Automated Trader Updates

MTF's and Exchanges are much in evidence this week as Atrium Network and BATS announced Multicast PITCH data feed, Fixnetix offered direct market data feed and trading access to Burgundy, and Turquoise and EuroCCP introduced trading and clearing services for Hungary and Czechoslovakia.

In Japan QUICK and FXall launched QUICKFX, a new FX Trading Platform, ACTIV Financial exposed technology behind TSE Arrowhead, whilst in Europe Euroclear is to reduce its trade netting tariff from1st March, a move welcomed by the LSE which estimated a £10m saving as a result.

ICAP selected Tervela's TMX for ICAP Electronic Broking, Hibernia Atlantic's GFN platform became part of Switch and Data's GeoReach Program and CFN Services announced the completion of metro Toronto, NY/NJ and London execution venue connectivity.

Interactive Data expanded its ultra-low latency trading network Interactive Data 7ticks to the East Coast, The Goldman Sachs Group made a minority investment in Tora Holdings, and Fidelity brought us news of an iPhone App for brokers. Integral announced FX Inside Alpha, its on demand solution, whilst Progress and SRL teamed up to produce 'Broker in a box' and 'Hedge fund in a box', click here for more details on these.

Surprise news this week as Hirander Misra resigned from Chi-X, however recruitment was also very much to the fore as Knight Capital Group hired a new sales and trading team, Citi India expanded its sales and equities team with over 25 new appointments, and in Australia Instinet announced additions to its new Sydney office.

FX History Center from BT

MT4 History Center http://www.bostontechnologies.com/price_history.html

Goldman Sachs, Greece Didn’t Disclose Swap Contract

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=asBNXSLtlN9E&pos=2

Feb. 17 (Bloomberg) -- Goldman Sachs Group Inc. managed $15 billion of bond sales for Greece after arranging a currency swap that allowed the government to hide the extent of its deficit.

No mention was made of the swap in sales documents for the securities in at least six of the 10 sales the bank arranged for Greece since the transaction, according to a review of the prospectuses by Bloomberg. The New York-based firm helped Greece raise $1 billion of off-balance-sheet funding in 2002 through the swap, which European Union regulators said they knew nothing about until recent days.

FTC New Regulations for Online Marketing, Testimonials, Affiliates, disclosures…

http://www.websitemagazine.com/content/blogs/posts/archive/2009/10/15/new-ftc-regulations-apply-to-marketers-affiliates.aspx

http://www.ftc.gov/multimedia/video/business/endorsement-guides.shtm

http://ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf

http://www.ftc.gov/multimedia/video/business/red-flags-rule.shtm

The revised Guides provide directions for applying the Guides in the context of social media such as blogging and twittering. The FTC states that the revised Guides apply to blogging and the use of other forms of social media in advertising (e.g., micro-blogging, buzz, viral and word-of-mouth marketing). The revised Guides provide new direction as to how the requirement for disclosure of "material connections" will apply in the social media context. In fact, the FTC's commentary expressly notes that bloggers may be subject to different (and presumably heightened) disclosure requirements than reviewers in traditional media. Further, the revised Guides make no per se distinction between monetary compensation versus in-kind compensation (e.g., product giveaways) paid to the blogger, nor is there a per se distinction between professional versus amateur bloggers. The FTC's commentary emphasizes that advertisers using such forms of social media should establish procedures to advise endorsers to make the necessary disclosures of their material connections to the advertiser, and monitor their endorser's conduct.

http://www.mondaq.in/unitedstates/article.asp?articleid=88798

Using testimonials from customers and others can be a very effective way to promote your business. After all, everybody expects you will say great things about yourself in your advertising. But an unsolicited rave review from a satisfied customer or industry leader? Solid gold. Still, there are rules. Let's take these three items one at a time.

Letters from customers: Customers who are delighted at getting superior service often write thank-you letters, but that doesn't mean they are authorizing you to use those letters in your promotional efforts. Unless the letters state specifically that it's OK to use them in your marketing literature, I would write or e-mail them and ask for specific written permission to reproduce all or parts of the letter on your Web site. If they don't respond to your request for permission, I would view that as denying you the right to post the letters online.

http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/business-and-finance/succeeding-in-your-business/using-testimonials-in-your-marketing-strategy.html

In addition, the DMA is now considering changes to its guidelines for advance consent marketing, in light of a Senate inquiry that raised concerns about how best to obtain adequate and informed consent from consumers for post-transaction/negative option programs online.

http://www.the-dma.org/virtualseminars/advanceconsent/

http://branch.vimeo.com/9002248

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBMlq3R85Xk&feature=related

http://www.adlawbyrequest.com/2009/02/articles/industry/ftc-endorsement-testimonial-guidelines/

Greenspan: worst crisis ever

http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2010/02/guest-post-greenspan-says-greenspan-worst-financial-crisis-ever-including-the-great-depression.html

The following experts have said that the economic crisis could be worse than the Great Depression:

• Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke
  
• Economics professors Barry Eichengreen and and Kevin H. O'Rourke (updated here)
  
• Investment advisor, risk expert and "Black Swan" author Nassim Nicholas Taleb
  
• Former Fed Chairman Paul Volcker
  
• Nobel prize winning economist Joseph Stiglitz
  
• Economics scholar and former Federal Reserve Governor Frederic Mishkin
  
• Well-known PhD economist Marc Faber
  
• Former Goldman Sachs chairman John Whitehead
  
• Morgan Stanley's UK equity strategist Graham Secker
  
• Former chief credit officer at Fannie Mae Edward J. Pinto
  
• Billionaire investor George Sorors
  
• Senior British minister Ed Balls
  

'Buy farmland and gold,' advises Dr Doom

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/banking_and_finance/article7035913.ece

'Buy farmland and gold,' advises Dr Doom

Hedgies invade Malta waterfront

HERE'S a new one for the hedgie lexicon: Valletta. The capital of Malta is not yet on a par with Mayfair or Geneva but it is fast becoming a second home for many of London's hedge funds.

Confused? Let me explain. The country offers all the perks of being offshore — low taxes and a favourable regulatory regime — but it's part of the European Union, which makes investors comfortable about handing over huge wads of cash. The operating costs are also seriously low. "Running an office there costs half as much as the rest of Europe — it's a poor man's Geneva," said one manager.

I'm told that the hedgies are colonising the waterfront offices in Valletta and the pretty resort town of Saint Julians — they always get the best bits. About 20 London-based firms set up an office there last year, including the £1 billion oil traders Bluegold, Pamplona Capital and Liongate. So, what do you do in Malta? A country that seems to be famous for two things: its honey (special because it hosts a unique species of bee) and because the artist Caravaggio spent 15 months there. "It's good for boating and fishing," said my local spy this weekend. "The weather is nice, it's not snowing here." There you have it: move to Malta because . . . it's not snowing.

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/columnists/article6982388.ece

Elite E Services posts telephone support hours Friday 9am – 9pm

Elite E Services will be available for telephone support every Friday from 9am – 9pm, by Skype or Telephone 646 837 0059. EES continues email and eesfx.com support 24/7.

South Carolina Lawmaker Seeks to Ban Federal Currency

http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2010/02/17/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry6217403.shtml South Carolina Rep. Mike Pitts has introduced legislation that would mandate that gold and silver coins replace federal currency as legal tender in his state.

As the Palmetto Scoop first reported, Pitts, a Republican, introduced legislation this month banning "the unconstitutional substitution of Federal Reserve Notes for silver and gold coin" in South Carolina.

In an interview, Pitts told Hotsheet that he believes that "if the federal government continues to spend money at the rate it's spending money, and if it continues to print money at the rate it's printing money, our economic system is going to collapse."

"The Germans felt their system wouldn't collapse, but it took a wheelbarrow of money to buy a loaf of bread in the 1930s," he said. "The Soviet Union didn't think their system would collapse, but it did. Ours is capable of collapsing also."

Toyota accused of racketeering

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20100212/NEWS01/2130321 Toyota has been hit with a racketeering suit, alleging the car manufacturer participated in an ongoing fraud involving recent claims of stuck gas pedals.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jwhsZGkLiVy8vjdii7LLsWETrT3AD9DTGOI00

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-02-16/toyota-to-trim-production-at-kentucky-texas-plants-update2-.html

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704804204575069542501998792.html

http://www.dailyfinance.com/story/company-news/how-recall-plagued-toyota-lost-its-way/19357113/

http://apps.detnews.com/apps/blogs/danielhowesblog/index.php?blogid=355#ixzz0flHi9OfL

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/opinionshop/detail?entry_id=57352#ixzz0flGgvsyO

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/philip-g-baker/the-toyota-coverup_b_462187.html

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/15e1c63c-1b64-11df-838f-00144feab49a.html

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-02-16/toyota-chief-to-meet-press-for-third-time-after-recall-crisis.html

http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2010-02-17-toyota17_ST_N.htm

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_TOYOTA_RECALL_US?SITE=CAOAK&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/jan2010/bw20100128_413922.htm?chan=autos_autos+--+lifestyle+subindex+page_top+stories

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703562404575067680423734178.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_MIDDLENexttoWhatsNewsThird