News labeled financial markets:

Investing in high-yield or emerging market bonds are two attractive alternatives in the current uncertain market environment. For those willing to bear the risk of owning equities, investing in companies with high dividend yields is also a good option. Here you can hear Hans Peterson, head of Investment Strategy at SEB, outline some main conclusions in the most recent issue of the Investment Outlook report. Click link to read full report.

Francois Hollande is set to win the upcoming French election, with the latest polls awarding him around 56 per cent of the votes in a final round on 6 May. SEB’s economists in a new research note say a Hollande victory would be detrimental to French public finances but no game changer; the differences between him and Nicolas Sarkozy regarding public finances should not be exaggerated. Bond markets will force the next president to adopt a tough approach to the country's budget deficit.

None of the Swedish banks took the offer of cheap funding when the European Central Bank (ECB) Wednesday offered a three year loan facility. Anders Kvist, head of Group Financial Mangement at SEB, explains why SEB did not want to take the offer.

Hans Peterson, head of Investment Strategy at SEB, talks about the current investment climate and the new issue of Investment Outlook. He says that in spite of problems in some countries and regions, 2012 has the potential to be a good year for investors and the second half is set to be better than the first half.

Click link below to read the full report.

Moody's Investors service, the credit ratings agency, has placed 114 financial institutions, including SEB, on a watch list for possible downgrades to their long-term credit ratings.

European investors and money managers, in a survey done by Institutional Investor magazine, named SEB Enskilda the best provider of Nordic equity research. "The survey shows that our entire Nordic team is delivering research that customers outside the Nordic region highly appreciate," Fredrik Carlsson, head of Equity Research at SEB Enskilda, says

SEB’s economists maintain their relatively positive view on Russia in the near term as long as the oil price stays at roughly the level as it is today. They forecast GDP to grow by 3.6 per cent in 2012 and 4.1 per cent in 2013, a minor downward revision for both years compared to the forecast made in November 2011.

SEB’s economists in a note says that while the ongoing crisis in the euro zone and worsening economic outlook for many of the UK’s important trading partners are downside risks, leading indicators such as the PMIs have been encouraging, suggesting that GDP growth will turn positive again in the current quarter. The UK may thus escape a technical recession. All in all, SEB’s GDP forecasts have been lowered to 0.4 per cent for 2012 and 1.7 per cent in 2013.

SEB’s economists have raised their forecast for China’s GDP growth to 8.5 per cent in 2012 and 8.7 per cent in 2013 following growth of 8.9 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2011. The economists say that as long as the euro zone debt and banking crisis does not spread globally there’s a chance growth could exceed the forecast.

SEB’s economists have revised their forecast for Sweden’s 2012 growth downwards to 0.5 per cent from 0.7 per cent, mainly due to further deterioration of the growth outlook for the euro zone. Incoming data also confirm the assessment that GDP declined in the fourth quarter and the economists have lowered their forecast to a 0.8 per cent fall compared to the third quarter.

Prospera named SEB Enskilda the top Nordic corporate finance advisor in its latest ranking based on interviews with over 500 corporations and institutions in the region.

“This is the only ranking in our markets based on client feedback and it’s hence important for us to get this recognition,” John Abrahamson, head of SEB Enskilda Corporate Finance, says.

Prospera’s survey covered 27 investment banks providing corporate finance advice, of which 15 Nordic and 12 international.

Prospera has for the second year in a row awarded SEB Enskilda the sole number 1 position in the Nordic Equity category in its annual analyst ranking.

“That we earn the top ranking trust and business from our client’s year in and year out is a tremendous achievement that requires a very high standard across all colleagues and sites in our offering, Fredrik Carlsson, head of SEB Enskilda says.

Crude oil is back on the radar with prices forecast to rise more than previously expected, but in general commodities will be flat over the next six months in light of the current global turbulence.

The European Commission will present a proposal for a Tobin tax on financial transactions this autumn. Implementation of this tax is unlikely as both Sweden and the UK oppose it. It would be easier to find support for a stability levy, writes SEB economist Andreas Johnson in a note published Wednesday.

SEB has been voted as the leading bank for arranging new bond issues on behalf of Swedish issuers, in the latest TNS SIFO Prospera rankings. The ranking it based on interviews with the finance directors of the 45 largest issuers of bonds in the Swedish market. "Of the 19 criteria we were judged on, we came out on top in all but three," says Anders Engstrand, global head of Origination and Syndicate at SEB.

SEB has gained market share and further strengthened its position as a leading player in the Nordic foreign exchange market, according to a range of surveys and awards published lately. Here you can hear Joachim Alpen, head of SEB’s foreign exchange trading unit, comment on the successful development.

SEB has expanded its information and networking platform The Benche to include custody services in addition to trade finance and cash management. The custody services section on The Benche is targeting professionals within the banking and financial services industry around the globe.

SEB takes a positive view on stock exchange operator Nasdaq OMX’s move to launch INET, its American trading platform, in the Nordic markets.

SEB’s latest Financial Officers’ Index shows that consistent with positive economic indicators, Swedish financial officers are becoming increasingly optimistic and many now expect higher volumes to contribute to improved profitability in 2010. In addition, they regard price increases as more likely than before.