E*TRADE Securities upgrades active trader tools

"From mass affluent to main street to active trader, E*TRADE Securities' success is driven by our ability to provide custom solutions for each customer segment," said Lou Klobuchar, chief brokerage officer and president, E*TRADE Securities LLC. "While we continue to broaden our offerings in each customer segment, today's announcement underscores our heritage in the active trader space, and the advances we've made in delivering solutions for each of the distinct profiles within the active trader segment."

Designed for Power E*TRADE customers who trade more than 50 times per month and demand advanced, ultra-fast trading tools, the Power E*TRADE Pro upgrade provides these "hyper" active traders with a host of new capabilities on a direct access, desktop trading platform with no additional platform fees:

• Fully customizable platform and upgraded navigation to personalize the experience
• Intra-Day Profit and Loss (P&L) Tracker, allows daily P&L activity to be viewed in real-time, allowing customers to better control their portfolios throughout the day
• Dow Jones streaming news where customers can see 3,500 headlines and stories a day as a helpful tool to research investment opportunities
• Direct access to three ECNs and the NYSE, Nasdaq Level II quotes and streaming real time quotes and charts
• Dedicated team of Power E*TRADE active trader specialists for quick service and support

Expected by the end of October 2004, Power E*TRADE customers will be able to trade options on the Power E*TRADE Pro platform. Customers will also have access to streaming options chains. "E*TRADE Securities provides one of the most extensive options offering within the industry, complete with competitive pricing. This approach demonstrates our single-minded pursuit to dominate this space," said Klobuchar.

Ranked #1 in the "Hyper-Active" trader segment by Watchfire GomezPro based on low-cost trading, simple interface and outstanding site performance since the 3rd quarter of 1999, Power E*TRADE is a premium service tier for customers who make 9+ trades/month. It offers one of the most complete solutions for active traders available today, providing three advanced trading platforms for equity and options trading:

• Power E*TRADE Pro upgrade: a free, proprietary, direct-access software application available to active traders who seek a customizable trading platform that is capable of executing commands at ultra-fast speeds
• Market Trader: a web-based trading platform with streaming quotes and news, Nasdaq Level II quotes, and advanced charting and analytics all integrated onto a single web page
• www.etrade.com: the point of entry for active traders, serious investors and main street customers on the Web, providing quick and easy access to trading and investing solutions, as well as banking and lending services

Rounding out E*TRADE Securities' product enhancement efforts, a new ETF Center was recently launched. The ETF Center provides the tools demanded most by both active traders and long-term investors and was recently awarded an "A+" by Corporate Insight's September 2004 e-Monitor Report.

Unique to the industry -- and valued among active traders -- ETF trades are eligible for E*TRADE Securities' 2-second execution guarantee. The ETF Center also provides news, educational materials, a cost comparison tool, an ETF screener, and lists of ETFs (including one that shows ETFs eligible for options trading). The ETF Center is another example of E*TRADE Securities' commitment to providing innovative, low-cost trading solutions for its customers, following on the heels of the 12b-1 Mutual Fund Fee Rebate Program and the recent lowering of proprietary stock index fund expense ratios.