Opening Bell: 1.17.17

Zohar CLO Funds Target Lynn Tilton in $1 Billion Lawsuit (WSJ)

The Zohar investment funds at the heart of Lynn Tilton’s $2.5 billion distressed-debt empire sued their founder Monday, accusing Ms. Tilton of pillaging more than $1 billion from investors and the troubled companies she manages. Through a “toxic mix of fraud, theft and mismanagement,” Ms. Tilton stole money from the Zohar funds and from the troubled companies, siphoning hundreds of millions of dollars in fees and assets from a souring loan portfolio and failing businesses, according to the lawsuit filed in federal court.

High-Speed Traders Are Taking Over Bitcoin (BBG)

Zhou Shuoji is not a bitcoin believer. He says the cryptocurrency will never replace its traditional forebears, and he calls most of its proponents fanatics. But for Zhou, a 35-year-old high-speed trader in Beijing, bitcoin is also too good to resist. His computers trade it 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Using lightning quick orders, they profit from tiny price discrepancies on the myriad venues where it changes hands. “It’s the golden age to be in the bitcoin market, because it’s imperfect,” said Zhou.

This Hedge Fund Says China’s Next Big Short Is Stocks (BBG)

“These recent monetary tightening measures point to the increased risk that Chinese officials will trigger the credit crisis first,” said Kevin Smith, the Denver-based founder and chief executive officer of Crescat Capital, whose China bets in the global macro fund returned about 3.4 percent last quarter. “It really only increases our conviction that there are opportunities on the equity-side short, particularly if they continue to defend the currency.”

A Rare Corner of Finance Where Women Dominate (NYT)

Women hold the top positions in corporate governance at many of the biggest mutual funds and pension funds — deciding which way to vote on the directors of a company board. They make decisions on behalf of teachers, government workers, doctors and most people in the United States who have a 401(k). The corporate governance heads at seven of the 10 largest institutional investors in stocks are now women. Those investors oversee $14 trillion in assets.

San Francisco biohackers are wearing implants made for diabetes in the pursuit of 'human enhancement' (BI)

In San Francisco, a growing number of entrepreneurs and biohackers are using a lesser-known medical technology called a continuous glucose monitor, or CGM, in order to learn more about how their bodies work. They wear the device under their skin for weeks at a time.

JPMorgan reverses view on Indonesian equities (FT)

“Our tactical downgrade two months ago was driven by the risk of Indonesia underperforming the Asia Pacific ex-Japan and emerging market indices as investors de-risked,” the analysts wrote. “Redemption and bond volatility risks have now played out, in our view.” A spokesman for the bank denied there was any link between Indonesia’s rebuke of the bank and the change in its analysts’ views.

Deutsche Bank is holding back on bonuses this year (NYP)

Deutsche Bank, the former Wall Street powerhouse, may hold back on giving out bonuses to as many as 90 percent of bankers and traders, The Post has learned. Only the top 10 percent of revenue generators may get a bonus for 2016 — and even then it will be paid out over the next five years, according to a source briefed on internal discussions.

Despite Dimon's criticism, JPMorgan funds closely track ISS on executive pay (Reuters)

JPMorgan Chase & Co Chief Executive Jamie Dimon has been no fan of Institutional Shareholder Services and once called investors "lazy" if they cast votes in corporate elections based on recommendations from the leading proxy adviser or its rival. But JPMorgan itself turns out to be a close follower of ISS, at least when it comes to proxy votes on pay, new data show.

Would You Eat This ‘Golden Shower’ Burger Inspired By Trump? (HuffPo)

“Drenched with self-tanning cheddar and yellow mustard leaking down the sides, and topped with a very small pickle. Comes with a lemon glazed doughnut to provide a memorable happy ending.”