Technology Research Report

Technology Research Report is released on a monthly basis and covers a broad range of Technology related issues specific to the investment banking industry. Technology Research Report will be of great value to you if you:

Have a series of specific and well-defined questions
Need a quick turnaround of findings
Want to keep abreast of the "hot issues" in the industry on an on-going basis

Several options for Technology Research Report annual subscription are available ranging from contracts with a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 12 topics commissioned by you.

Regardless of the subscription option you pick (e.g. 3, 6 or 12 topics of your choice to be researched), you will receive 12 issues of the Technology Research Report with the collection of topic commissioned by all the subscribers.

E-portals in Investment Banking

Over the past few years investment banks have been expanding their Information Technology client offerings, in particular the use of enterprise portals (or e-Portals), in order to grow their respective businesses. E-portals have developed from the relatively crude Generation 1 platform, exemplified by the Yahoo portal of the early 1990s, to the considerably more sophisticated Generation 6 e-portal platforms which contain extensive built-in functionality and offer users a great deal of flexibility.

Integration of Risk and Finance

Pervasive failures of risk management within the banking industry and the resulting devastation strongly imply that some functions, such as Finance, cast a disproportionate influence over the banks’ business strategies. Nowadays, however, the clout of the Risk function relative to other departments over business-critical endeavours is quickly increasing. As many of the responsibilities of Finance and Risk overlap, several institutions have prioritised the demolition of silos to foster a collaborative environment.

Very Large Databases in Investment Banking

The 2008 banking crisis exposed the inadequacy of many financial institutions’ IT infrastructure in supporting risk management processes. Data was commonly stored in numerous disparate repositories which did not interface with each other, that inevitably led to the expensive replication of data. Fortunately, banks are now trying to ameliorate the situation by investing in very large databases (VLDBs) that can feed downstream systems with more consistent and accurate data.

Research Aggregators

The recovery from the global recession has become especially precarious in the aftermath of the Eurozone sovereign debt crisis and fiscal tightening in the Western world. Given these uncertain times, expert analysis and novel ideas are being diligently sought by investors. Opportunities in the financial sector, however, often also bring challenges. The format in which this research should be distributed is one such challenge, as a variety of formats have now emerged, including research aggregators, which consolidate research from various sources into one point of access.

Corporate Service Delivery to Mobile Devices

Efficient mobile communications are increasingly driving the success of modern business as the workforce becomes more mobile and we store ever more corporate data in the cloud. Whilst this brings huge business benefits in terms of improving efficiency and productivity, the safe use of mobile devices to access corporate cyberspace requires a deeper understanding of the security risks involved. Supported by the proliferation of high-end consumer technology such as smartphones, tablets and netbooks, the adoption of personal, mobile technology in the corporate environment is increasingly common.

Interest Rate Swap Pricing IT

OTC derivatives, in the form of interest rate swaps, have been affected significantly by the recent wave of financial regulation. Banks will soon be required to execute these instruments on Swap Execution Facilities (SEFs) or Multilateral Trading Facilities (MTFs), and clear them centrally. These SEFs / MTFs will be electronic trading venues that will centralise liquidity and, therefore, increase competition among dealers. In the extremely fast-paced world of trading, this move to electronic trading venues means that the IT infrastructure will become a major determinant of the degree of competitiveness of a bank.

FX E-trading Infrastructure

The appetite amongst sell-side and buy-side firms alike for electronic trading (or “e-trading”) continues to increase unabated. The Foreign Exchange (FX) space typifies theindustry’s fervour to provide electronic execution, with a third of FX transactions conducted currently being conducted electronically.