Banks are asking themselves how they will be able to trade oil under new US regulations. This matters to oil markets, because the banks have long been integral participants — providing capital and adding liquidity. One key aspect of the US regulations is the Volcker rule banning "proprietary trading" by banks. The new laws are a direct response to the collapse of Lehman Brothers two years ago, on 15 September 2008, and the resulting financial and economic chaos.
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