– FINRA seeks to more closely monitor options trading to protect new retail investors; Crypto volatility continues; MIAX notches another record; Top 5 winners of CME Group’s trading contest include Loyola University Chicago, University of Illinois and Southern Illinois University; 

– “John’s Take:” A bittersweet farewell to John J. Lothian & Co.’s office on LaSalle Street;

– Jermal Chandler looks at American-style options' parameters in the “Term of the Week.”

Timing is everything in the derivatives industry. In the case of IncubEx, which develops financial products in environmental, climate risk and related commodity markets, the company appears to be right on time.

In an interview with John Lothian News at FIA Expo, Dan Scarbrough, the founder, president and COO of IncubEx, described his start in the industry with the Chicago Climate Exchange more than 15 years ago. The Intercontinental Exchange bought the Chicago Climate Exchange and its parent company, the Climate Exchange, in 2010.

The first topic brought up at the panel titled “Future State: Where do we go from here?” at FIA Asia-V was the fallout from Archegos Capital Management and what the industry might learn from it.

The leaders of three of the major Asian exchanges spoke separately in keynote addresses on the first day of FIA Asia Expo-V. They talked about the rapid change in the financial industry over the past few years, the opportunities for growth in the region, and what’s on the table for their exchanges in the near future. What follows is a summary of their individual remarks.

Much like its Western counterpart, the Asian derivatives industry spent the last year navigating an ever-changing environment dominated by the pandemic and the emergence of new market trends in retail investment, cryptocurrencies and ESG.

In a discussion on the outlook for Asia-Pacific exchanges on Day One of the FIA’s Asia-V conference, panel participants reported no slowdowns in opportunities despite a host of challenges faced by exchange-traded markets in 2021.

Regulatory issues were the first order of business at the first panel of FIA Asia Tuesday Morning (Monday night for those of us in Chicago) as Walt Lukken held a virtual fireside chat with Sharon Shi, chair of FIA Asia’s regional advisory board and managing director at G.H. Financials, and Bill Herder, FIA’s head of Asia-Pacific.

— Hempcrete finds a new role in as a carbon reduction agent

As the books close on the fall harvest, most midpoint hemp prices remain steady to marginally higher, according to the November 2021 PanXchange Hemp: Benchmark & Analysis report.

JLN Deputy Managing Editor Suzanne Cosgrove gave her notice to John Lothian News and accepted a position with Purpose Brand, a woman-run, Chicago-based PR, brand, and digital marketing company that’s all about diversity and inclusion and seeks to expand its coverage of financial firms. She leaves JLN at the end of the year and starts her new position on January 3, 2022.

China’s new economy — and markets — appear to have found a new hedging tool.

In an interview with John Lothian News, Kevin Rideout, managing director, global client development at Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEx), talked about the launch and reception for MSCI China A 50 Connect Index Futures, launched on October 18.