BIS Quarterly Review

11 September 2006

The BIS released its Quarterly Review presenting an overview of recent developments in financial markets. The review concludes, among others, that trading in exchange-traded derivatives markets, for the second quarter of 2006, indicate that the combined turnover of interest rate, equity index and currency contracts increased by 13% from the first quarter.

In the international debt securities market, issuance remained very strong in the second quarter of 2006. It was bolstered by securitisation activity as well as by corporate borrowing, with a number of firms tapping the international market to fund mergers and acquisitions.

In the international banking market, activity continued to expand at a very rapid pace in the first quarter of 2006. Banks in the BIS reporting area either maintained or increased their exposures to almost all countries.

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Statistical Annex

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