BGC WINS DUTCH APPROVAL FOR ELECTRONIC TRADING PLATFORM

Posted March 20, 2008

LONDON – Inter-dealer brokerage firm BGC’s electronic trading platform has been recognized by the Dutch State Treasury Agency as a designated platform for primary dealers to use to meet quoting obligations.

“BGC has listened to the issuers and primary dealer community to ensure that their requirements are met in a new, competitive environment,” says Philip Norton, Executive Managing Director and Global Head of e-Commerce at BGC. “For the first time, primary dealers have a choice about where they post prices and that will benefit the market as a whole.”

The platform provides wholesale banks with a choice of voice, voice-assisted, screen assisted, or fully electronic brokerage services where available, allowing more flexibility in price discovery, execution and processing of transactions.

Similarly, the Belgian Debt Agency recognized BGC as a platform provider in January. “If other Euro zone governments join the liberalization of the market, BGC will submit similar applications with the aim of providing an integrated voice and electronic service in other markets,” says Norton. “There has been broad support from the European primary dealer community for this liberalization.”