March 31, 2008 Issue Abstract
Performance Measurement: Valuation Problems Test Performance Measurement As Funds Boost Alternative Investment Allocations. As trading of more complex alternative investments continues to increase in volume and derivatives products become more prevalent in portfolios, the complexity of pricing and accounting for these instruments is also increasing.
Industry Alert: NYFIX Launches European Version of Dark Liquidity Venue. Electronic trading solutions provider NYFIX Inc. has seized a challenging new opportunity with its March 17 launch of Euro Millennium, a neutral dark pool for trading pan-European listed equities.
Securities Messaging Standards: ISITC Initiative to Bring Transparency to Client Commissions. At ISITC’s 14th annual industry forum and vendor show, the group’s Commission Management Working Group will begin an effort to get association participants to adopt new messaging codes and standards that will ease the processing of client commission arrangements.
Spotlight: Joan Binstock, Chief Operations Officer, Lord Abbett. The privately held investment management firm, with about $110 billion in assets under management, looks for ways to make its operations infrastructure agile to control risk and customize offerings.
Securities
Operations: Electra Eases Post-Trade Data Collection,
Reconciliation. Shouldering the burden of devilish data details,
Electra Information Systems Inc. has carved out a niche in securities
processing with no less than seven software solutions.
Hedge Funds: Hedge Funds Face a Void in Off-the-Shelf Technology. Hedge funds are increasingly using proprietary systems rather than specific dedicated third-party providers’ systems to support their business operations, according to a survey of 20 leading hedge funds.