In January, underwriters and issuers were sure innovations in the US FIG hybrid market would prompt a flood of new issues in 2006. Five months on, that flood is a trickle after NAIC classification concerns significantly stalled the infant market, resulting in a stand-off. Kathryn Tully reports.There are a lot of disgruntled bankers, issuers and investors in the US hybrid bond market right now.
The US has watched the rapid development of the covered bond market in Europe and elsewhere from afar. Now, with questions hanging over the country’s giant mortgage-backed securities providers and tempted by insatiable investor appetite, US issuers are about to dip their toes in the water. Michael Marray reports.
The republican chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, Richard Shelby, has thrown his support behind the new chairman of the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Christopher Cox. He also criticised former chair William Donaldson for failing to listen to his Republican peers.