Financial Market

BofA flags stable CTA Treasury shorts, rising EUR/USD short-cover risk
Bank of America notes U.S. Treasury futures positioning remains heavily short with limited near-term cover risk, while slower-moving trend followers face pressure to reduce stretched EUR/USD short bets as the dollar weakens.

U.S. economic data due Monday: Chicago Fed index, Treasury bill auctions
Chicago Fed activity gauge and $50 billion in 3- and 6-month Treasury bill sales headline Monday’s U.S. data slate. Previous readings show modest contraction and steady yields.

Swiss wealth managers face high compliance costs under TBTF rules
Regulatory burdens for small Swiss asset managers under new rules exceed CHF 50,000 annually per firm, raising concerns over proportionality and transparency in Finma oversight.

Graubündner Kantonalbank posts 18% profit jump in H1 2026, lifts outlook
Swiss regional lender Graubündner Kantonalbank reported an 18.2% rise in H1 net profit to 137.2 million francs, with operating income up 11.2% to 286.3 million. The bank raised its full-year earnings guidance above 2025 levels.

Apollo Global discloses data breach amid broader cyberattack wave
Asset manager confirms unauthorized access to cloud platforms last month; investigation ongoing as hackers target financial firms with low-tech tactics.

Bank of America warns of market fallout if U.S. bond plan fails
BofA strategist Hartnett sees dollar weakness and increased short bets on risk assets if 30-year Treasury yields stay above 5%. S&P 500 drops 1.9% amid bond-market volatility.
AI fintech Tabs raises $92M, valued at $400M amid revenue surge
Tabs, an AI-driven finance automation platform, has grown from a 2023 launch to 180 employees and triple-digit revenue growth, backed by $92M in funding and a $400M valuation.

BMO reshuffles international capital markets leadership amid global expansion
Richard Couzens to lead unified international capital markets unit, while Chris Taves prepares to retire in 2027. Restructuring follows BMO’s push into EMEA and Asia.

LGT posts 17% profit rise in H1 2026 as assets under management hit record
Group net profit rose to 281.6 million francs as revenues climbed 5% to 1.49 billion francs, with net new money inflows reaching 12.3 billion francs. Managed assets surged 7% to a record 412.6 billion francs.

LGT posts 17% profit gain as assets top CHF400bn in H1 2026
Private bank’s net new money inflows hit CHF12.3bn, lifting managed assets to a record CHF412.6bn. CET1 ratio declines to 18.0% as costs rise 2%.

Headhunter Jauch: Balancing growth and risk key to sustainable private banking
Headhunter Reto Jauch argues that Swiss private banks must blend aggressive growth with disciplined risk management, with robust governance and compliance at the core of long-term stability.

Swiss EAMs face eight key trends amid market shifts
Consolidation, specialization and evolving client needs are reshaping Switzerland’s independent wealth management sector, with professionalization and risk management gaining prominence.

Chubb launches tailored insurance for Swiss investment managers
New Investment Management Insurance bundles D&O, professional indemnity and crime coverage for fund managers, private equity and venture capital firms. Policies adapt to corporate changes, including automatic inclusion of new funds.
AI bots waste millions of hours of scammers' time, firms say
Australian startup Apate deploys nearly 200,000 AI personas to engage fraudsters, extracting intelligence for banks and telcos while disrupting illicit operations.

Viseca posts 6.2% profit drop in H1 2026 despite transaction growth
Swiss payments provider Viseca reports lower net income as interest and fee revenues decline, offsetting higher transaction volumes and card issuance growth.

EUR/USD breakout tests dollar’s yield-driven support amid Treasury buybacks
Dollar weakens after U.S. Treasury doubles long-end bond buybacks to $4bn, narrowing yield spreads with Germany. EUR/USD eyes 1.1785 after breaking above 200-day average.

Saratoga Investment raises $85M via 8% notes due 2031
Business development company Saratoga Investment priced an $85 million unsecured notes offering at an 8% yield, maturing in 2031, with proceeds to redeem its 2027 notes.

JDC posts record H1 2026 profit, eyes AVD launch in 2027
First-half revenue rose 18.7% to €143.5 million as AI-driven efficiency gains offset weak contract transfers. Altersvorsorgedepot platform to target 50 million eligible Germans from January.

Floating-rate bond ETFs outperform as yields rise in 2026
Top-performing bond ETFs in 2026 focus on floating-rate and ultra-short strategies, avoiding duration risk amid rising Treasury yields. Key picks include USFR, JAAA and JPST.

The hidden operational toll of 24/7 Stock CFDs
STARTRADER’s 45 new round‑the‑clock equity CFDs sound like a retail breakthrough, but the back‑office, data and tech challenges may outweigh the convenience for many traders.

Migros Bank Seeks Retail Banking Head After Schawalder's Departure
Markus Schawalder, head of retail banking and executive board member at Migros Bank, is leaving to pursue new professional opportunities.

Switzerland Updates Sanctions Ordinances Concerning Moldova
The Swiss Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research has published an amendment to sanctions regarding Moldova.

Canadian dollar strengthens after inflation beats forecasts
Headline inflation in Canada rose 3.4% year-on-year in December, exceeding economist expectations and supporting the loonie's advance.

TPG Global offers $468M for Australia’s EQT Holdings
Private equity firm TPG Global proposes A$650 million ($468 million) cash bid to acquire EQT Holdings, operator of Australia’s largest independent stockbroking network.

