FTSE has taken issue with Barra amid ongoing claims that the US risk technology firm has informed clients that it will stop distributing FTSE data from the end of October.
FTSE Group says it initially learned of Barra's purported plans in August. At the time, FTSE issued a statement saying it was surprised to learn of the decision as "detailed discussions had yet to commence between the two companies". FTSE said it would not take any steps to withdraw the provision of its data via Barra services before 31 October 2004.
In a statement published today, FTSE says the latest move by Barra - which was bought out by Morgan Stanley in April this year - "pre-judged the outcome of negotiations we have been having with MSCI/Barra for some time".
Barra has yet to comment on the dispute.
FTSE says it is currently negotiating with a number of risk management companies to provide its 'tuned' services, the first of which will be launched by Northfield in mid-October 2004.