John Lothian's Daily Futures & Securities Industry Newsletter

 

November 15, 2001

 

Lead Stories

 

Nasdaq Reports Third-Quarter Net Income of $7.9 Million (PR Newswire)
...-- U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approved SuperMontage, Nasdaq's order display window.......-- Nasdaq and the London International Financial Futures and Options Exchange (LIFFE) created a partnership to develop a single-stock futures market.......-- Nasdaq completed the successful implementation of decimals trading....... same time continuing to invest and build in the initiatives that are important to Nasdaq's future.''...

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/011115/hsth014_1.html

 

SEC Grants Extension of Time on NASDAQ'S Exchange Registration Application

http://www.sec.gov/news/press/2001-135.txt


Instinet Poised To Reclaim Its Stake (Forbes.com)
... share fell to about 13.5% in recent weeks, from 15% in August, with competition from rival ECN and Nasdaq's SuperSOES system, which was introduced in July,..

http://biz.yahoo.com/fo/011115/1115bigcap_1.html

 

Hedge fund manager Berger ordered to repay $20 mln-SEC (Reuters Securities)
Federal securities regulators said on Wednesday that a New York judge had ordered Michael Berger, the former investment manager of the Manhattan Investment Fund hedge fund, to pay $20 million in a case accusing him of hiding millions of dollars in losses.

http://biz.yahoo.com/rf/011114/n14187491_1.html

 

New US commodity indices face off in crowded field (Reuters Securities)
... the Dow Jones-AIG Commodity Index (DJ-AIGCI) futures contract for electronic trade on CBOT's a/c/e platform...

http://biz.yahoo.com/rf/011115/n15343165_1.html

 

Single-stock futures venture is named OneChicago (Reuters Securities)
Chicago's three-exchange venture on single-stock futures has now been given the formal name of OneChicago, LLC, its Chairman and Chief Executive William Rainer said on Wednesday.

http://biz.yahoo.com/rf/011114/n14535063_1.html

 

EXCHANGE SETS RECORD FOR OVERNIGHT TRADING

http://www.nymex.com/news/pr_detail.cfm?id=405

 

IPE Brent Crude futures contract sets new electronic trading record

http://ipemarkets.com/w1/news/2001/011114.php

 

Cotton and FCOJ Restore Post Close Trading Sessions

http://www.nybot.com/pressRelease.asp?releaseID=333

 

Transaction Fee Waiver, Dow Jones-AIG Commodity Index Futures - 11.14.2001
The Board of Directors has waived the transaction fees applicable to member and delegate trades in CBOT Dow Jones-AIG Commodity Index futures for the 3-month period beginning Nov. 16, 2001.

http://www.cbot.com/cbot/www/cont_detail/0,1493,10+24+268+5047,00.html

 

CBOT® X-Funds Futures to Be Launched February 1, 2002 - 11.14.2001
CBOT X-Fund futures will enable rapid entry into a low-cost futures index product that provides enhanced leverage, market transparency, and creative trading opportunities.

 

CBOT to unveil X-Funds futures index product in Feb (Reuters Securities)
The Chicago Board of Trade said on Wednesday that it will launch CBOT X-Funds, a new futures index product on Feb. 1, 2002,
pending regulatory approval .

http://biz.yahoo.com/rf/011114/n14587888_1.html

 

Chicago Single-Stock Futures Joint Venture Selects Name - 11.14.2001
Appoints Peter F. Borish as Senior Managing Director of Business Development.

http://www.cbot.com/cbot/www/cont_detail/0,1493,10+24+109+5048,00.html

 

CHICAGO SINGLE-STOCK FUTURES JOINT VENTURE SELECTS NAME; Appoints Peter F. Borish as Senior Managing Director of Business Development  (11/14/01)
OneChicago, LLC will be the name of the recently formed joint venture of the Chicago Board Options Exchange® (CBOE®), Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. (CME) and Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT®), the joint venture’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer William J. Rainer announced today.

http://www.cme.com/news/shownews.cfm?NewsItem=000912CB-C929-1BF2-9DE080EDBEFB0000

 

CHICAGO SINGLE-STOCK FUTURES JOINT VENTURE SELECTS NAME; Appoints Peter F. Borish as Senior Managing Director of Business Development

http://www.cboe.com/common/PageViewer.asp?FILE=20011114%2Edoc&DIR=ACNews&HEAD=CBOE+News+Releases&SEC=7

 

CME Open Interest in Eurodollar Options Surpasses 10 Million Mark as Electronically Traded Foreign Exchange Futures Reach New Volume High  (11/14/01)
For the first time yesterday, Nov. 13, open interest in options on Eurodollar futures traded on Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. (CME) surpassed the 10 million mark with 10,007,606 positions.

http://www.cme.com/news/shownews.cfm?NewsItem=000747FA-D73C-1BF2-9DE080EDBEFB0000

 

Exchange News

 

CME REVISES MONTH-END SETTLEMENT FOR EQUITY INDEXES, RETURNING TO REGULAR 3:15 P.M. (CENTRAL TIME) CLOSE WITH ‘FAIR VALUE’ SETTLEMENT

 

CHICAGO, Nov. 15, 2001 — Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. (CME) will revise its month-end settlement procedures for equity index products beginning Nov. 30, returning the products to their normal daily closing time of 3:15 p.m. (Central Time).  CME will continue to employ a “fair-value” settlement procedure for domestic equity index futures contracts on the last trading day of every month.

 

The revision, at the request of market participants, returns the close to the same time each day—15 minutes after the close of the cash market.  The daily settlement prices for domestic stock index futures and options at the end of the month will be determined on the basis of their fair value relative to the daily close of the underlying cash index as reflected at 3:15 p.m.  (Central Time).

 

All of CME's domestic stock index futures and options will continue to settle according to the month-end fair value procedure, including the S&P 500, E-mini S&P 500, Nasdaq 100, E-mini Nasdaq 100, S&P/BARRA Growth, S&P/BARRA Value, S&P MidCap 400, Russell 2000, E-mini Russell 2000 and FORTUNE e-50 indexes.

 

Fair values are determined by a survey of market participants conducted by exchange staff.  Settlement prices are made available shortly after the close. Fair value represents an “arbitrage free” level at which futures theoretically should be priced in relation to cash index values in the absence of transaction costs, although this is not necessarily the level where they will trade.  Fair value is typically calculated as a function of the cash or spot index value, plus financing charges, less any dividends that would accrue with the purchase and carry of all index constituents until the final futures settlement date.  Many financial news media regularly publish estimates of fair value for stock index futures contracts.

 

CBOT Dow Jones-AIG Commodity Index Futures - 11.14.2001
See the attached document for salient features of the CBOT Dow Jones-AIG Commodity Index futures that will begin trading Friday, Nov. 16, 2001 at 8:15 a.m.

http://www.cbot.com/cbot/www/cont_detail/0,1493,10+24+268+5039,00.html

 

Pacific Exchange Adds Twenty-Seven Options To B-D Auto-Ex Program

http://www.pacificex.com/about/press-2001/abt_press_01_bd-auto-ex-adds27.html

 

International Securities Exchange Announces New Vice President

http://www.iseoptions.com/download/nov14_newvice.pdf

 

Nominations invited for best websites for Investor Relations

http://www.londonstockexchange.com/press/releases/15-11-01.asp

 

SGX AND ASX COMMENCE 'LIVE' BROKER-PILOT TEST FOR CO-TRADING LINK

http://info.sgx.com/webnewscentre.nsf/bcb6f015b16e5258482569a7001af139/48256838002f07b148256b05001ca70b?OpenDocument

 

Regulatory News

 

The SEC News Digest

http://www.sec.gov/news/digest/11-14.txt

 

Reports

 

Bond Talk Today's Events

http://www.bondtalk.com/global.cfm?S=todaysevents

 

Reports released November 15, 2001

http://www.usda.gov/nass/PUBS/TODAYRPT/TODAY.HTM

 

Miscellaneous News

 

Knight Financial Products Acquires Specialist Rights From Gateway Partners (PR Newswire)
Knight Financial Products LLC, a subsidiary of Knight Trading Group, Inc., today announced that it has acquired Gateway Partners LLC's specialist rights in 36 option classes at the American Stock Exchange and 61 at the Philadelphia Stock Exchange.

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/011114/nyw038_1.html

 

Sutton Trading Solutions Inc. Signs Agreement With Omiris Networks for Cross-Border Trade Routing (Business Wire)
Sutton Trading Solutions, Inc.,, announced it has entered into a strategic relationship with Omiris Networks, headquartered in London. Under the terms of the agreement, Omiris will provide access to over 22 European stock exchanges to clients of Sutton Trading Solutions using the GlobalDAT(TM) Direct Access platform, designed and developed by Sutton Data Services, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company.

http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/011114/142242_1.html

 

Summit Integrates NumeriX's Industry-Leading Analytics Engine, CrossAsset(TM), for Cutting Edge Analytics Pricing (Canada NewsWire)
...The NumeriX CrossAsset analytics engine-seamlessly integrated with Summit trading and analytic applications-provides sophisticated calibration,......We look forward to working with NumeriX in the future and offering additional leading-edge capabilities on a single,...... and to hedge and manage the trading risk of interest rate, foreign exchange, equity and credit portfolios....

http://biz.yahoo.com/cnw/011115/ny_numerix_summitsys_1.html

 

Knight Releases October Volume Statistics (PR Newswire)
Knight Trading Group, Inc. has released its volume statistics for the month of October.

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/011114/nyw044_1.html

 

Europe's Largest Online Brokerage Company Selects MicroStrategy to Enhance Customer Relations through Personalized Services (PR Newswire)
...About Fineco Fineco, the first European online trading operator, offers trading services on the principal European and U.S. markets  and banking,......``forward- looking statements,'' including its estimates of future business prospects or financial results and statements containing the words ``believe,...... in the Company's registration statements and periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission....

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/011114/dcw052_1.html

 

ISDA AND FpML.org ANNOUNCE INTEGRATION OF FpML, THE ELECTRONIC OTC DERIVATIVES PROCESSING STANDARD

http://www.isda.org/press/press111401.html

 

Fund Managers Still Display Much Faith In Equity Markets - But Will It Make Money?

Fund managers around the globe are still displaying much bravado in professing adherence to cyclical stocks, but Merrill Lynch questions whether this is maybe
convenience philosophy for the time being.

http://www.garp.com//newsfeed.asp?Category=6&MyFile=2001-11-15-4006.html

 

Managing Corporate Risk When Hopes Of A V-Shaped Recovery Dash

As chances are fading of a V-shaped recovery in the U.S., Europe and Japan, what are risk managers’ chances to make the most of their circumstances on the supply management side?

http://www.garp.com//newsfeed.asp?Category=6&MyFile=2001-11-15-4007.html

 

Forrester: E-Business = Productivity, Line56

http://www.atmarkets.org/inc/linkcount.asp?id=-78643026&url=http://www.line56.com/articles/default.asp?NewsID=3137

 

MERRILL LYNCH, METRO SAVINGS BANK ANNOUNCE DONATION OF 10 HOME LOTS TO ORLANDO HABITAT FOR HUMANITY

http://www.ml.com/about/press_release/11142001-1_metro_savings_pr.htm

 

MERRILL LYNCH SURVEY SHOWS FUND MANAGERS ARE MOVING EXCESS CASH INTO EQUITIES

http://www.ml.com/about/press_release/11132001-1_ml_survey_pr.htm

 

Excel signs letter of intent to acquire Taylor Companies

http://www.cargill.com/today/releases/01_11_14excel.htm

 

Henry Blodget Leaving Merrill Lynch (AP)
Internet stock guru Henry Blodget has decided leave Merrill Lynch & Co., taking advantage of a buyout the Wall Street giant offered to nearly 50,000 workers.

http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/ap/20011115/bs/merrill_lynch_blodget_3.html

 

Merrill declines comment on staff cut report (Reuters Securities)
Wall Street firm Merrill Lynch & Co Inc said late on Tuesday that it had no overall targets for job cuts and declined comment on a news report that it was firing 15 percent of its investment banking staff.

http://biz.yahoo.com/rf/011114/sp217816_1.html


eSpeed's Lutnick gets $1 mln in FY2000 compensation (Reuters Securities)
Howard Lutnick, head of the bond trading firm Cantor Fitzgerald crippled by the World Trade Center collapse, earned $1 million in compensation last year as chief of his electronic trading arm eSpeed, a U.S. regulatory document filed on Wednesday showed.

http://biz.yahoo.com/rf/011114/n14121348_2.html

 

SunGard wins court ruling in Comdisco antitrust suit (Reuters Securities)
A federal court swatted down the Justice Department's bid to block SunGard Data Systems Inc.'s acquisition of a unit of Comdisco Inc., Sungard said on Wednesday.

http://biz.yahoo.com/rf/011114/n14115242_1.html

 

John's Comments

 

Dow Jones Newswires reported a CBOT trader was fined $25,000 for fraud and dishonest conduct, and ordered to pay $9,310 in restitution.  The trader was also suspended from the CBOT trading floors for 90 days.

 

Now even though the CBOT posted his name and Dow Jones included it in the story, I am not going to mention it.  I don't know the person, or the story behind the fine.

 

The notice to members and non-members for such a fine is normally posted on the bulletin board of the trading floor, so it is up to news reporters with floor access to find the notices and write up the story.  One wonders how this will be handled in the future when there is no trading floor.  Perhaps it is time to update the manner these issues are disclosed and put them on the exchange(s) web site(s).  I would think that would add to the deterrent factor and encourage the lawful and honorable conduct the vast majority of members display day in day out and with each and every trade.  This is an anachronism of the exchange as a big club mentality, not the type of public posture for a for-profit corporation.

 

*******

 

The Price Group is getting ready to launch the Trading Strategies 101 education web site and I am looking to put this site through one more rigorous test.  We believe we have completely debugged the course and found all the programming errors.  To test that, I am willing to give 10 people a free tuition to the course if they will thoroughly test the course in the next two weeks.  I will give the tuition to the first 10 people who email me about this.

 

As an added bonus, Rich Asplund of Optima Financial Research, Inc, the company that produced the course, is willing to pay $25 for each programming mistake found up to a total of $100.  Again, the mistakes must be emailed to me in detail and we will only pay one one programming mistake once.  So the first one who finds the error is the one who gets the $25. 

 

Here is your chance to help us test our educational site, bone up on technical analysis and trading system development, and potentially earn $100.  The site is www.tradingstrategies101.com.

 

*******

The Joint Venture Singles Stock Futures Exchange in Chicago,  OneChicago, LLC, has a big job ahead of it to build brand recognition for what is a rather plain name. Day 2 of them not having a single web page up.  This will be a tough job.

 

*******

 

Regards,

 

John J. Lothian

 

The Price Futures Group, Inc.

Electronic Trading Division

Chicago Board of Trade Building

141 West Jackson Boulevard, Suite 1340A

Chicago, IL 60604

Phone: 1-800-713-0215 or 312-648-2426

Fax: 312-902-6437

Web site: www.pricegroupetd.com

E-Mail: JLothian@pricegroup.com

 

Disclaimer: This letter is strictly the opinion of its writer, and not necessarily those of The Price Group and its management, and is
intended solely for informative purposes and is not to be construed, under any circumstances, by implication or otherwise, as an
offer to sell or a solicitation to buy or trade in any commodities or securities herein named. Information is obtained from sources
believed to be reliable, but is in no way  guaranteed.  No guarantee of any kind is implied or possible where projections of future
conditions are attempted.

 

Futures and options trading involves risk.  Past results are no indication of future performance.