The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on 3 May 2023 released amendments to Form Private Fund (Form PF) to enhance the reporting requirements of SEC-registered investment advisors to private funds. Form PF was initially introduced by the SEC as part of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection…

Coming across posts recommending investment in a particular financial product/plan is common when scrolling on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook, but such posts do not go undetected by the British regulator. Financial promotions and advertising on social media platforms have spiked. This, combined with financial firms’ use of influencers (termed “finfluencers”)…

The Brent oil price, which has rallied since July 2023 due to production cuts by OPEC+, failed to continue its momentum in October 2023, declining by 4.3% from September 2023 despite concerns of disruption in supply from the Middle East amid the conflict in Israel. The decline in price followed…

Neither IFRS nor US GAAP has specific guidance on accounting for cryptocurrencies. As a result, current guidelines are applied and investment in cryptocurrencies is accounted for as an indefinite-life intangible asset. Due to the absence of a fair-value option under US GAAP, crypto investments are reported at cost less impairment…

Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS) and composable banking are two developing financial services sector innovations that are changing the way banks provide financial services. BaaS is a cloud service that enables banks to quickly and simply construct new financial products and services without having to invest in the underlying technology and infrastructure. In…

The steel sector, which has been in a state of turmoil since the breakout of COVID-19, is finally hoping for some stabilisation by the end of 2023. We can also expect steady growth for the next few years. Not all the challenges faced by the steel sector in the last…

Panel management is a process to manage a research panel that contributes insights and feedback to ongoing qualitative or quantitative research. Research panels are essential tools for collecting valuable data and insights on a number of fields, from market research to academic studies. Mastering panel management is crucial for ensuring…

The private credit market was growing gradually for many years before it gained significant traction among investors and borrowers after the 2008 global financial crisis. A previously obscure activity of Wall Street has now become a highly-sought-after alternative source of capital, rivalling mainstream avenues of financing for all types of…

The US Labor Department announced the consumer price index had advanced 3.0% y/y in June 2023. The increase indicated a global trend of higher inflation driven by ultra-expansionary monetary policies implemented by central banks worldwide to counter COVID-19-induced supply chain disruptions, exacerbated by higher energy prices on geopolitical issues. In…