This report discusses the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) comprising nine members, two ex officio members, and other members as appointed by the President representing major departments and agencies within the federal executive branch. While the group generally has operated in relative obscurity, the proposed acquisition of commercial operations at six U.S. ports by Dubai Ports World in 2006 placed the group's operations under intense scrutiny by Members of Congress and the public.
How to prevent runs on open-end mutual funds? In recent years, markets have observed an innovation that changed the way open-end funds are priced. Alternative pricing rules (known as swing pricing) adjust funds’ net asset values to pass on funds’ trading costs to transacting shareholders. Using unique data on investor transactions in U.K. corporate bond funds, we show that swing pricing eliminates the first-mover advantage arising from the traditional pricing rule and significantly reduces redemptions during stress periods. The positive impact of alternative pricing rules on fund flows reverses in calm periods when costs associated with higher tracking error dominate the pricing effect.
A well-rounded guide for those interested in European financial markets With the advent of the euro and formation of the European Union, financial markets on this continent are slowly beginning to gain momentum. Individuals searching for information on these markets have come up empty-until now. The Handbook of European Fixed Income Markets is the first book written on this burgeoning market. It contains extensive, in-depth coverage of every aspect of the current European fixed income markets and their derivatives. This comprehensive resource includes both a qualitative approach to products, conventions, and institutions as well as quantitative coverage of valuation and analysis of each instrument. The Handbook of European Fixed Income Markets introduces readers to developed markets such as the U.K., France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Holland, as well as emerging markets in Eastern Europe. Government and corporate bond market instruments and institutions are also discussed. U.S.-based investors, researchers, and academics as well as students and financial professionals in other parts of the world will all turn to this book for complete and accurate information on European financial instruments and markets. Frank J. Fabozzi (New Hope, PA) is a financial consultant, the Editor of the Journal of Portfolio Management, and Adjunct Professor of Finance at Yale University's School of Management. Moorad Choudhry (Surrey, UK) is a Vice President with JPMorgan Chase structured finances services in London.
Home bias - the empirical phenomenon that investors assign anomalously high weights to their own domestic assets - has puzzled academics for decades: financial theory predicts that an internationally well diversified portfolio of stocks and short-term bonds can reduce risk significantly without affecting expected return. Although the globalization of international equity markets has increased international investments, equity portfolios remain severely home biased today, and no single explanation seems to solve the puzzle completely. In this paper, we first provide a thorough description of the equity home bias phenomenon by defining, discussing, and applying the competing measures and presenting some estimates of the costs of under-diversification. Second, we evaluate the explanations for the equity home bias proposed in the literature such as information asymmetries, behavioral aspects, barriers to foreign investment, and governance issues, and conclude that each explanation on its own falls short, suggesting that the equity home bias probably reflects a combination of factors. Lastly, we review the implications of international under-diversification for portfolio formation and the cost of capital of companies.
The OECD Benchmark Definition of Foreign Direct Investment sets the world standard for FDI statistics. It provides a single point of reference for statisticians and users on all aspect of FDI statistics, while remaining compatible with other internationally accepted statistical standards.
Whether a financial statement preparer or auditor, it is critical to understand the complexities of the specialized accounting and regulatory requirements for investment companies. This guide supports practitioners in a constantly changing industry landscape. It provides authoritative how-to accounting and auditing advice, including implementation guidance and illustrative financial statements and disclosures. Packed with continuous regulatory developments, this guide has been updated to reflect certain changes necessary due to the issuance of authoritative guidance since the guide was originally issued, and other revisions as deemed appropriate. The updates for this 2017 edition include extensive changes to the illustrated financial statements for registered investment companies that result from SEC's issuance of the release Investment Company Reporting Modernization and related amendments to Regulation S-X. Other updates to the 2017 edition include changes to illustrated attestation reports that result from AICPA's issuance of Statement on Standards for Attestation Engagements (SSAE) No. 18, Attestation Standards: Clarification and Recodification. Further updates include: References to appropriate AICPA Technical Questions and Answers that address when to apply the liquidation basis of accounting Appendixes discussing the new standards for financial instruments, leases, and revenue recognition Appendixes discussing common or collective trusts and business development companies
Explores how a relatively small amount of heterogeneous securities created turmoil in financial markets in much of the world in 2007 and 2008. The drivers of the financial turmoil and the financial crisis of 2008 were heterogeneous securities that were hard to value. These securities created concerns about counterparty risk and ultimately created substantial uncertainty. The problems spread in ways that were hard to see in advance. The run on prime money market funds in September 2008 and the effects on commercial paper were an important aspect of the crisis itself and are discussed in some detail. Charts and tables.
