NASDAQ OMX Launches New Options Based on MSCI Indexes

- MSCI Emerging Markets and EAFE Index Options are the Only Cash-Settled Options Available in the U.S. on These Major Global Indexes

News provided by
The NASDAQ OMX Group
May. 02, 2012 08:52
NEW YORK--(Korea Newswire)--The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc. (Nasdaq:NDAQ) announced today the launch of MSCI Emerging Markets (Symbol: EEMIQ) and MSCI EAFE (Symbol: EAFEQ) Index Options, which will be the latest U.S. options listings offered at NASDAQ OMX PHLX. They are the first and only listed cash-settled options available in the U.S. on these major global indexes.

Beginning today, these listings are available to investors who seek direct exposure to a previously untapped market with a cash-settled options offering that exactly tracks the performance of the index. NASDAQ OMX PHLX market participants will be among the first to trade this offering and may use MSCI EM and MSCI EAFE Index Options to track the performance of the index, employ additional trading strategies for cash-settled index options and gain more opportunity to hedge.

The MSCI Emerging Markets and MSCI EAFE Indices are free-float adjusted market capitalization indexes focused on emerging and developed markets. With over 800 securities in 21 markets, the MSCI Emerging Markets Index tracks equity market performance in emerging markets, covering large and mid-cap securities in all industries in regions like the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia. The MSCI EAFE Index is a prominent benchmark in the United States, measuring international equity performance. The Index is comprised of stocks from 22 developed markets outside of North America, including Europe, Australasia and the Far East.

Baer Pettit, Managing Director and Head of the MSCI Index Business, said, “We are delighted to have licensed NASDAQ OMX PHLX for index options based on the MSCI Emerging Markets and MSCI EAFE Indices.”

He added, “The launch of these options provides institutional investors with yet another important tool for managing their portfolios benchmarked to MSCI equity indices.”

Tom Wittman, Senior Vice President and Head of U.S. Options at NASDAQ OMX, said: “Launching exchange-traded options on MSCI's widely used index families will provide our growing U.S. options market participants, including retail investors, opportunities for additional trading strategies and improved price discovery on our world-class electronic trading system.”

He added, “NASDAQ OMX is focused on developing a product suite with options and futures trading tools that improve the quality of our customer's trading experience and maintain our competitive edge in the derivatives space.”

About NASDAQ OMX PHLX:

NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX) trades more than 3,000 equity options, index options and U.S. dollar-settled currency options on NASDAQ OMX's high-speed INET technology. PHLX offers a combination of cutting-edge electronic and floor-based trading, utilizing a Customer-priority, pro rata allocation to ensure fast and efficient executions.

About NASDAQ OMX:

The inventor of the electronic exchange, The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc., fuels economies and provides transformative technologies for the entire lifecycle of a trade - from risk management to trade to surveillance to clearing. In the U.S. and Europe, we own and operate 24 markets, 3 clearinghouses and 5 central securities depositories supporting equities, options, fixed income, derivatives, commodities, futures and structured products. Able to traffic more than 1 million messages per second at sub-40 microsecond speeds with 99.999% uptime, our technology drives more than 70 marketplaces in 50 developed and emerging countries into the future, powering 1 in 10 of the world's securities transactions. Our award-winning data products and worldwide indexes are the benchmarks in the financial industry. Home to approximately 3,400 listed companies worth $5.1 trillion in market cap whose innovations shape our world, we give the ideas of tomorrow access to capital today. Welcome to where the world takes a big leap forward, daily. Welcome to the NASDAQ OMX Century. To learn more, visit nasdaqomx.com. Follow us on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/NASDAQ) and Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/nasdaqomx). (Symbol: NDAQ and member of S&P 500)

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

The matters described herein contain forward-looking statements that are made under the Safe Harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements about NASDAQ OMX‘s products and offerings. We caution that these statements are not guarantees of future performance. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties or other factors beyond NASDAQ OMX’s control. These factors include, but are not limited to factors detailed in NASDAQ OMX's annual report on Form 10-K, and periodic reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. We undertake no obligation to release any revisions to any forward-looking statements.

Website: http://www.nasdaqomx.com

Contact

NASDAQ OMX Media contacts:
Robert Madden
+1 646 441-5045 (office)
+1 347 740-0191 (mobile)
Send Email