Viewpoint
Insights and opinions from key FIA staff
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Viewpoint - Telling the truth about our industry
With the elections behind us, I’m longing for less shouting, fewer political text messages and, hopefully, more common sense. And some honesty, as well. Because if you can’t come to grips with the truth, you can’t come together to solve problems and heal wounds. Growth must begin with a reality check. Our industry deserves that too, writes FIA President and CEO Walt Lukken.
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EU competitiveness dominates European conversations
Whether you follow the news on the new institutional cycle of the European Commission or you have attended a policy conference in Europe lately, every conversation finds a way back to discussing the EU’s ongoing Capital Markets Union debate. EU leaders are keenly interested in attracting capital to its markets. The question of whether they will tackle the difficult issues will determine their overall success.
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Energized by the energy markets
Earlier this month, FIA hosted its annual commodities forum in Houston, Texas. In the hometown of the energy industry, we brought together people from across the commodities landscape for discussions about how much the energy industry has changed and what opportunities for the futures industry lie ahead. Listening to our speakers, I heard the same refrain: demand will increase even more as energy markets grow increasingly complex and volatile.
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FIA visits Washington
In mid-July, members of the FIA board of directors visited Washington, DC, to hold meetings and explain the details of our efforts with leadership on Capitol Hill and several US federal agencies – the Treasury Department, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and the Securities and Exchange Commission. This annual fly-in provides the platform to share our industry priorities and demonstrate the reach of our industry with the decision-makers.
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We’re good at doing good
The futures industry is taking part in several charity endeavours this month with SGX's Rama Pillai leading the charge in this year's Kilt Challenge.
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Viewpoint - Not dead yet
Since the Brexit vote in 2016, many surmised that the best days of London as a financial center were behind her. The financial engine of mainland Europe was now an outsider looking in and many predicted that Frankfurt, Paris or even New York would replace London’s role. There is no doubt that Brexit has been a net loser financially for the UK, but for a city nearly 2,000 years old, we must look to the positives in the long game. Last week I was in London visiting FIA members and I came away energized and optimistic about the current and future state of this great city.
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Viewpoint – Treasury clearing, portfolio margining and white whales
There are tales in literature and lore of protagonists who obsess over certain quests but who are never able to obtain their elusive capture. For King Arthur, it was the Holy Grail. For Ahab, it was Moby Dick. For Casey’s at bat, it was the homerun. And for me, it’s portfolio margining of cash and futures in the US Treasury market. With the recent mandate by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to clear certain treasuries and repos, this goal is again coming into focus.
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Viewpoint – Brokers and exchanges ramp up resources for retail traders
Retail trading is one of the fastest growing dimensions of the exchange-traded derivatives markets. This trend picked up speed during the pandemic, and it shows no signs of slowing down.
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Viewpoint – The long view on China’s markets
Both the global markets and China benefit from the opening of China's markets to the world. It makes these markets safer and more accessible to investors and hedgers wherever they may reside. This leads to a more resilient global economy and stable world, and that’s a win for everyone.
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Viewpoint – Will 2024 be another record year of trading activity?
Last year the number of futures and options traded on exchanges worldwide hit a record level of 137 billion contracts. It’s worth taking a moment to appreciate just much the industry has grown in the last few years. Last year’s trading volume was 64% higher than the year before, and more than double the total number of contracts that traded in 2021.
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