CME Group today announced that it will launch a Russian Export Blend Crude Oil (REBCO) financial futures contract, on the CME Globex(R) electronic trading platform and the ClearPort(R) electronic clearing and trading platform, beginning November 23 for trade date November 24.
The contract (commodity code: R2) will be financially settled based on Argus Media's Urals FOB Primorsk assessment. It will be listed for up to 48 consecutive months, beginning with the January 2009 contract.
Monday 10 November 2008
Friday 7 November 2008
Tradeweb Upgrades CDS Indices Marketplaces
Tradeweb, upgraded its marketplaces in the U.S. and Europe for Credit Default Swap Indices. As a result, clients will be able to view real-time composite prices, and efficiently execute and process trades for the major CDS indices. The U.S. market is live, with Europe expected to launch in January 2009.
This initiative supports the goals voiced by financial regulators in recent weeks by providing increased price transparency, a marketplace for electronic trading and connectivity to relevant third parties for electronic processing and legal confirmation of CDS index trades.
The new marketplaces will benefit institutional clients by:
-- Providing access to the liquidity of leading CDS dealers;
-- Displaying real-time, indicative composite two-way pricing for the major U.S. and European CDS indices;
-- Providing connectivity to key third parties, including DTCC Deriv/SERV (and the Trade Information Warehouse), and order management systems where relevant;
-- Maintaining a full audit trail on all trades;
-- Electronically capturing trade details in real-time, using the Tradeweb API messaging service;
-- Providing access to AccountNet, Tradeweb's leading derivatives account database to maintain accurate settlement instructions and deliver electronic allocations to dealers.
These CDS Index marketplaces offer a broad level of commitment from the major dealers, sophisticated new trading protocols for institutional clients and real-time pricing to provide a high degree of market transparency. They demonstrate Tradeweb's ability to evolve the electronic trading environment to meet changing market needs.
The markets will provide a new trading protocol, "Request-for-Market," in addition to enhanced "Request-for-Quote" functionality, pioneered by Tradeweb in the late-1990s. RFM allows a client to request a two-sided market and negotiate interactively with a single dealer, while RFQ allows clients to request a price from up to four dealers simultaneously.
"We have been working with the buy-side and supporting dealers for months to bring an enhanced electronic marketplace for trading CDS indices. Especially given the current market turmoil, we are confident that Tradeweb's inherent transparency and efficiency for OTC markets will provide a compelling trading mechanism for the market," said Lee Olesky, CEO of Tradeweb.
"As one of the leading CDS dealers, we are keen to provide solutions that allow our clients to trade more effectively. We support the growth of electronic trading as it provides for a more efficient marketplace and look forward to using Tradeweb as a distribution channel for better servicing our clients in the CDS market," said Eraj Shirvani, Head of European Credit at Credit Suisse and Chairman of the International Swaps and Derivatives Association.
"We are proud to support CDS index trading on the Tradeweb platform," said Rob Milam, Managing Director, Head of North American High Grade Credit Trading at J.P. Morgan. "It will allow us to expand our client service and provide another efficient trading and settlement process."
"We believe the liquidity that clients will find on Tradeweb will prove to be very compelling, and the capabilities for automated trade booking will benefit all market participants," said Brian Walter, Managing Director, Head of U.S. Credit Index Trading at UBS.
"Tradeweb has successfully introduced greater transparency and efficiency to the fixed income and derivatives markets over the past decade," said Vic Simone, Managing Director of Goldman Sachs and Chairman of Tradeweb. "It makes sense that they are leading the way in providing the same kind of benefits to the CDS market."
This initiative supports the goals voiced by financial regulators in recent weeks by providing increased price transparency, a marketplace for electronic trading and connectivity to relevant third parties for electronic processing and legal confirmation of CDS index trades.
The new marketplaces will benefit institutional clients by:
-- Providing access to the liquidity of leading CDS dealers;
-- Displaying real-time, indicative composite two-way pricing for the major U.S. and European CDS indices;
-- Providing connectivity to key third parties, including DTCC Deriv/SERV (and the Trade Information Warehouse), and order management systems where relevant;
-- Maintaining a full audit trail on all trades;
-- Electronically capturing trade details in real-time, using the Tradeweb API messaging service;
-- Providing access to AccountNet, Tradeweb's leading derivatives account database to maintain accurate settlement instructions and deliver electronic allocations to dealers.
These CDS Index marketplaces offer a broad level of commitment from the major dealers, sophisticated new trading protocols for institutional clients and real-time pricing to provide a high degree of market transparency. They demonstrate Tradeweb's ability to evolve the electronic trading environment to meet changing market needs.
The markets will provide a new trading protocol, "Request-for-Market," in addition to enhanced "Request-for-Quote" functionality, pioneered by Tradeweb in the late-1990s. RFM allows a client to request a two-sided market and negotiate interactively with a single dealer, while RFQ allows clients to request a price from up to four dealers simultaneously.
"We have been working with the buy-side and supporting dealers for months to bring an enhanced electronic marketplace for trading CDS indices. Especially given the current market turmoil, we are confident that Tradeweb's inherent transparency and efficiency for OTC markets will provide a compelling trading mechanism for the market," said Lee Olesky, CEO of Tradeweb.
"As one of the leading CDS dealers, we are keen to provide solutions that allow our clients to trade more effectively. We support the growth of electronic trading as it provides for a more efficient marketplace and look forward to using Tradeweb as a distribution channel for better servicing our clients in the CDS market," said Eraj Shirvani, Head of European Credit at Credit Suisse and Chairman of the International Swaps and Derivatives Association.
"We are proud to support CDS index trading on the Tradeweb platform," said Rob Milam, Managing Director, Head of North American High Grade Credit Trading at J.P. Morgan. "It will allow us to expand our client service and provide another efficient trading and settlement process."
"We believe the liquidity that clients will find on Tradeweb will prove to be very compelling, and the capabilities for automated trade booking will benefit all market participants," said Brian Walter, Managing Director, Head of U.S. Credit Index Trading at UBS.
"Tradeweb has successfully introduced greater transparency and efficiency to the fixed income and derivatives markets over the past decade," said Vic Simone, Managing Director of Goldman Sachs and Chairman of Tradeweb. "It makes sense that they are leading the way in providing the same kind of benefits to the CDS market."
MarketAxess Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:MKTX) , the operator of a leading electronic trading platform for U.S. and European high-grade corporate bonds, emerging markets bonds and other types of fixed-income securities, today announced total monthly trading volume for October 2008 of $13.3 billion, consisting of $7.3 billion in U.S. high-grade volume, $2.4 billion in eurobond volume, and $3.6 billion in other volume.
This data can be accessed on MarketAxess' website at www.marketaxess.com.
Monthly volume updates are posted in the Investor Relations section of the website on or before the tenth business day of each month. The data provide current month and historical volume totals on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis.
This data can be accessed on MarketAxess' website at www.marketaxess.com.
Monthly volume updates are posted in the Investor Relations section of the website on or before the tenth business day of each month. The data provide current month and historical volume totals on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis.
Thursday 6 November 2008
Liquidnet To Open Singapore Office
Liquidnet is to open an office in Singapore in November 2008 amid surging interest in the region among its buy-side membership. Liquidnet currently has 109 members signed on to trade Asia-Pacific equities on its platform (as of 31/07/08) which gives institutional investors a protected venue to make large trades without attracting price-altering attention. The office is Liquidnet's fourth in the region after Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Sydney.
"Member interest in Singapore and all of Asia has grown stronger as the global markets have become more challenging," said David Klinger, managing director of Liquidnet Asia. "Buy-side investors representing millions of individual investors are expressing an even greater need in these shifting markets to trade large blocks of Asian stock quickly to preserve the conviction of their trading decisions. That is where we add great value."
Liquidnet already provides trading in Singapore. During the third quarter of 2008, the average value of a trade in Singapore equities in Liquidnet was S$1.8 million.
Greg Henry will manage the office and report directly to David Klinger. Henry was most recently responsible for portfolio trading operations at Liquidnet in New York. He joined the firm in July 2004 having previously worked with Fidelity Capital Market Services, Investment Technology Group Inc. and Instinet Inc.
"Member interest in Singapore and all of Asia has grown stronger as the global markets have become more challenging," said David Klinger, managing director of Liquidnet Asia. "Buy-side investors representing millions of individual investors are expressing an even greater need in these shifting markets to trade large blocks of Asian stock quickly to preserve the conviction of their trading decisions. That is where we add great value."
Liquidnet already provides trading in Singapore. During the third quarter of 2008, the average value of a trade in Singapore equities in Liquidnet was S$1.8 million.
Greg Henry will manage the office and report directly to David Klinger. Henry was most recently responsible for portfolio trading operations at Liquidnet in New York. He joined the firm in July 2004 having previously worked with Fidelity Capital Market Services, Investment Technology Group Inc. and Instinet Inc.
Wednesday 5 November 2008
ICE Completes Derivatives Transition
IntercontinentalExchange (NYSE: ICE) , has successfully transitioned its energy futures and OTC markets to ICE Clear Europe(TM). On the morning of November 3, 2008, 100 percent of open positions, or 28.5 million contract sides, were transferred from LCH.Clearnet to ICE Clear Europe. The total margin requirement now managed by ICE Clear Europe for these novated positions is approximately $16.5 billion. ICE Clear Europe launched with 44 member firms.
"We want to take the opportunity to express our gratitude to members of the clearing community who have supported our transition over the course of the past year and a half," said Paul Swann, President of ICE Clear Europe. "We will continue to work closely with market participants to expand ICE Clear Europe and to offer additional benefits to our clearing firms and customers. Our next steps will be to respond to the enormous demand for additional cleared energy contracts."
"ICE Clear Europe will allow us to introduce new cleared OTC and futures contracts in our energy markets in the coming weeks and months," added David Peniket, President and Chief Operating Officer of ICE Futures Europe. "The coordinated effort by our clearing members, customers and employees to launch the first new derivatives clearing house in the U.K. will result in more products and services for the broader trading community."
"We believe ICE's commitment to clearing is demonstrated by the collaborative nature of the development of ICE Clear Europe," said ICE Chairman and CEO Jeffrey C. Sprecher. "Integrated clearing, in particular, plays a central role in risk management and in the sound operation of global markets, especially in today's volatile environment. We will strive to bring further innovative risk management solutions to the global marketplace."
As the first new major clearing house in London in over a century, ICE Clear Europe was formed to provide clearing services to the global energy markets for over-the-counter and European futures transactions executed on ICE's electronic platform. ICE Clear Europe will enable the efficient development of new cleared markets to support the risk management needs of customers, with the capability to offer similar services to an expanded range of asset classes.
"We want to take the opportunity to express our gratitude to members of the clearing community who have supported our transition over the course of the past year and a half," said Paul Swann, President of ICE Clear Europe. "We will continue to work closely with market participants to expand ICE Clear Europe and to offer additional benefits to our clearing firms and customers. Our next steps will be to respond to the enormous demand for additional cleared energy contracts."
"ICE Clear Europe will allow us to introduce new cleared OTC and futures contracts in our energy markets in the coming weeks and months," added David Peniket, President and Chief Operating Officer of ICE Futures Europe. "The coordinated effort by our clearing members, customers and employees to launch the first new derivatives clearing house in the U.K. will result in more products and services for the broader trading community."
"We believe ICE's commitment to clearing is demonstrated by the collaborative nature of the development of ICE Clear Europe," said ICE Chairman and CEO Jeffrey C. Sprecher. "Integrated clearing, in particular, plays a central role in risk management and in the sound operation of global markets, especially in today's volatile environment. We will strive to bring further innovative risk management solutions to the global marketplace."
As the first new major clearing house in London in over a century, ICE Clear Europe was formed to provide clearing services to the global energy markets for over-the-counter and European futures transactions executed on ICE's electronic platform. ICE Clear Europe will enable the efficient development of new cleared markets to support the risk management needs of customers, with the capability to offer similar services to an expanded range of asset classes.
Belzberg Technologies 2008 Q3
Belzberg Technologies Inc. (TSX -BLZ), a provider of technology-based equity and options trading services, announced today that in the third quarter ended September 30, 2008 the net loss was $0.3 million including a previously announced unusual pre-tax trading error of $0.8 million. Net earnings in the same quarter last year were $1.8 million.
Total revenue for the third quarter increased 13% to $11.0 million versus $9.7 million in the same year-ago period. Diluted loss per share for the third quarter was ($0.02) per share as compared to earnings of $0.12 per share in the same year-ago period.
Total revenue for the third quarter increased 13% to $11.0 million versus $9.7 million in the same year-ago period. Diluted loss per share for the third quarter was ($0.02) per share as compared to earnings of $0.12 per share in the same year-ago period.
Tuesday 4 November 2008
BNY ConvergEx On Pension Fund Leverage
BNY ConvergEx Group, LLC, has created a new solution that enables small and medium-sized pension funds to leverage the benefits of international asset reallocation opportunities.
Through its global transition management business, ConvergEx has created a new clearing solution that gives small and medium sized pension fund clients investing in commingled funds the ability to use transition management to make changes in investment strategy. ConvergEx's global clearing arrangements allow it to offer efficient global trading and settlement to those clients without their own global clearing and settlement framework in place.
"As the recent uncertainty in the equity markets has demonstrated, having access to a multitude of markets and asset classes is essential when seeking enhanced returns, beating benchmarks, or simply staying above water," stated Carey S. Pack, Chief Executive Officer, BNY ConvergEx Execution Solutions. "This is another prime example of ConvergEx's ongoing commitment to creating unique solutions to the increasingly sophisticated demands of our global transition management clients."
Kal Bassily, CFA, Managing Director and Global Head of BNY ConvergEx Group's global transition management business, commented, "Clients who lack the ability to trade and settle their portfolios in non-US securities are exposed to greater risk during the transition process if the trade involves a large cash funding component. We have created a unique remedy to this problem by allowing small and medium-sized pension funds to participate in transitions as they never have before, while both expanding the breadth of opportunities available to them during changes in investment strategy and increasing our ability to hedge and mitigate risk."
ConvergEx's global transition management business recently received eleven "Best in Class" rankings in Plan Sponsor Magazine's 2008 Transition Management Survey, including wins for best in Pre-Trade, best in Execution, best in Post-Trade and best in Organization & Support, as well as a sweep of the Endowments, Foundations, and Nonprofits category.
With a dedicated team of professionals worldwide, ConvergEx's experience, global capabilities and dedicated expertise help to provide clients with a customized transition strategy that can preserve assets, minimize market impact, manage risk and minimize cost.
Through its global transition management business, ConvergEx has created a new clearing solution that gives small and medium sized pension fund clients investing in commingled funds the ability to use transition management to make changes in investment strategy. ConvergEx's global clearing arrangements allow it to offer efficient global trading and settlement to those clients without their own global clearing and settlement framework in place.
"As the recent uncertainty in the equity markets has demonstrated, having access to a multitude of markets and asset classes is essential when seeking enhanced returns, beating benchmarks, or simply staying above water," stated Carey S. Pack, Chief Executive Officer, BNY ConvergEx Execution Solutions. "This is another prime example of ConvergEx's ongoing commitment to creating unique solutions to the increasingly sophisticated demands of our global transition management clients."
Kal Bassily, CFA, Managing Director and Global Head of BNY ConvergEx Group's global transition management business, commented, "Clients who lack the ability to trade and settle their portfolios in non-US securities are exposed to greater risk during the transition process if the trade involves a large cash funding component. We have created a unique remedy to this problem by allowing small and medium-sized pension funds to participate in transitions as they never have before, while both expanding the breadth of opportunities available to them during changes in investment strategy and increasing our ability to hedge and mitigate risk."
ConvergEx's global transition management business recently received eleven "Best in Class" rankings in Plan Sponsor Magazine's 2008 Transition Management Survey, including wins for best in Pre-Trade, best in Execution, best in Post-Trade and best in Organization & Support, as well as a sweep of the Endowments, Foundations, and Nonprofits category.
With a dedicated team of professionals worldwide, ConvergEx's experience, global capabilities and dedicated expertise help to provide clients with a customized transition strategy that can preserve assets, minimize market impact, manage risk and minimize cost.
Belzberg Technologoies
Belzberg Technologies Inc. is a provider of technology-based brokerage services, trading equities and options through Electronic Brokerage Systems, Belzberg Technologies' wholly owned broker-dealer. Electronic Brokerage Systems is a member of most North American stock exchanges, options exchanges and clearing organizations, including the NYSE, NASDAQ, CBOE, NSCC and OCC. Using Belzberg's suite of integrated trading tools and network connectivity, Belzberg's customers have direct access to all North American equities and options markets. The firm's client-base includes over 200 leading U.S and international brokerage houses and financial institutions. Belzberg Technologies is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (Ticker-BLZ) - additional information is available at www.belzberg.com.
Misys In Pakistan Win
AlBaraka Islamic Bank has announced that it has selected Misys Equation and Misys Trade Innovation for implementation across its 20 branches in Pakistan. The new contract builds on a number of previous contracts with the AlBaraka Banking Group (ABG) and Misys across Africa and the Middle East.
Shafqaat Ahmed, AlBaraka Islamic Bank's Country Head Pakistan said, "As part of our growth strategy involving conversion of our Pakistan Operations into an Islamic Bank registered in Pakistan, paving the way for significantly enhancing our branch network and customer outreach, AlBaraka Islamic Bank in Pakistan has chosen Misys Equation as its new banking system. This will support its growth and diversification and would provide us a common banking system platform with our parent company, AlBaraka Banking Group, Bahrain and subsidiary banking companies spread over 12 countries. AlBaraka Islamic Bank's choice of Misys Equation is based on Misys' ability and strength to fully support AlBaraka's Islamic Banking needs, its strong risk management and compliance policies and its need for strong parameterisation attributes in a system, to support the bank's ongoing efforts aimed at innovative new product development."
Shafqaat Ahmed, AlBaraka Islamic Bank's Country Head Pakistan said, "As part of our growth strategy involving conversion of our Pakistan Operations into an Islamic Bank registered in Pakistan, paving the way for significantly enhancing our branch network and customer outreach, AlBaraka Islamic Bank in Pakistan has chosen Misys Equation as its new banking system. This will support its growth and diversification and would provide us a common banking system platform with our parent company, AlBaraka Banking Group, Bahrain and subsidiary banking companies spread over 12 countries. AlBaraka Islamic Bank's choice of Misys Equation is based on Misys' ability and strength to fully support AlBaraka's Islamic Banking needs, its strong risk management and compliance policies and its need for strong parameterisation attributes in a system, to support the bank's ongoing efforts aimed at innovative new product development."
Monday 3 November 2008
Tradeweb Completes Hilliard Farber Acquisition
Tradeweb, a leading over-the-counter, online marketplace, announced today that it is has completed the acquisition of Hilliard Farber, an inter-dealer voice brokerage for mortgage-related and other U.S. securities. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Tradeweb additionally plans to launch an electronic inter-dealer platform for pass-through mortgage-backed securities in early 2009, complementing Hilliard Farber's voice offering.
The formation of an inter-dealer business is a natural extension for Tradeweb, which has played a pioneering role in developing electronic customer-to-dealer trading of debt securities and derivatives since 1998. Hilliard Farber provides extensive voice broking experience and expertise, as well as an extensive network of trading desk relationships, off which Tradeweb can leverage its decade of leadership in electronic trading to build a broader inter-dealer business.
Hilliard Farber was one of the first inter-dealer brokers to trade mortgage-backed securities, when it opened a mid-town Manhattan office in 1975. Since then, it has grown to become one of the largest boutique brokers.
Hilliard Farber's brokers will continue to operate under the Hilliard Farber brand, and will offer voice broking in all their current markets, including U.S. Treasury securities, repurchase agreements, as well as specialty mortgage products: pass-through mortgage-backed securities, adjustable-rate mortgages and specified pools.
"Tradeweb is strongly positioned to develop an inter-dealer business," said Lee Olesky, CEO of Tradeweb. "Our relationships with the dealers date back to the roots of e-trading; our expertise at building markets has been thoroughly tested; and we have a proven track record of delivering greater efficiency to both institutional clients and dealers."
"Hill provides a strong foundation on which we can build our inter-dealer business," said Billy Hult, President of Tradeweb, who will now oversee Hill Farber and Tradeweb's electronic inter-dealer markets. "Its extensive brokerage experience, combined with Tradeweb's reputation in the electronic markets, promises to deliver a powerful offering to the dealer community."
"Tradeweb was a logical choice as we examined the strategic options for the business. It has a proven ability to create liquid and efficient electronic markets," said Hilliard Farber, founder and owner of the company.
The formation of an inter-dealer business is a natural extension for Tradeweb, which has played a pioneering role in developing electronic customer-to-dealer trading of debt securities and derivatives since 1998. Hilliard Farber provides extensive voice broking experience and expertise, as well as an extensive network of trading desk relationships, off which Tradeweb can leverage its decade of leadership in electronic trading to build a broader inter-dealer business.
Hilliard Farber was one of the first inter-dealer brokers to trade mortgage-backed securities, when it opened a mid-town Manhattan office in 1975. Since then, it has grown to become one of the largest boutique brokers.
Hilliard Farber's brokers will continue to operate under the Hilliard Farber brand, and will offer voice broking in all their current markets, including U.S. Treasury securities, repurchase agreements, as well as specialty mortgage products: pass-through mortgage-backed securities, adjustable-rate mortgages and specified pools.
"Tradeweb is strongly positioned to develop an inter-dealer business," said Lee Olesky, CEO of Tradeweb. "Our relationships with the dealers date back to the roots of e-trading; our expertise at building markets has been thoroughly tested; and we have a proven track record of delivering greater efficiency to both institutional clients and dealers."
"Hill provides a strong foundation on which we can build our inter-dealer business," said Billy Hult, President of Tradeweb, who will now oversee Hill Farber and Tradeweb's electronic inter-dealer markets. "Its extensive brokerage experience, combined with Tradeweb's reputation in the electronic markets, promises to deliver a powerful offering to the dealer community."
"Tradeweb was a logical choice as we examined the strategic options for the business. It has a proven ability to create liquid and efficient electronic markets," said Hilliard Farber, founder and owner of the company.
BNY ConvergEx Tops NYSE Euronex Broker Volume
BNY ConvergEx Group, LLC, today announced that it was ranked number one in the NYSE Euronext Broker Volume Top 10 from October 1st through October 21st 2008.
Over the past year ConvergEx has quickly moved from being consistently ranked in the top 10 of all firms in NYSE Euronext trading, to a top 5 ranking at the end of the third quarter, to a number one ranking for the period mentioned above. This rapid increase in volume can be attributed to ConvergEx's agency model, which has allowed it to put the needs of its clients first and maintain a position of strength during this period of unprecedented market volatility.
As trading volatility surged around the world over the last several months, significant growth was attained in both the number and type of new client wins, even as the complexity and degree of difficulty of the trades being executed greatly increased. The NYSE Euronext Broker Volume Top 10 provides a way to identify the leaders in equity orderflow and lists the top 10 NYSE member firms by volume.
Joseph M. Velli, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of BNY ConvergEx Group, commented, "ConvergEx's ability to thrive in this unstable and challenging trading environment is a direct result of a unique agency trading model that combines advanced execution technology with the skill of our sales traders. Clients have realized that this model allows us to focus solely on their investment objectives, and better positions us to be their partner for the long term."
Over the past year ConvergEx has quickly moved from being consistently ranked in the top 10 of all firms in NYSE Euronext trading, to a top 5 ranking at the end of the third quarter, to a number one ranking for the period mentioned above. This rapid increase in volume can be attributed to ConvergEx's agency model, which has allowed it to put the needs of its clients first and maintain a position of strength during this period of unprecedented market volatility.
As trading volatility surged around the world over the last several months, significant growth was attained in both the number and type of new client wins, even as the complexity and degree of difficulty of the trades being executed greatly increased. The NYSE Euronext Broker Volume Top 10 provides a way to identify the leaders in equity orderflow and lists the top 10 NYSE member firms by volume.
Joseph M. Velli, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of BNY ConvergEx Group, commented, "ConvergEx's ability to thrive in this unstable and challenging trading environment is a direct result of a unique agency trading model that combines advanced execution technology with the skill of our sales traders. Clients have realized that this model allows us to focus solely on their investment objectives, and better positions us to be their partner for the long term."
LiquidPoint
LiquidPoint, based in Chicago and a member of BNY ConvergEx Group, is an agency-based registered broker-dealer that specializes in derivatives execution management technology and brokerage services for listed options and equities. LiquidPoint provides a total solution for today's dynamic and diverse trading requirements, combining sophisticated trading tools with its commitment to superior order execution services and focused customer support.
LiquidPoint Claims Options Trading Record
BNY ConvergEx Group, LLC today announced that LiquidPoint routed and/or executed a record 84.6 million options contracts for the month of October 2008. This represented LiquidPoint's highest volume ever recorded in one month, surpassing September 2008 as the previous record month and bringing its year-to-date options contract total to 631 million.
LiquidPoint's October volume represents an increase of 54.8% compared to October 2007, while the overall volume of the U.S. options industry increased approximately 28.7% over the same period, according to transaction volume data obtained from the Options Clearing Corporation (OCC).
"The fact that we were able to achieve record volumes while overall options volume has grown to a less dramatic degree is a great testament to the strength and reliability of our options execution technology," commented Anthony J. Saliba, Chief Executive Officer, LiquidPoint. "Clients continue to recognize the advantages of ConvergEx's independent agency trading model, especially as an oasis of calm during this period of extreme volatility in the markets."
LiquidPoint's October volume represents an increase of 54.8% compared to October 2007, while the overall volume of the U.S. options industry increased approximately 28.7% over the same period, according to transaction volume data obtained from the Options Clearing Corporation (OCC).
"The fact that we were able to achieve record volumes while overall options volume has grown to a less dramatic degree is a great testament to the strength and reliability of our options execution technology," commented Anthony J. Saliba, Chief Executive Officer, LiquidPoint. "Clients continue to recognize the advantages of ConvergEx's independent agency trading model, especially as an oasis of calm during this period of extreme volatility in the markets."
October Options Figures
375 million contracts changed hands in October according to the Options Industry Council (OIC), representing a 28.75 percent increase over October 2007 and 1.4 million contracts more than the previous monthly volume record set in September. Average daily volume for the month was 16,344,995 contracts, also up 28.75 from the same period last year.
On October 20, year-to-date volume reached three billion contracts for the first time in history. It took 203 trading days to reach this milestone. Total options volume reached two billion contracts for the third time ever on July 22, taking only 140 trading days to reach that mark. The Options Clearing Corporation (OCC) reported October year-to-date volume stood at 3,116,322,848 contracts, an increase of 34.63 percent compared to the same period last year. Year-to-date daily volume is averaging 14,699,636 contracts, compared to 11,022,807 contracts at the same point in 2007.
Equity options saw 336,805,246 contracts traded, 25.54 percent higher than October 2007. Year-to-date equity options volume is 2,857,938,960 contracts, up 36.70 percent over the same point last year. Daily equity options volume averaged 14,643,706 contracts per day in October, an increase of 25.54 percent over the same month last year.
On October 20, year-to-date volume reached three billion contracts for the first time in history. It took 203 trading days to reach this milestone. Total options volume reached two billion contracts for the third time ever on July 22, taking only 140 trading days to reach that mark. The Options Clearing Corporation (OCC) reported October year-to-date volume stood at 3,116,322,848 contracts, an increase of 34.63 percent compared to the same period last year. Year-to-date daily volume is averaging 14,699,636 contracts, compared to 11,022,807 contracts at the same point in 2007.
Equity options saw 336,805,246 contracts traded, 25.54 percent higher than October 2007. Year-to-date equity options volume is 2,857,938,960 contracts, up 36.70 percent over the same point last year. Daily equity options volume averaged 14,643,706 contracts per day in October, an increase of 25.54 percent over the same month last year.
Sunday 2 November 2008
Trading Jargon Today
Actimize
A provider of transactional risk management software for the financial services industry and a NICE Systems company.
CEP
Complex Event Processing
CFIUS
Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States
Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States
Examines national interest issues and is part of the US Treasury Department
FTEN
A provider of advanced risk-management technology to hedge funds.
Janus Capital Group
A large asset manager that focuses on equities.
KX Systems
A provider of high-speed data management solutions.
Sovereign Wealth Funds
Investment vehicles owned by national governments
Tabb Group
Financial markets' research and strategic advisory firm focused exclusively on capital markets.
A provider of transactional risk management software for the financial services industry and a NICE Systems company.
CEP
Complex Event Processing
CFIUS
Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States
Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States
Examines national interest issues and is part of the US Treasury Department
FTEN
A provider of advanced risk-management technology to hedge funds.
Janus Capital Group
A large asset manager that focuses on equities.
KX Systems
A provider of high-speed data management solutions.
Sovereign Wealth Funds
Investment vehicles owned by national governments
Tabb Group
Financial markets' research and strategic advisory firm focused exclusively on capital markets.
TABB Group
TABB Group is a financial markets' research and strategic advisory firm focused exclusively on capital markets. Founded in 2003 and based on the methodology of "first-person knowledge," TABB Group analyzes and quantifies the investing value chain from the fiduciary, investment manager, broker, exchange and custodian.
ICE and The Clearing Corporation CDS Agreement
IntercontinentalExchange, Inc. and The Clearing Corporation (TCC), today announced new agreements intended to advance their previously announced joint global clearing solution for Credit Default Swaps (CDS). Together with nine of the major global investment banks who are dealers in the CDS markets, ICE and TCC have entered into memorandums of understanding (MOUs) to develop a joint global clearing solution and to effect the acquisition of TCC by ICE.
Under the terms of the new agreements, ICE will acquire TCC and will form ICE US Trust (ICE Trust), a New York limited purpose trust company and subsidiary of ICE, with the support of Bank of America, Citi, Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan, Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley and UBS. As previously announced, ICE and TCC continue to work closely with regulators, other market participants and industry groups to develop a comprehensive central counterparty clearing solution for the CDS market. This customized solution is currently undergoing final testing in preparation for launch.
"ICE has been a long-time believer in the value that clearing brings to market participants, and we've demonstrated that belief by creating innovative clearing and risk management solutions in both the futures and the over-the-counter markets," said ICE Chairman and CEO Jeffrey C. Sprecher. "We have made a commitment to developing a market structure that reduces risk and increases transparency and capital efficiency in these important global markets, first through our acquisition of Creditex, and now through our planned acquisition of The Clearing Corporation. Both of these organizations have demonstrated strong dedication to the CDS community."
"TCC has served as a credit intermediary in a broad range of markets since 1925, and the CDS market represents an excellent opportunity to apply our expertise," said Kevin R. McClear, Chief Operating Officer of TCC. "Our work over the last two years has laid a strong foundation for a market-based solution that will significantly reduce counterparty risk and is intended to address applicable regulatory requirements."
The Boards of Directors of ICE and TCC have approved the MOUs, specific terms of which have not been disclosed at this time. The transaction is subject to the receipt of required government approvals. The parties will work toward receiving the necessary governmental approvals while working to execute definitive documents during the fourth quarter of 2008, by which time they expect to begin clearing CDS transactions through ICE Trust. Post-transaction TCC will continue to support its existing clearing customers.
Under the terms of the new agreements, ICE will acquire TCC and will form ICE US Trust (ICE Trust), a New York limited purpose trust company and subsidiary of ICE, with the support of Bank of America, Citi, Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan, Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley and UBS. As previously announced, ICE and TCC continue to work closely with regulators, other market participants and industry groups to develop a comprehensive central counterparty clearing solution for the CDS market. This customized solution is currently undergoing final testing in preparation for launch.
"ICE has been a long-time believer in the value that clearing brings to market participants, and we've demonstrated that belief by creating innovative clearing and risk management solutions in both the futures and the over-the-counter markets," said ICE Chairman and CEO Jeffrey C. Sprecher. "We have made a commitment to developing a market structure that reduces risk and increases transparency and capital efficiency in these important global markets, first through our acquisition of Creditex, and now through our planned acquisition of The Clearing Corporation. Both of these organizations have demonstrated strong dedication to the CDS community."
"TCC has served as a credit intermediary in a broad range of markets since 1925, and the CDS market represents an excellent opportunity to apply our expertise," said Kevin R. McClear, Chief Operating Officer of TCC. "Our work over the last two years has laid a strong foundation for a market-based solution that will significantly reduce counterparty risk and is intended to address applicable regulatory requirements."
The Boards of Directors of ICE and TCC have approved the MOUs, specific terms of which have not been disclosed at this time. The transaction is subject to the receipt of required government approvals. The parties will work toward receiving the necessary governmental approvals while working to execute definitive documents during the fourth quarter of 2008, by which time they expect to begin clearing CDS transactions through ICE Trust. Post-transaction TCC will continue to support its existing clearing customers.
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