Exchanges
CME Group launched four new Chicago petroleum contracts on CME ClearPort. CME Group also will expand its international incentive programs, including a simplified fee structure, to provide greater access to CME, CBOT and Nymex products. CBOT ethanol swaps contracts are now available on CME ClearPort. www.cmegroup.com
Futures
HedgeStreet.com now offers limited risk futures, or Bungee contracts. www.hedgestreet.com
Options
The International Securities Exchange introduced options trading on the NASDAQ Q-50 Index and launched an FX options widget, quotes page and advanced options calculator. www.ise.com
Bonds
Prime Source’s global service now includes bond evaluations from the pricing and reference data business of Interactive Data Corporation. www.nyxprimesource.com
Software
eSignal now carries the TSX/CP Equities News, a Canadian news service with content from the Canadian Press and data from TSX Datalinx. www.esignal.com
Rosenthal Collins Group, LLC developed and filed for patent protection on a futures brokerage risk management system called RCG RiskHunter, which is designed to highlight any trading pattern or behavior that deviates from a trader’s historical behavior. www.rcgdirect.com
Trading platforms
Direct Edge signed an agreement to use Equinix’s NY4 data center facility as the primary location for Direct Edge’s next-generation trading platform, which is scheduled for release in Q4 2009, pending SEC approval of Direct Edge’s two exchange applications. www.directedge.com
Infinity Futures released a new version of its Infinity AT trading platform, Infinity AT Version 3. www.infinityfutures.com
Indexes
FTSE Group will calculate Italian MIB Indices on behalf of Borsa Italiana starting March 30. www.ftse.com
Education
TradeMonster introduced spreadMAKER, an online tool to help investors learn more about options spreads, and Trade Simulator, which shows how trading strategies and positions behave in a live account without investing any money. www.trademonster.com
Kent State's MS in Financial Engineering program has received a gift providing two full-tuition assistantships for fall 2009. The gift encourages participation by students of traditionally underrepresented populations. http://Business.Kent.edu/MSFE/KeyFdnGA.html
Other
7ticks launched a direct connection within the Equinix Frankfurt-North International Business Exchange data center between its U.S.-based network and the Eurex location in Frankfurt, Germany. www.7ticks.com
RTS Realtime Systems Group announced a new technology partnership with First
Insight, a provider of weather information to the trading and financial markets. www.rtsgroup.net
Zen-Fire launched a German Zen-Fire Web site, www.zen-fire.de.
Telx and ACTIV Financial are partnering to offer market data and colocation services to the financial industry. www.telex.com, www.activfinancial.com
DirectEdge extended its hours of trading from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST. www.directedge.com
Ari Kiev, M.D. launched Kiev Consulting, a consulting firm specializing in peak performance coaching for hedge funds and institutional investors and traders. www.arikiev.com