FEAS Yearbook FEAS Yearbook 2009 | Page 17

FEDERATION OF EURO-ASIAN STOCK EXCHANGES As the market gains greater trust, it can launch organized trading in new instruments, such as indices, options and futures. By now, the market is close to reaching critical mass. Local end investor awareness of the market increases, leading to a surge in investments and a broader ownership base of listed entities. International trading firms start seeing the market as a feasible investment opportunity. If traders can more easily learn market rules, and understand how trading, clearing and settlement works, trust comes faster. Naturally, adapting to international best practices and standards will be important. Also, by enabling remote members, markets can attract trading from medium-sized firms that cannot afford a local presence but have a regional office. As volumes increase, the market can improve business development, thereby making itself more attractive to a broader investor base. At the same time, larger volumes mean lower unit costs, which can facilitate more aggressive pricing strategies. Finally, the mature market has adopted most commonly accepted standards and offers a wide range of products in a transparent and fair manner. For many markets in this category, business development may focus on international expansion and partnerships, paired with cost control. The local economy benefits from a vibrant capital market that serves as a source of capital for new investments. To tackle the large volume drops in the wake of the current financial downturn and to prepare for future growth, markets must think about their current position and future vision. How can the market become more relevant? How can it reach critical mass? There is a wide range of potential actions. Some, though long term, need to be started now to have the desired future effect. Other actions have more immediate consequences and can give a ANNUAL REPORT APRIL 2009 quick boost to market relevance. The plan does not have to be grand and cover every step to full maturity, but without a long term strategic plan, a market is likely to lag in comparison to other venues. So, take a step back and review your situation. What is your vision for the future and what is your plan to get there? Advisory Services from NASDAQ OMX is uniquely qualified to provide strategic guidance and help marketplaces prepare for the future. As an exchange owner, operator and technology provider, NASDAQ OMX has deep exchange industry business expertise and hands-on operational experience. We understand first-hand how marketplaces operate, the challenges they face and the complex technology infrastructures that support them. We focus on the core businesses of the securities industry: issuer services, trading, clearing, order routing, market data, surveillance, settlement, depository, and registry. Our approach is practical and issue driven. We view benchmarking against best practices as an essential tool to align different stakeholder views as changes are introduced and implemented. Our management consultants have broad experience in strategy, operations and change management. For each Advisory assignment, we also bring in subject matter experts from across the NASDAQ OMX organization. About NASDAQ OMX The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc. is the world's largest exchange company. It delivers trading, exchange technology and public company services across six continents, with over 3,800 listed companies. NASDAQ OMX offers multiple capital raising solutions to companies around the globe, including its U.S. listings market, NASDAQ OMX Nordic, NASDAQ OMX Baltic, NASDAQ OMX First North, and the U.S. 144A sector. The company offers trading across multiple asset classes including equities, derivatives, debt, commodities, structured products and exchange-traded funds. NASDAQ OMX technology supports the operations of over 70 exchanges, clearing organizations and central securities depositories in more than 50 countries. NASDAQ OMX Nordic and NASDAQ OMX Baltic are not legal entities but describe the common offering from NASDAQ OMX exchanges in Helsinki, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Iceland, Tallinn, Riga, and Vilnius. For more information about NASDAQ OMX, visit www.nasdaqomx.com. To date, NASDAQ OMX Advisory Services has provided strategic guidance to more than 60 exchange industry clients in 25 countries. Currently NASDAQ OMX supplies technology to the following FEAS marketplaces: Abu Dhabi Securities Market, Bahrain Stock Exchange, Egyptian Exchange, Istanbul Stock Exchange, Iraq Stock Exchange, Palestine Securities Exchange and Zagreb Stock Exchange. CONTACT INFORMATION Contact Name Mr. Adam Kostyal E-mail [email protected] Website www.nasdaqomx.com PAGE 15