Opinion
The End of an Era
Rob Daly, Waters' US Editor, leaves Incisive Media today after almost a decade covering the financial technology industry.
Open Platform: Social Media as Market Data
Capital markets have much to gain from incorporating social media data into investment strategies, but must apply the same critical sourcing criteria as they would to other forms of market data, says Seth McGuire, director of asset management and…
Scrutinizing Data Quality Needs
While data standards compatibility and firms' ability to work with data providers are key considerations for data quality, attention must also be paid to the role and purpose of the data in question
Hackers Give Middle East Exchanges Black Eyes
Downed websites are more than an inconvenience.
Rage Against the Machine
Icap's currency-trading system went rogue and inadvertently caused the Swiss franc to fall. Although the incident was a "mistake" and should never have happened, it's no less disconcerting.
Open Platform: Data Driving Cloud Adoption
As rising data volumes, exchange mergers, new asset classes and regulatory moves result in greater capacity needs, firms are seeking alternative connectivity options that will reduce costs, industry-wide—and cloud technologies are poised to take…
Everything Old Is New Again—Maybe
Will cash equities market-makers make a comeback in 2012?
The Art of Communication
Anthony examines the importance of communication when enacting an IT overhaul.
Changing Data Quality Definitions
Will data quality be defined by grand notions of making multiple standards compatible, or will it evolve slowly through firms working with their providers?
January 2012: There Will Be Blood ...
Victor places his bets for 2012
Rob Daly: Financial Technology’s Future Is in the Cards
What is in store for the industry for the coming year? Rob turns to a centuries-old practice to find out.
Anthony Malakian: The Year in Quotes
George W. Bush once said that leadership means listening from time to time. Anthony did a lot of listening in 2011 as he interviewed the industry’s top CIOs, CTOs and CEOs for profiles that appeared on the covers of Waters throughout the year. Here, he…
Michael Shashoua: Central, But Not Inflexible
Centralization of data management to better support data analysis is gaining acceptance. Michael finds that the practice is becoming more nimble, and industry professionals are using or developing certain resources and technologies for central data…
Max Bowie: The Real Consumer ‘Occupation’ of Wall Street
Financial technology usually suffers from a “trickle-down” effect where sophisticated technologies from the upper echelons of the capital markets eventually reach investors. But Max asks whether individuals empowered by smartphones, tablets and apps…
Following the Sun: Trading in the Age of Free Capital Flows
In an age of free capital flows, the day never ends for the financial markets. For this reason, it is imperative for asset managers to be able to follow the sun, and they must embrace a vigorous global regulatory environment and not be constrained by its…
Year of the Dealer
With the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) promising to complete its rulemaking requirements under Dodd–Frank later this quarter, many in the industry are looking at 2012 as the year of the swap execution facility (SEF). It is too early to…
Managing LEI Expectations
Doubts about the pace of implementation of the legal entity identifier could be eased by a look at the work already getting done by firms and industry organizations
What Do You Fear?
Anthony examines some of the issues that companies fear in 2012.
Valuations: Challenges and Opportunities in the Era of Cleared OTC Derivatives
Derivatives clearing via a central counterparty (CCP) should increase transparency and empower firms to use derivatives with greater effectiveness. But while CCP-generated valuations will be hugely beneficial, they will not be a panacea. Is your…
Real-Time Risk Management Now
The calls for real-time risk management are growing louder and more frequent. Its proponents point to recent advances in hardware, analytics and data management that make real-time risk management no longer a pipe dream but a genuine prospect. However,…