No One Would Listen

Posted on the May 14th, 2010 under Markets and Exchanges, Regulation, Risk Management by Peter

While the title of the book makes you think “teen angst” and the book’s choice of cover image that makes you think “Jack the Ripper”, you’d be surprised to learn that this is a book about the Securities Exchange Commission (yes, that’s right – the not-so-dreaded SEC). The book follows the mildly eccentric tale of the mildly eccentric Harry Markopolos, briefly and intermittently describing his journey through life, but getting quickly into the meat of how he set his sights on Bernie Madoff.

Wien’s predictions: ten surprises of 2010

Posted on the February 25th, 2010 under Markets and Exchanges, Results by Guest Blogger

by Byron Wien

            The United States economy grows at a stronger than expected 5% real rate during the year and the unemployment level drops below 9%. Exports, inventory building and technology spending lead the way. Standard and Poor’s 500 operating earnings come in above $80.
         The Federal Reserve decides the economy is strong enough for [...]

Is MiFID working?

Posted on the January 27th, 2010 under Markets and Exchanges, Regulation, Technology and Operations by Chris Skinner

MiFID has been of concern as it has not achieved what it set out to do, namely to improve trade execution by providing guarantees of processing in terms of the best price, cost, speed of processing. The fact that the Directive celebrates its third year of operation without a single major best execution case or fine shows how effective that has been, particularly as best execution is known to be way off.