Exchanges
CME Group signed an agreement with the JSE Ltd to license CME Group's benchmark corn futures settlement prices to create a new JSE cash-settled corn futures contract. CME group also announced the dual listing of Henry Hub natural gas financial last day options and announced 10 new natural gas basis swap futures contracts and launched 34 new electricity swap futures contracts. www.cmegroup.com; www.nymex.com
Dubai Gold & Commodities Exchange announced that the launch of its plastics futures contract is to be postponed. www.dgcx.ae
Electronic Liquidity Exchange launched its Web site, www.elxfutures.com,
SmartPool, a multi-lateral trading facility set up by NYSE Euronext, BNP Paribas, HSBC and J.P. Morgan, received Financial Services Authority approval to launch its dark pool for block trading in European stocks.
Options
The Chicago Board Options Exchange is offering free seminars in cities around the United States for investors and traders who want to expand their knowledge of trading index options, strategy selection and volatility. www.cboe.com
The International Securities Exchange established an Alternative Primary Market Maker program. www.ise.com
optionsXpress Holdings, Inc. announced three additions to its brokerage platform. www.optionsxpress.com
Forex
Dukascopy filed its application to the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority for the acquisition of a banking license, in compliance with the new Swiss regulations applicable to forex dealers. www.dukascopy.com
Interbank FX (IBFX) is offering investors incentives for opening a new live account, including a customer rewards program in which new customers can earn up to $2,500 dollars in rewards and up to $50 for transferring funds from another broker to IBFX and the IBFX Platinum Rewards credit card, which gives card holders rewards points for purchases. www.ibfx.com
CMS Forex launched VT Trader 2.0, a new version of its proprietary platform. www.cmsfx.com
Indexes
Newedge announced the launch of a new range of Absolute Return Indices covering Global Macro and Commodity Trading strategies. www.newedgegroup.com
Software
eSignal announced the availability of eSignal 10.3. Also, eSignal released QuoTrek 2.0, an update to its mobile financial service. www.esignal.com
Nyfix, Inc. launched Nyfix ioinet, which combines the advanced analytic and filtering capabilities of ioinet with global Indications of Interest content from brokers who are part of the NYFIX Marketplace community. www.nyfix.com
Solace Systems and Barclays Capital announced this week that Solace hardware will serve as the messaging middleware backbone of BarCap's new, enterprise-wide high-speed messaging platform. www.solacesystems.com
Bloomberg Tradebook introduced an algorithm that enables futures traders to execute intra and inter commodity spread strategies algorithmically in the same way that outrights are traded. www.bloombergtradebook.com
Trading Technologies International, Inc. announced the release of X_TRADER 7.6. www.tradingtechnologies.com
Trading platforms
trade MONSTER unveiled paperTRADE, a paper trading platform with free streaming quotes and charts. www.trademonster.com
ETFs
Invesco PowerShares Capital Management LLC has filed registration statements for two new actively managed ETFs focused on the non-agency, Prime and Alt-A residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) markets. www.invescopowershares.com.
Books
The book "Commodity Options" is available on Kindle and in bookstores. www.CommodityOptionsthebook.com
Web sites
Schaeffer’s Investment Research, Inc. added new features to its Web site, including a sentiment-based stock screener, stock and options watch list capability, a redesigned quote page and a function for creating content alerts. www.SchaeffersResearch.com
www.i-traders.com, now live in beta, provides a set of navigational tools for traders. www.i-traders.com
TraderPlanet.com introduced the TraderPlanet Index, a tool for gauging market sentiment. www.traderplanet.com
