Upcoming AMG Meeting in Boston

On Tuesday, January 23, 2007, the Steering Committee of the Asset Management Group of SIFMA will meet in Boston, MA to discuss the active and developing initiatives that drives the Group's 2007 agenda. Priority discussion items will include: legislative items concerning savings and retirement, best execution relating to fixed-income securities, building relationships with rating agencies and recent hedge fund proposals by the SEC, among others. Following the meeting, there will be a dinner and reception for current and prospective members of the Steering Committee of the Asset Management Group. For more information regarding the activities of the AMG, please contact Joseph Sack, Executive Vice President of SIFMA at 646.637.9265.

Exchanges' Market Data Fees Challenged by SIFMA

In the January 5, 2007 Weekly Report, the AMG reported that the SEC had agreed to review a rule it recently approved that would allow the NYSE Group to charge for market data. In comment letter to the SEC and in a press release issued today, the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA) urged the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to implement a moratorium on market data rule filings for U.S. exchanges until the SEC is able to address the fundamental legal and policy issues created by for-profit exchanges.

"This is a matter of investor protection. All investors and the professionals who serve them must have access to the same best quotes, based on the best information, to meet best execution obligations," said Marc Lackritz, Co-CEO of SIFMA.

SIFMA does not oppose market data fees per se, buts advocates for a comprehensive review by the SEC of the underlying cost data and competitiveness issues for all exchanges that provide market data.

Click here to read SIFMA Press Release

Click here to read SIFMA Comment Letter on Market Data Fees

Fixed-Income Educational Event Hosted Today at SIFMA

GFMI (Global Financial Markets Institute) and The Asset Managers Forum joined forces and offered securities industry professionals affiliated with member firms a introductory training classes on the fixed-income markets today with Fixed Income Level 1. The class sold-out with 75 professionals that participated and learned how the fixed-income markets operate, the features and characteristics of fixed-income securities, bond pricing and learned about the risks associated with various fixed-income instruments. The AMF will host additional educational events, for more information log on to our website at www.theassetmanager.com or call Diane Trupia at 646.637.9270.