Securities Lending Times reports:
PASLA/RMA: just a matter of time
Shanghai | 05 March 2015
The securities lending industry is optimistic about doing business in the Asia Pacific, with 65 percent of the audience surveyed at the Pan Asia Securities Lending Association/Risk Management Association Conference on Asian Securities Lending expecting to generate greater year-on-year revenue in the region in 2015.
A panel of industry leaders also expressed their positive outlook, with many “excited” about the potential opportunities granted by the introduction of the Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect programme.
Fifty-six percent of audience predicted that Stock Connect would be workable and accessible within two years, and the panellists agreed.
Criticisms levelled at Stock Connect for its slow start were addressed by the panel, who urged patience and suggested that the initiative should be viewed as a long-term project rather than a “quick fix”.
The audience also voted on how they viewed the next two to three years, with the majority (56 percent) feeling that it is “likely” that agent lenders and beneficial owners will be facilitating regular swap transactions within that time frame.
The final subject broached by the panel was that of regulation.
Although those present in the audience deemed the global push for increased regulation to be “excessive” (44 percent) or “adequate” (52 percent), the overwhelming majority agreed that it is still not enough of an encumbrance to push them from the industry altogether.
Author: Stephen Durham
The original article is available here.