Cocoa Prices Surge Amid West African Weather Risks

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September ICE NY cocoa (CCU26) today is up +313 (+5.43%), and September ICE London cocoa #7 (CAU26) is up +244 (+5.72%). Cocoa prices are surging today amid weather risks in West Africa, with NY cocoa posting a 6-month high and London cocoa posting a 7-month high.  Cocoa prices have rallied sharply over the past three […]

Bank uses a twist on credit-linked notes for capital relief

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OceanFirst Financial and asset manager 400 Capital Management are promoting a strategy that offers a variation on credit-linked notes regional banks have increasingly used as a means of obtaining mortgage capital relief in the U.S. market. Processing Content The companies applied the structure, which 400CM said appears to be the first fund-issued, rated, significant risk-transfer […]

PPF account turns dormant if you invest less than ₹500 a year: What you lose and how to revive it

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Public Provident Fund (PPF) is a long-term savings scheme with a 15-year lock-in period and attractive features such as tax advantages on investments, interest earnings, maturity proceeds, and a decent interest rate of 7.1% per annum. However, account holders are required to make at least one contribution every financial year to keep the account active. […]

WNC Closes Latest LIHTC Fund at $210M

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WNC & Associates, Inc. has closed on WNC Institutional Tax Credit Fund 59, L.P., a $210-million national Low-Income Housing Tax Credit fund. The fund will support the creation and preservation of affordable housing across 18 communities in 13 states. Fund 59 is investing in 2,015 units across Alaska, California, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maine, Minnesota, […]

Agentic AI for XVAs still five years away, experts say

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Agentic AI promises to transform the calculation of derivatives valuation adjustments (XVAs). But questions about model validation, accountability and regulatory readiness mean practitioners could wait up to five years to see the technology in full use, experts say. XVA pricing adjustments capture the cost of counterparty credit risk, funding and capital for derivatives portfolios, and […]

Stocks Retreat on US-Iran Jitters

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The S&P 500 Index ($SPX) (SPY) today is down -0.79%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average ($DOWI) (DIA) is down -1.44%, and the Nasdaq 100 Index ($IUXX) (QQQ) is down -0.61%.  September E-mini S&P futures (ESU26) are down -0.77%, and September E-mini Nasdaq futures (NQU26) are down -0.60%.  Stock indexes are sliding today as crude oil prices and bond yields […]

Risk managers want closer relationship with first line

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Closer co-operation between first and second lines is vital to respond to an environment where risks are moving much faster, according to risk managers. “There is a cultural element of how to bring our advisory and collaboration element early enough to the table, but at the same time keep our challenge hat on,” said Anuja […]

ClearBridge Emerging Markets Strategy Q2 2026 Commentary

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tum3123/iStock via Getty Images Market Overview Emerging markets rallied in the second quarter as AI momentum among some of the largest technology names accelerated amid vigorous earnings results. The MSCI Emerging Markets Index rose 24.1% for the quarter, outperforming most global equity markets due to strength in South Korea, which surged 87.6%, and Taiwan, which […]

Should Altadena Residents Get a Pass From California’s New Housing Laws?

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The Altadena neighborhood in Los Angeles was ravaged by the wildfires of January 2025, and according to a report by nonprofit news website CalMatters, it may get a reprieve from two of California’s marquee housing laws. CalMatters said that a bill to temporarily exempt the fire-torn community recently sailed through back-to-back Assembly hearings. It said […]

Ships I Saw at Largest US Maritime Gathering for America’s 250th

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The largest maritime gathering in US history offered an impressive display of ships and modern naval alliances. What surprised me, though, were the personal connections. On active-duty US Navy ships, older veterans regaled crew members with tales from their time at sea, comparing the advancements in technology and the patches on their uniforms. On the […]