SmartPool, a neutral dark liquidity pool created by NYSE Euronext in partnership with HSBC, J.P. Morgan and BNP Paribas, is expanding into trading pan-European mid cap securities.
SmartPool, a neutral dark liquidity pool created by NYSE Euronext in partnership with HSBC, J.P. Morgan and BNP Paribas, is expanding into trading pan-European mid cap securities.
From September 2009 the SmartPool product universe will be expanded to include all constituents of the following five mid-capitalisation indices: FTSE 250 (UK); FTSE Italia Mid Cap (Italy); Mid cap constituents of the Dow Jones Stoxx 600; MDAX (Germany); and SMIM (Switzerland).
Trades in these securities will be cleared via LCH.Clearnet for Euronext listed stocks and EuroCCP for all other European markets.
The existing blue chip range of securities will also be extended to reflect the leading indices of the 15 European equity markets traded on SmartPool, including securities listed on the four NYSE Euronext markets.
Launched in February 2009, SmartPool operates a dark order book that offers market participants who wish to trade promptly, anonymously and in bulk with the opportunity to carry out their transactions with reduced market impact at improved execution prices.
Lee Hodgkinson (pictured), chief executive of SmartPool, says: ‘The SmartPool value proposition is especially relevant for transactions in securities where liquidity is scarce and implicit execution costs tend to be higher. Our expansion into offering mid-caps across Europe will be of great value to customers who wish to trade less liquid securities in a non-displayed environment. With activity on the SmartPool platform in the second quarter of 2009 increasing by over 90 per cent, today’s announcement further illustrates the depth and breadth of liquidity available on SmartPool.’
Diana Chan, chief executive of EuroCCP, adds: ‘EuroCCP supports the expansion of SmartPool into this market segment. The use of EuroCCP clearing services further extends benefits of netting across Europe for SmartPool members, whilst providing strong risk mitigation in these less-liquid securities.’
