The legendary Greek figure Orpheus was said to have possessed magical powers capable of moving all living and inanimate things through the sound of his lyre and voice. Over time, the Orphic theme has come to indicate the power of music to unsettle, subvert, and ultimately bring down oppressive realities in order to liberate the soul and expand human life without limits. The liberating effect of music has been a particularly important theme in twentieth-century African American literature. The nine original essays in Black Orpheus examines the Orphic theme in the fiction of such African American writers as Jean Toomer, Langston Hughes, Claude McKay, James Baldwin, Nathaniel Mackey, Sherley Anne Williams, Ann Petry, Ntozake Shange, Alice Walker, Gayl Jones, and Toni Morrison. The authors discussed in this volume depict music as a mystical, shamanistic, and spiritual power that can miraculously transform the realities of the soul and of the world. Here, the musician uses his or her music as a weapon to shield and protect his or her spirituality. Written by scholars of English, music, women's studies, American studies, cultural theory, and black and Africana studies, the essays in this interdisciplinary collection ultimately explore the thematic, linguistic structural presence of music in twentieth-century African American fiction.

The 1st edition of Back Office and Beyond became the benchmark source and reference for 'best practice' in back office procedures. Better attention to back office procedures would have prevented disasters at Barings, Sumitomo, and other causes celebres - not to mention the latest debacle at Allfirst in the USA.This ground breaking book is an essential read for anyone wanting his/her organisation to thrive and survive, containing particularly practical guidance and advice and now extends its cover to the implications of CAD II. There is a compelling requirement for aspects of risk to be situated in the Back/Middle Office areas. Indeed, they should be involved at first base: for if data is not captured accurately, there is little chance of the institution's risk profile being accurate. With so many banks offering similar products and pricing, accurate and speedy settlements have become a competition issue not to be ignored. As an additional reason for purchase, this edition now offers a guide to Equities' settlement also.

An in-depth look at the nature of market making and exchanges From theory to practicalities, this is a comprehensive, up-to-date handbook and reference on how markets work and the nuances of trading. It includes a CD with an interactive trading simulation. Robert A. Schwartz, PhD (New York, NY), is Marvin M. Speiser Professor of Finance and University Distinguished Professor in the Zicklin School of Business, Baruch College, CUNY. Reto Francioni, PhD (Zurich, Switzerland), is President and Chairman of the Board of SWX, the Swiss Stock Exchange, and former co-CEO of Consors Discount Broker AG, Nuremberg.

Clearing forms the core part of a smooth and efficiently functioning financial market infrastructure. Traditionally, it has been provided by clearing houses, most of which today act as a 'central counterparty' (CCP) between the two sides of a trade. The rapid growth of cross-border trading has sparked discussion on the most efficient industry structure - particularly in Europe and the US. At the heart of this discussion lies the question of whether the implementation of a single clearing house creates greater benefits than a more competitive but interlinked market structure. This is the starting point for this book, which analyses the efficiency of clearing and clearing industry structure. Along with clear-cut definitions and a concise characterisation and descriptive analysis of the clearing industry, the book determines the efficiency impact of various cross-border integration and harmonisation initiatives between CCPs. This serves to identify the most preferable future structure for the clearing industry.

The go-to guide to acing the Series 99 Exam! Passing the Operations Professional Qualification Exam (Series 99) qualifies an individual to perform a variety of operations functions in support of a broker-dealer. The exam covers the broker-dealer business at a fundamental level, standard operations functions, investor protection and market integrity regulations, identifying and escalating regulatory red-flag issues to the appropriate person in a firm, and professional conduct and ethical standards. There are no prerequisites for the Series 99 Exam, but all candidates must be sponsored by a FINRA member firm. Created by the experts at The Securities Institute of America, Inc., Wiley Series 99 Exam Review 2016 arms you with everything you need to pass this challenging 100-question test. Designed to help you build and fine-tune your knowledge of all areas covered in the exam and to guarantee that you're prepared mentally and strategically to take the test, it provides: Dozens of examples Assorted practice questions for each subject area covered in the exam Priceless test-taking tips and strategies Helpful hints on how to study for the test, manage stress, and stay focused Wiley Series 99 Exam Review 2016 is your ticket to passing the Series 99 test on the first try—with flying colors!

'Clearing, Settlement and Custody' focuses on the clearing, settlement and custody functions by analyzing how they work and the interaction between the organizations involved. The author examines the roles of clearing houses, central counterparties, central securities depositories and the custodians, as well as, assessing the impact on the workflow and procedures in the operations function at banks, brokers and institutions. The changes that are taking place in the industry are explored and the impact for operations managers and supervisors assessed. Clearing, settlement and custody is at the heart of everything that happens in the financial markets. The evolution of clearing and settlement is one that is still happening and as such, it is impacting on the operations function through both new practices but also, increasingly, in terms of regulation, risk and reputation. In essence the efficient clearing and settlement operation is managing risk, not because it is a direct part of the process but more because it is a bi-product. The routine procedures relate to reconciliation and record keeping. If these are performed efficiently and accurately it will result in accurate records of activity and profit and loss. The settlement process is a key element in identifying and correcting errors made by dealers and traders. Failure to identify the error or act promptly will result in potentially serious financial loss, as well as worrying audit and the regulators. In addition to these concerns the financial service sector is also undergoing a massive rationalization of the structure of clearing and settlement and seeking the twin goals of automation and shortening settlement cycles. The challenge for operations managers is considerable: manage costs, eradicate inefficiencies, create an environment to be competitive, and implement the procedures to meet future changes that will occur. In this book the author looks at some of the different roles, the processes and procedures, and the key issues, in order to help those in operations meet the challenge. The definitive series of professional references for those finance professionals concerned with "Back office" or operations management unique to this industry.Presents concise references on the essential management functions such as technology, client services, and risk management for financial operations management professionals.A comprehensive resource from a leading financial management consultant for global banks and institutions.

An in-depth look at how banks and other financial institutions manage treasury operations Created for banking and finance professionals with a desire to expand their management skillset, this book focuses on treasury operations in banking. It was written by the experts at the world-renowned Hong Kong Institute of Bankers, an organization dedicated to providing the international banking community with education and training. Offers a detailed look at treasury operations and how banks manage their relationships with various markets, including foreign exchange, bond markets, and derivatives Gives practitioners a thorough understanding of balance sheet management, settlement, and control Provides bankers with the specialised knowledge they need to undertake critical reviews of treasury operations in banks, manage a wide range of treasury activities, and identify risks