Where does Libor live in a bank? Why are banks in Asia not looking at Libor transition seriously? Which bank is racing ahead? It’s been an interesting couple of weeks for Libor transition watchers.
“Forget Buenos Aires,” said Alicia Garcia-Herrero, Natixis’ chief economist for the Asia Pacific region. She said Japan will gain in the short term due to tariffs but the broader picture, however, is quite complicated.
Markets are skittish, prone to starting at shadows or gorging themselves on rumours. Is China’s ‘counter-cyclical bounce’ just the latest piece of scuttlebutt to affect the currency or is the writing on the wall?
If traditional industries are the ground troops in the looming conflict, cross-border e-commerce platform Youkeshu is China’s militia. Its CFO talks trade warfare, hedging strategy and bank relationships.
A 20% reserve requirement set by Chinese regulators on dollar/Rmb forward contracts has an instant impact. As predicted, futures contracts are moving offshore.
Notional cash pooling avoids the physical transfer of foreign exchange, reducing FX risk. The US tech manufacturer's Yvione Zhou explains how it works in Asia.
China's decision to reduce bank reserve requirements, the third such move this year, surprised no one. But the timing and nature of the latest cut are clearly linked to the risk of a trade war.