FTFM
Resources
Principal content
A glittering array of complex creations
There is no real limit to innovation when it comes to structured products but the products and the regulatory framework need to evolve before structured products become widely accepted
What you see is what you get – or is it?
For retail investors, who are not necessarily aiming to meet a determined liability stream, evaluating a structured product can be challenging
Downside protection gains popularity
The newly risk averse investor offers an opportunity for the structurer who can also benefit from pricing opportunities from distressed banks, for exampel
Retail markets tracking a number of trajectories
The growth of the structured products market in Europe stems from the stock market crash in 1987
High inflows show US playing catch-up
Brokers are helping to spread the word in an increasingly appreciative market
Maturity caps end of ‘amazing’ year
Investors in Asia appear to be adopting a more measured approach
Pension funds cautiously explore hedges
Institutional demand for structured products is low, but certain instruments are proving useful
Managers see reduced threat from structurers
Market volatility and looming EU regulation have interrupted the rise
of structured products
Fledgling faces flying into a harsher climate
Tax issues, distribution challenges and investor mindset will make it difficult for banks offering structured products in the US to keep that growth going
Transparency on charges might miss the point
Structured products tend to focus the mind on what is investment rationale is: the level of return or the level of protection – the charging structure might not be relevant
