News Centre

Thailand Bourse Sets Up THB1.0 Billion Matching Fund

Date 22/02/2006

The Stock Exchange of Thailand’s (SET) Board of Governors (BoG) resolved today (Feb. 22) to allocate THB1.0 billion (approx. USD25.3 million) budget to be used as a matching fund for the Market for Alternative Investment (mai). The fund will be used as venture capital to invest in companies that show that they have the potential to list on the mai.

Thai Bourse Approves Trading Via Basket Orders

Date 22/02/2006

The Stock Exchange of Thailand’s (SET) board today (February 22) approved trading via basket orders to prepare for trading in derivatives and facilitate brokers. Basket trading is expected to become effective in mid-2006.

Standard & Poor's Announces The S&P/TSX Canadian Bond Index Rebalancing Report For February 2006

Date 22/02/2006

Standard & Poor’s has completed the monthly rebalancing of the S&P/TSX Canadian Bond Index. According to index methodology, the universe of Canadian bonds is exhaustively reviewed to reflect changes in par amount and term to existing index constituents. Qualifying new issues are added to the index and existing constituents that no longer meet the criteria for inclusion are removed.

Standard & Poor's Announces Changes in the S&P/TSX Venture Composite Index

Date 22/02/2006

Standard & Poor's will make the following changes in the S&P/TSX Venture Composite Index after the close of trading on Wednesday, February 22, 2006: Bird Construction Company Limited (TSXVN:BDT) will be removed from the index. The company will convert to an income fund - Bird Construction Income Fund - and will graduate to trade on the TSX under the ticker symbol BDT.UN.

Share Change For Macquarie Airports In The S&P/ASX 50 Index

Date 22/02/2006

Standard & Poor’s will make the following changes in the S&P/ASX 50 Index effective after the close of trading Monday Feb. 27, 2006: Macquarie Airports (Australia, SEDOL: 6543628, GICS Code: 20305010), a member of the S&P/ASX 50 Index, will increase its shares to 1,617,474,750. This change is the result of a distribution reinvestment plan.

SFE Announces 2005 Full Year Result

Date 22/02/2006

SFE Corporation Limited, holding company for the Sydney Futures Exchange, today released its financial results for the year ended 31 December 2005. The complete Annual Report, including the audited financial statements, has been released to the ASX and is available on the SFE website as set out at the end of this release.

Securities' Clearing And Settlement: Meeting Of European Commissioner Charlie McCreevy And Dr. Alberto Giovannini With Industry Leaders Yesterday

Date 22/02/2006

Yesterday, EU Commissioner for the Internal Market and Services, Charlie McCreevy met CEO-level representatives of a group of companies to hear the views of important users of clearing and settlement systems and to discuss possible ways to dismantle barriers to cross-border clearing and settlement. Mr. McCreevy was accompanied by Dr. Alberto Giovannini, who coordinated the preparation of two reports on this subject (

RTS Stock Exchange: Settlement Fees For DVP Transactions To Be Lowered As Of March 1st, 2006

Date 22/02/2006

Effective March 1st, 2006, RTS Group will lower fees for settling DVP transactions in US dollars. The appropriate amendments were made to the new "RTS Settlement Chamber" Rules of Operation.

Open Letter To KCBT Market Participants - KCBT Celebrating 150-Year Anniversary

Date 22/02/2006

To all market participants: This year the Kansas City Board of Trade (“KCBT”) is celebrating its 150- year anniversary. As a part of this celebration, we wish to express our deep appreciation to our market users, both domestic and international, for your confidence and participation over the many years. The KCBT has always prided itself on its mission to provide a marketplace based on the cornerstones of integrity, transparency, liquidity and customer service. We consider

Nymex To Change Intra-Commodity Spread Margins For Bullet Swap Futures Contracts

Date 22/02/2006

New York Mercantile Exchange, Inc., today announced margin changes for its WTI bullet and Brent bullet swap futures contracts, as of the close of business today.