’s operating system into its next generation portfolio and order management system, allowing users to benefit from componentised apps with configurable layouts and intuitive workflows. The partnership should help portfolio managers manage their desktop real estate more efficiently and increase productivity by reducing effort and time needed to navigate across multiple windows and screens.

BNP Paribas Selects InvestCloud for Client Relationship and Lifecycle Management Services

BNP Paribas Wealth Management has selected InvestCloud to build client relationship and lifecycle management services to onboard clients who are high net worth individuals (HNWIs). The selection was made on the basis of InvestCloud’s automation technology, which is expected to bring operational efficiency to onboarding HNWIs, ease of integration with existing systems using InvestCloud’s modular architecture, and enablement of BNP Paribas relationship managers to provide HNW clients with a more responsive and proactive level of service. InvestCloud specialises in digital platforms that enable the development of financial solutions that are pre-integrated into the cloud.

Financial Stability Board Calls for Action on LIBOR Transition

The Financial Stability Board (FSB) has published a progress report to the G20 on LIBOR transition and remaining issues, noting that with timelines for cessation of LIBOR panels confirmed at the end of 2021 and mid-2023 ‘there should be no remaining doubts as to the urgency of the need to transition away from LIBOR by the end of 2021’. The FSB says the extent of risks associated with a failure to prepare adequately for LIBOR transition means the onus is now on firms to act. With limited time available until end-2021, it urges market participants to complete the steps set out in its Global Transition Roadmap.

Exchange Data International Partners XTAL Strategies

Exchange Data International (EDI) has partnered XTAL Strategies with the aim to support XTAL’s regulated private market benchmark initiative. The initiative comes ahead of EU Benchmark Regulation (BMR), which comes into force in 2022 and will require EU supervised users of indices to only use benchmarks that comply with the regulation. XTAL predicts the adoption of BMR standards will make current private market investor benchmarking tools obsolete. The initiative to develop private market benchmarks aims to fill the gap. EDI will source detailed information required to construct private equity indices on unlisted private market funds.

Etrading Goes Live with Digital Token Identifier Registry

Etrading Software, acting as the exclusive registration authority for the ISO standard for Digital Token Identifiers (DTIs), has gone live with the DTI Registry that will assign the identifiers. Etrading’s Digital Token Identifier Foundation (DTIF), a non-profit division of the company, is responsible for the DTI Registry and will provide golden source reference data for the unique identification of digital tokens based on ISO’s new standard for digital assets, ISO 24165. The DTI Registry has been launched ahead of the ISO standard, which is scheduled to be published in Q3 2021, to meet industry and regulatory need.

Gresham Completes $38.6 Million Acquisition of Electra

Gresham Technologies has closed the acquisition of Electra Information Systems, reinforcing its market position in reconciliation solutions for financial markets and strengthening its expanding operations in North America. Electra is a provider of post-trade automation solutions, with a focus on improving efficiency and mitigating risk for buy-side participants. The investment follows Gresham’s acquisition of Inforalgo Information Technologies in July 2020, and creates a combined business providing data aggregation, control and reconciliation solutions, and supporting 270 customers worldwide.