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John Lothian Newsletter
October 20, 2017 "Irreverent, but never irrelevant"
 
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Hits & Takes
By JLN

ICE has made the inaugural Fortune Future 50 list, their ranking of companies best positioned for breakout growth.~JJL

The FIA Expo panel on the geography of fintech was a draw regarding which city is best - London, Frankfurt/Berlin, Chicago, Boston or New York. But noted places of envy were the fintech sandboxes in Ontario and London.~JK

Quote of the day comes from Kyle Zasky, partner at the investment bank SennaHill Partners, who said large banking institutions are at risk of being disrupted by fintech start-ups if they do not embrace and invest in them. "What you are calling a rarity could be a necessity."

If one thing was made clear at FIA Expo, it is that Bitcoin is indeed a real market many traditional futures participants believe in. Trading Technologies' Rick Lane mentioned in his recent blog a new effort with Mike Unetich to develop a cryptocurrency strategy for the firm.

NYSE FANG+ futures will begin trading on ICE Futures U.S. on November 8, 2017, subject to regulatory review.~JJL

Asia Pacific Financial News from John Lothian News - October 19, 2017~JJL

A question that came up at a couple of panels yesterday was how to define liquidity. Participants agreed to make a distinction between market liquidity and collateral liquidity and quoted the Fed's Stanley Fischer that liquidity is basically the ability to execute sizeable transactions in a low cost environment rapidly with limited impact on prices. That is made difficult these days, however, by the supplemental leverage ratio, which has contributed to the reduced number of FCMs, which in turn reduces market liquidity. Also, some of the rules pertaining to bank capital are detrimental to liquidity, particularly in options. ~SR

In the first 50 minute section of the equity options panel at FIA Expo yesterday, there was not one passing reference to volatility (or lack thereof). Subjects covered included: BOX's opening of a trading floor, concerns regarding the Consolidated Audit Trail, longstanding complaints about what some consider the unnatural subsidizing effect of the ORF, and the potential for industry collaboration on options market structure (an OPSAC if you will).~SD

Supporting the November 9 LaSalle Street Trading Tech Awards event not only helps underserved Scouts earn merit badges, but more importantly, it inspires them. Through the Trading Tech 300 program Scouts earn STEM-focused merit badges with the assistance of professionals in the financial district. Please consider investing some of your charitable giving budget in a program that is educating and positioning our next generation of talent. Then, join me to honor those who partnered with the Boy Scouts to provide merit badge clinics throughout the year at the LaSalle Street Trading Tech Awards in the iconic Chicago Board of Trade Building. Register HERE ~JJL

Three firms have agreed to hold Trading Tech 300 merit badge workshops in New York City. They will be announced at the November 9 LaSalle Street Trading Tech Awards event.~JJL


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Adi Agrawal is Optionus Prime
By John Lothian - JLN
Adi Agrawal is Optionus Prime, the chief transformer of the Options Clearing Corporation. More formally he is not a child's toy or the star techno-actor of a hit movie series, but rather the Chief Transformation Officer of the OCC. He is the chief transformer in my book.

As Optionus Prime, Agrawal has a new role at an organization that is trying to reinvent itself based on the challenges of Dodd-Frank.

For the rest of the story, go HERE


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Deep Dive: The Boom In Big Data Could Mean Democracy For All
JohnLothianNews.com

The global financial markets are facing perhaps the biggest technological cycle in their history, with the growth of faster technology, the adoption of the cloud and now new data mining tools. JLN's Jim Kharouf spoke with Drew Shields, chief technology officer at Trading Technologies, and Julie Armstrong, executive director, global head of market technology services at CME Group, about the latest trends in data and how they are reshaping the industry.
Watch the video and read the rest here »



Sponsored Content
IFM Smart Financial Regulation Roundtable


FIA launches FIA Training for industry professionals
FIA
FIA announced the launch of FIA Training this week, a program of in-person and online learning opportunities that cover important topics like market conduct and compliance.
/goo.gl/rr8k8W

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TellusLabs Named FIA Innovator of the Year
FIA
FIA announced that TellusLabs has been named the FIA Innovator of the Year at FIA Expo. TellusLabs will receive more than $20,000 in cash and other resources.
/goo.gl/FNAfWx

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Thursday's Top Three
Yesterday's top read piece was from Bloomberg, The Opioid Addict on the Wall Street Trading Floor. Second went to the new JLN video series Deep Dive: The Boom In Big Data Could Mean Democracy For All. Third went to the Wall Street Journal's SEC Names J.P. Morgan Executive as Top Regulator of Exchanges

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John Lothian News (JLN) is the news division of John J. Lothian & Company, Inc. (JJLCO). The online media and financial services firm is staffed by derivatives industry, journalism and technology professionals.
 
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John Lothian News Editorial Staff:
 
John Lothian
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Jim Kharouf
Editor-in-Chief
 
Sarah Rudolph
Managing Editor
 
Jeff Bergstrom
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Spencer Doar
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Lead Stories
SEC Approves Chicago Stock Exchange's 'Speed Bump' for Trading; SEC's decision comes as several other exchanges have experimented with such delays
Alexander Osipovich - WSJ
The Securities and Exchange Commission has approved a plan by the tiny Chicago Stock Exchange to introduce a new "speed bump," a person familiar with the situation said.
/goo.gl/1Eb1ag

Few Illinois congressmen show eagerness to aid Chicago Stock Exchange sale
Lynne Marek - Crain's Chicago Business
Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner urged the Securities and Exchange Commission recently to approve the sale of the Chicago Stock Exchange to a group that includes Chinese buyers, but his support may be too little too late.
jlne.ws/2yDAGJb

Trading Firms Fear Mutiny on MiFID Rule Demanding Passport Data
Will Hadfield - Bloomberg
MiFID II forces investors to submit personal data in trades; Data demand risks clash between exchanges, funds, regulators
A potentially explosive battle is brewing over a seldom-discussed aspect of the looming MiFID II laws, which will force traders of any European asset class to hand over personal identification such as passport numbers to every venue they trade on.
/goo.gl/SaqHGx

U.K. Lawmaker Calls for Probe Into 'Dark Money' Role in Brexit
Alex Morales - Bloomberg
The U.K. should investigate whether "dark money" played a role in the 2016 Brexit referendum, a Labour Party lawmaker said on Thursday, citing a series of reports on the OpenDemocracy website about Arron Banks, who helped bankroll the 'Leave' campaign.
/goo.gl/QJtNw5

A Social Network Credit Union? Regulator Asks, 'Why Not?'; National Credit Union Administration chief says Congress should consider a change 'bankers might not be totally in love with'
Ryan Tracy - WSJ
Congress should consider allowing credit unions to serve communities that exist only online, the industry's top regulator said—remarks that could stir ire in the banking industry, which competes with credit unions and is fighting their ability to expand their fields of membership.
/goo.gl/Bn5Aqj

Incoming SEC section chief faces calls to overhaul trading rules; Former JPMorgan executive to oversee broker deals, high-speed traders and exchanges
Nicole Bullock in New York - FT
The Securities and Exchange Commission has named a JPMorgan executive to head up the division that oversees broker dealers, high speed traders and exchanges following calls to revise core rules governing trading in the largest equity market in the world.
/goo.gl/Etjynd

Leaders in Trading editor's choice awards - the nominees part 4
Editors - The Trade
Eze Software - Eze's execution management system is often recognised as one of the most popular by the buy-side. It provides multi-broker trading platform providing access to liquidity venues for execution and various other functions. It also integrates OMS's and portfolio accounting modules to allow for more efficient workflows. Throughout 2017, Eze has added various new tools to its investment product suite in preparation for MiFID II, including transaction reporting, trade reporting and best execution support
/goo.gl/yLJreN

FCA: London doesn't need EU membership to keep investment industry booming
Catherine Neilan - City AM
The UK's booming investment industry does not require EU membership to keep motoring, the head of the Financial Conduct Authority has said.
/goo.gl/e5DitB

E*Trade to buy custody firm in growth push as profits remain dull
Elizabeth Dilts - Reuters
E*Trade Financial Corp (ETFC.O) plans to spend $275 million to acquire a firm that provides custody services and technical support to financial advisers, the discount brokerage firm said on Thursday.
/goo.gl/yudVbP





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Exchanges, OTC & Clearing
Top news from exchanges, clearing, settlement and trade execution facilities
Xavier Rolet to leave London Stock Exchange Group by the end of December 2018
London Stock Exchange Group
As Xavier Rolet approaches nine years of extraordinary success, London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) announces that he will leave the Group by the end of December 2018.
/goo.gl/iUsxhq

Tough times loom for LSE after Rolet bows out; Successor CEO will inherit challenges of adapting to Brexit and new technology
Philip Stafford in London - FT
Xavier Rolet transformed the London Stock Exchange Group from a share-trading venue to a global data and clearing powerhouse, delighting shareholders with its hugely-enhanced value.
/goo.gl/YZq9aL

Names in the frame to lead the London Stock Exchange
Samuel Agini - Financial News
Xavier Rolet has announced his decision to step down as chief executive of the London Stock Exchange before the end of 2018. His will be big shoes to fill. The former Lehman Brothers equities trader has helped diversify the iconic exchange beyond its traditional capital markets business, placing a huge emphasis on post trade and information services.
/goo.gl/Qc4M9w

Fixed Income Market Briefing
Eurex
Looking back on the third quarter of this year, I'd say that global markets have held up well. Although we have seen implied volatility remain range bound, volumes across the board increased year-on-year (YOY). Periphery futures and options contracts have benefited from regional geopolitical and event risks, together with short-term spikes in volatility. The September sell-off saw strong volumes across the core benchmark products including futures and options. Bund volatility continues to trade in the 4%-6% corridor and open interest (OI) is +20% YOY.
/goo.gl/D5aUYr

A Chinese Pipe Dream for Manila
Shuli Ren - Bloomberg
Opposites attract. China's billions are already flowing into the Philippines via online gaming and infrastructure spending. Hot portfolio flows could be next. Philippine Stock Exchange Inc. is in talks with its Shenzhen counterpart on a possible investment, CEO Ramon Monzon told Bloomberg News. The Southeast Asian exchange wants a Shenzhen-Manila connect, Monzon said, referring to the special trading links established between China's stock markets and Hong Kong.
/goo.gl/KHJ1fm

Single Stock Futures: Introduction of 25 SSFs
Eurex
The Management Board of Eurex Deutschland and the Executive Board of Eurex Zürich AG took the following decisions with effect from 25 October 2017:
/goo.gl/sgMMG6

IChange of partition ID and multicast addresses for 15 equity options and weekly options products
Eurex
Eurex Deutschland and Eurex Zürich AG (collectively: the Eurex Exchanges) are planning to make configuration changes for a total of 15 equity options/weekly options products to optimise access to the respective market data. For the affected products, the Eurex Exchanges will re-assign the partition IDs and the multicast addresses for the dissemination of market data.
/goo.gl/BnTxFE

Clearstream's monthly report; Brexit: Clearstream ensures reliable custody
Deutsche Börse Group
As part of the Deutsche Börse Group, the international central depositary Clearstream will support market participants regardless of the outcome of the Brexit negotiations with reliable custodians.
/goo.gl/gMhSgg

HKEX Announces Plans for more Long-dated Contract Months in its Derivatives Market
HKEX
Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) announced today (Friday) that it plans to introduce long-dated contract months for its Hang Seng Index (HSI) and Hang Seng China Enterprises Index (HSCEI) Futures and increase the long-dated contract months for its HSI and HSCEI Options, with maturities up to 5.5 years, on Monday, 4 December 2017, subject to regulatory approval.
/goo.gl/GacjU9

Bitcoin ETF May Be Next Big Thing on US Exchanges
Newsmax
Bitcoin exchange-traded funds are coming, helped by the emergence of derivatives on the digital currency, according to industry executives.
/goo.gl/fF7rNA




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Fintech
A roundup of today's market tech news and a look at tomorrow's disruptors
Colt to provide direct connectivity for Japan Exchange Group to Chicago
Finextra
Colt Technology Services is announcing that it will provide direct connectivity between trading venues in Tokyo and Chicago for the Japan Exchange Group's new inter-exchange service dubbed "JPX-Chicago Co-Location Direct".
/goo.gl/4ktjCy

GuavaTech colocates services at ASX's data centre, the Australian Liquidity Centre
Press Release
GuavaTech, a provider of global multi-asset trading infrastructure and managed services, will expand its service offerings to include colocation and connectivity services at the Australian Liquidity Centre (ALC), ASX's state-of-the-art data centre.
/goo.gl/2kQEi7

Anova Technologies Improves Its Wireless Backbone Between NASDAQ, BATS and the New CFE Home at NY5, With 100% Data Delivery Guarantee
BusinessWire
Anova Technologies, a leading optical wireless carrier and engineering firm, has recently constructed a new path connecting the NASDAQ exchange at NY11 (1400 Federal Blvd, Carteret, NJ) and the BATS exchange at NY4/5 (755 & 800 Secaucus Rd, Secaucus NJ).
/goo.gl/pzwHBi

eClerx Markets and FIA Technology Services (FIA Tech) Announce Successful Launch of EGUS Document Digitization Solution for The Global Futures Industry
PR Newswire
The first initiative stemming from the eClerx Markets and FIA Tech's Strategic Partnership is a centralized, EGUS (Electronic Give-Up Agreement System) Agreement Rate Schedule Digitization Solution. By combining eClerx Markets' significant brokerage experience and process delivery expertise with Semantic Evolution's technology for extracting unstructured data, the solution quickly and accurately digitizes pdf rate schedules into an electronic rate format (eRate) for upload into EGUS.
/goo.gl/Pxpt8T

Nasdaq Awarded Patent for Blockchain Data Matching System
Nikhilesh De - Coindesk
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has awarded exchange operator Nasdaq a patent for a proposed blockchain-based data matching system.
/goo.gl/1o3Es1

UK fintech startups are on track for a record-breaking year of investment in 2017
Lynsey Barber - City AM
Fintech startups in the UK are on track to attract a record amount of investment in 2017 new figures reveal, bucking concerns that Brexit could derail the star sector.
/goo.gl/S7KPGB




Politics
An overview of politics as it relates to the financial markets
Rage, Rocket Man and the price of Donald Trump's vanity; US allies' policy of working to minimise the president's impact is running out of road
Philip Stephens - FT
The rage in the White House is unbounded. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un — "Little Rocket Man", the US president calls him — must be destroyed. The international nuclear agreement with Iran is the worst deal ever. Free trade is a conspiracy against the US. America's allies are freeloaders. It is a struggle not to conclude the real and present danger to international peace and security now sits at the point of collision between Donald Trump's narcissism and the limits on US power.
/goo.gl/MffPbJ

Why Donald Trump needs to read Dow 36,000; As Trump cheers equity milestones he faces the risk of owning a market downturn
Tom Braithwaite - FT
With hindsight, it is easy to mock Dow 36,000. But that's no reason not to do it. Especially since co-author Kevin Hassett now sits in the White House, as chief economic adviser to a US president who loves to cheer stock market milestones.
/goo.gl/KXPJXY



Regulation & Enforcement
For more regulatory, visit MarketsReformWiki, our website focused on current market reform efforts.
Former Dean Foods Chairman Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Insider Trading
Nicole Hong - WSJ
A federal judge on Thursday sentenced Thomas C. Davis, the former chairman of Dean Foods Co., to two years in prison for engaging in a long-running insider trading scheme with legendary Las Vegas gambler William "Billy" Walters.
/goo.gl/V5pbQK

The Only Fed Rule Is That There Are No Fed Rules; Monetary policy is too much of a political balancing act to burden it with a strict template.
Tyler Cowen - Bloomberg
One of the most frequent recommendations for monetary policy is that the Federal Reserve should be subject to a rule. Milton Friedman proposed money-supply-growth rules in the 1970s, and since then we have seen calls for interest-rate rules, nominal GDP rules, inflation rules, price-level rules and Taylor rules, among other options. Often I'm sympathetic, but the very nature of American government makes such rules impossible to implement.
/goo.gl/At8rMh

Full Federal Court dismisses broker's appeal
ASIC
The Full Federal Court of Australia has dismissed former Victorian finance broker Rudy Noel Frugtniet's appeal against his permanent banning from engaging in credit activities.
/goo.gl/3LyG6Z

ASIC releases update to evidence metrics for performance reporting
ASIC
ASIC has released updated evidence metrics to report against six common key performance indicators (KPIs) in the Australian Government's Regulator Performance Framework (Framework).
/goo.gl/EXHLQr

Adairs pays penalty for alleged continuous disclosure breach
ASIC
ASX-listed company Adairs Limited (Adairs) has paid a penalty of $66,000 after ASIC issued an infringement notice alleging it had not complied with the continuous disclosure obligations.
/goo.gl/qEWWDX

FCA statement on judicial review of PPI complaints measures
UK FCA
On 3 October 2017 the Court of Appeal refused We Fight Any Claim permission to appeal the decision by Mr Justice Singh (as he then was) in the Administrative Court on 4 August 2017 to refuse We Fight Any Claim permission to bring a claim for judicial review of the FCA's new package of measures in relation to PPI complaints (including a 29 August 2019 deadline for making new PPI complaints).
/goo.gl/NzjkjN

Financial Conduct Authority Outlines Lessons Learned In Year One Of Its Regulatory Sandbox
Mondovisione
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has today published a report outlining how the regulatory sandbox (sandbox) has met its objectives over the first year of operation.
/goo.gl/JRisHf

New CFTC commissioners take aim at market, technology risk
Rick Baert - Pensions & Investments
The two newest commissioners on the Commodity Futures Trading Commission said their focus will be on risk.
/goo.gl/uEj36W

Keynote Address of Daniel Gorfine, Director of LabCFTC and Chief Innovation Officer before the 33rd Annual FIA Futures & Options Expo, Chicago, IL
CFTC
FinTech Innovation: Building a 21st Century Regulator
Good afternoon everyone and thank you to the FIA for having me here today
/goo.gl/cdu759








Investing & Trading
Today's top stories from equities, indices and FICC (fixed income, currencies and commodities)
Two Sigma has taken on KCG quant head as Virtu fallout continues
Paul Clarke - efinancialcareers
Maybe it was the chance to jam in its in-house recording studio, play air hockey or a plethora of other board games, but Two Sigma has just picked up a major new hire from the fallout at KCG Holdings.
/goo.gl/XyyKWg

Palladium steals gold's thunder at industry gathering; Price of metal used in catalysts for petrol cars has jumped 40% this year
Henry Sanderson - FT
In the ranks of metals, gold shines brightest for most investors. But this week's gathering of the gold industry in Barcelona was dominated by palladium, the hottest metal for many at the moment.
/goo.gl/bV78dF

Bull Market Is Too Big for This Barn; Stock analyst's depiction of Dow's climb at a Minnesota farm runs out of room
Erik Holm - WSJ
With 51 record highs this year, it sometimes feels like the Dow Jones Industrial Average is going through the roof. On the side of Ralph Acampora's barn, it actually is.
/goo.gl/EMF8jA




John Lothian Productions



Banks, Brokers & Managed Funds
The latest from banks, brokers, hedge funds and managed futures
E*Trade acquiring custodian Trust Company of America
Mark Schoeff Jr. - Pensions and Investments
E*Trade said Thursday it is buying Trust Company of America for $275 million in cash. Josh Pace, president and chief executive of Trust Company of America, said in a letter to the firm's investment-adviser clients that the transaction will close by the end of the second quarter of 2018.
/goo.gl/jm9tGN

Hedge fund Red Kite files $850m suit against Barclays
Martin Arnold, Neil Hume - FT
Red Kite, a hedge fund specialising in metals investments, has filed an $850m lawsuit against Barclays, accusing the UK bank of causing it vast losses by front-running its trades in the copper market.
/goo.gl/zVTYQi




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Regions
Stories of local interest from the Americas, EMEA and Asia-Pacific regions
Switzerland's Old-Money Problem: One Billion in Expiring Francs; 1970s-era bank notes will become expensive wallpaper in a couple of years
Brian Blackstone - WSJ
One of the world's most coveted currency notes, the Swiss franc, includes a feature that runs at odds with its reputation as a safe store of value: It has an expiration date—and for some notes, that is fast approaching.
/goo.gl/EULXDT

Japan equity funds suffer record outflows ahead of election; Investors opt not to trust forecasts of Shinzo Abe victory after other polling snafus
Nicole Bullock in New York - FT
Japan equity funds suffered record outflows in the past week as traders and investors turned defensive after a stirring run up for share prices ahead of the country's snap elections on Sunday.
/goo.gl/HjW6si

SoftBank preparing sequels to $100bn Vision Fund; Japanese tech giant wants to invest in 1,000 companies in 10 years
Nikkei
SoftBank Group Chairman and CEO Masayoshi Son on Thursday revealed his intention to create another technology investment fund, just months after establishing a roughly $100 billion fund.
/goo.gl/9yHNzk

Kobe Steel scandal escalates with probe into copper plant
Peter Wells - FT
Kobe Steel has confirmed that one of its copper plants in Japan is being investigated by authorities for a possible breach of industrial standards, in an escalation of its data falsification scandal that has dragged in more than 500 companies.
/goo.gl/xbKJz2

Fitch predicts correction in 'highly overvalued' London office market
Nicholas Megaw - FT
A profit warning from IWG on Thursday highlighted the impact that Brexit uncertainty is already having on office space in the capital, and the situation is only likely to get worse, according to Fitch Ratings.
/goo.gl/ZX5by8








Brexit
Financials stories regarding the decision of the United Kingdom to leave the European Union
Blankfein heaps pressure on May over Brexit as he praises Frankfurt; Goldman chief lauds German financial hub as UK PM seeks EU summit breakthrough
Martin Arnold in London and George Parker in Brussels - FT
Goldman Sachs' chief executive has praised the attractions of Frankfurt in a Twitter message that heaped more pressure on Britain's prime minister Theresa May as she kicked off crucial Brexit talks at this week's European summit.
/goo.gl/SpEsjr

Theresa May asks EU not to back her into corner on Brexit; PM seeks green light for transition talks but bloc expected to say progress not sufficient
George Parker, Alex Barker and Jim Brunsden - FT
Theresa May has implored European leaders not to back her into a corner on Brexit, saying that there was a "clear and urgent" need to move exit talks to the next phase as her Eurosceptic critics began to mobilise.
/goo.gl/7x9D2y








Miscellaneous
Stories that don't quite fit under the other sections
Former Fed Chair Paul Volcker Writing Memoir; 'The American century has deteriorated a bit. It's been an interesting arc of history.'
Jeffrey A. Trachtenberg - WSJ
Former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker is at work on a memoir he says will address the larger themes that have dominated his life of public service.
/goo.gl/XGcxbX








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