Oil’s bear market may challenge Nasdaq’s new energy futures exchange

by Lucy Ren | Jul 30, 2015 | Business & Tech, Topics

Experts project robust growth in trading volumes on Nasdaq OMX Group’s new energy derivatives exchange, despite oil prices’ recent moves into bear market territory. After U.S. oil prices met the common definition of a bear market last week — by falling more than 20%...

As retail investors gain ‘fintech’ access, jury remains out on whether reward outweighs risk

by Lucy Ren | Jul 22, 2015 | Business & Tech, Science + Technology

As financial technology companies expand their trading services to retail investors, experts are unsettled over what the democratization of these technologies means for the average investor. Financial technology firms, collectively known as “fintech,” are swiftly...

Oxfam says lack of SEC rule contributing to oil-fueled corruption

by Lucy Ren | Jul 15, 2015 | Business & Tech

WASHINGTON–A bureaucratic delay in carrying out a rule requiring U.S.-listed companies to disclose payments to foreign governments for getting access to oil, gas and minerals has contributed to corruption in those countries and harm to investors at home, says a...

5 Years After Dodd-Frank, Consumer Protections Are Still Under Fire

by Lucy Ren | Jul 9, 2015 | Business & Tech

Washington–Five years after the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Production Act became law, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau created under it is once again under fire. At a House hearing Thursday, academic experts and Republican lawmakers...

Insurers, investment managers press for ‘off-ramp’ from SIFI

by Lucy Ren | Jul 8, 2015 | Business & Tech

WASHINGTON–Insurance and investment management companies want an “off-ramp” for companies deemed systemically important financial institutions, a designation that subjects them to tougher scrutiny, top executives told a Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and...