The National Settlement Depository (NSD), the central securities depository of Russia, said it has established a committee to focus on draft laws and regulation regarding corporate action reform, and it had chosen Alexander Nazarov, head of Global Securities Services, to chair the committee.

The NSD said the main goals of the committee were:

• Consultations to the NSD management on the draft laws and regulations related to implementation of the corporate actions reform;
• Optimisation of the document flow related to corporate actions and proxy voting, including foreign investors and foreign nominee and depositary receipts accounts;
• Implementation of the electronic document flow for corporate actions and proxy voting;
• Development of the NSD’s Center for Corporate Information as the single and legitimate source of corporate actions information in the Russian market; and
• Enhancement of the NSD’s process related to operational and technological corporate actions in accordance with best international standards. 

With one week left till the end of June, global M&A volume totals $2.19trillion so far in 1H 2015, an increase of 31 percent from the $1.67 trillion announced in full 1H 2014, and the second-highest half year volume on record ($2.59 trillion in 1H 2007), reports data provider Dealogic.

The BNP Paribas group has published first quarter 2015 results that show revenues from its Securities Services business were up 18.6 percent on the corresponding period of a year ago compared (or +15.4 percent adjusted for constant scope and exchange rates). 

Following a survey of 5,000 of its members, the CFA Institute says that on average members expect the global economy to grow 2.0 percent in 2015. 

Broadridge Financial Solutions, a provider of investor communications and technology-driven solutions for broker-dealers, banks, mutual funds and corporate issuers globally, says it has acquired TwoFour Systems, a provider of real-time foreign exchange solutions for banks and broker-dealers.

Stamford Associates, the investment consultancy, says it has appointed Alexandra Haggard to the newly created role of chief executive officer.