Screen Consultants, the leading independent experts in market data and providers of market data management solutions, today announced that it is facilitating an initiative between Swedish financial institutions, enabling them to discuss market data. Initiated by Handelsbanken, the forum first gathered together in December 2004. In the mean time the group is heading towards its 6th meeting (on a quarterly basis). Thomas Duveblad, market data manager at Handelsbanken, says that the bank approached Screen, saying it has a strong prescence in Stockholm and that Handelsbanken needed a forum to communicate with other market data users.
Today’s Swedish financial institutions participating are mostly banks and pension funds and include Handelsbanken, Swedbank, Nordea, Sveriges Riksbank, Robur, Första och Trejde AP-fonden, Alecta, Öhman Fondkomission, SEB, Enskilda Securities and ABN Amro, Alfred Berg. The executives representing them include heads of market data, IT managers, administration directors and heads of business support. The forum’s character is informal, with no intention to shape it to a more formal entity, such as UK-based IPUG.
"I think, in general, the problems that Swedish clients are facing are the same as the rest of the European financial markets. Market data is a topic which includes many aspects. From experience we know that any financial institution has its challenges with market data. One issue that is maybe more Scandinavian is the new intergrated securities market in the Nordic [area] and how that will influence the clients in terms of pricing and delivery," says Asa Kullberg, co-director of Screen Nordic. Caroline Spets, also co-director Screen Nordic adds: “All being market data consumers, the members find it comfortable having the opportunity to share experiences and knowledge in this field. The non-competitive format of the forum leverages the exchange of information”.
The forum’s agenda items are related to any market data category, including real-time data, historical data and reference data. Usually, the agenda is based upon members’ input and sometimes guest speakers are invited from vendors or stock exchanges.