FX

First FX swap settled intraday as blockchain trials spread to more asset classes

Senior bankers are turning up in court after storied capital markets careers

The US finally labelled China a currency manipulator this week, a day after the renminbi weakened to below the psychological level of seven against the dollar. With China clearly indicating its willingness to open a new front in the trade war, the stage is set for an increase in rhetoric between the two countries.

Welcome back to our Monday newsletter. In this round-up, Allianz gets approval for first wholly foreign-owned enterprise (Wfoe) in the insurance sector, foreign bond investors will receive tax exemptions, and PBoC Shanghai branch is lifting lending quotas to help small and private enterprises.

In this round-up, China’s foreign reserves in October decrease $34bn due to the stronger dollar, monthly exports climbed more than expected, Singapore Exchange signed cooperation agreements to develop more opportunities for Chinese enterprises in Singapore.

The US Treasury declined to name China a currency manipulator in its latest report this week, contrary to expectations. But the last minute save did not prevent the renminbi from moving closer to the line in the sand with an exchange rate of seven per dollar.

China’s central bank brings back reserve requirement for FX forwards to support the RMB, the securities watchdog welcomes the launch of two year government bond futures, and a top financial regulatory body says it wants more support for the real economy before China’s leaders meet in Beidaihe.

The upcoming inclusion of onshore assets in global indices will drive massive inflows to the onshore capital markets, but will also have the side effect of downsizing the role of the offshore RMB (CNH) markets, according to Julien Martin, the head of FIC product development at the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing.

Discussions around the co-existence of two renminbi markets, one onshore and one offshore, are once again picking up pace, market participants told GlobalRMB. It will be up to China’s central bank to clean up the mess once and for all.

Chinese regulators are cracking down on foreign currency trading, going after brokers who have flouted restrictions by operating in a legal grey area. GlobalRMB investigates.

China Foreign Exchange Trade System (CFETS) has added the central limit order book and executable streaming price features to the onshore interbank FX market — a move which helps close the gap in FX trading technology between China and the international markets.

China launches onshore trading for Thai baht, NPC chairman says Hong Kong remains important to China’s effort to promote the renminbi, and China Construction Bank opens a new branch in Auckland.