The Bermuda Stock Exchange (BSX) has joined the European Securitisation Forum (ESF), an affiliate of the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA).

The ESF is a professional forum through which participants in the European securitisation markets advocate their common interests on important legal, regulatory, accounting and market practice issues. It is made up of investors, investment banks, legal firms, securities brokerage firms, stock exchanges and other financial services institutions.

In making the announcement BSX president & CEO, Greg Wojciechowski, said: "The BSX is delighted to have joined and been accepted to membership of this prestigious group of industry professional that are committed to ensuring that the European securitisation markets evolve in a fashion that speaks to the current challenges being experienced generally in the securitisation markets globally and which promotes industry standards that provide additional disclosure, thus making this segment of the global capital market more transparent.

• The Bermuda Stock Exchange (BSX) has announced the listing of shares in Global Special Opportunities Fund Ltd., which is up to 999,000 ordinary shares at a par value of one cent each under the provisions for qualified investors.

The company is looking to invest in a diversified portfolio of private equity, property, distressed debt, and other specialised opportunities, and plans to capitalise on the expertise of some of the leading global specialist advisers and managers, as well as focusing on key themes identified by the investment manager, Investment Bank Switzerland AG.

Global Special Opportunities Fund is recognised as a closed-ended investment company by the Guernsey financial authorities and will be regulated by the Guernsey Financial Services Commission.