LOS ANGELES -- Capital Management Sciences, a division of Data Broadcasting Corp., and Toronto-based RBC Dominion Securities Inc. are teaming up to supply Canadian bond analytics to the Canadian marketplace, said Terry Geske, senior vice president-product development for CMS.
CMS will supply analytics on Canadian government, municipal, provincial and corporate bond indexes, including numerous subindexes based on bond ratings, industry and duration. A money market index and a Canadian high-yield bond index also will be included in the Canadian version of CMS BondEdge. A separate U.S. version deals with American bonds.
Although the features are not yet available, optimization tools, full-blown performance attribution and mortgage-backed securities analysis data will be included in the next upgrade of the software, said Marlene Puffer, head of fixed-income analytics at RBC. No date has been set for that release.
RBC has been providing analytics in a partnership with BARRA Inc., Berkeley, Calif. It will continue to provide data to BARRA clients until October. In April, BARRA announced it would discontinue the development and support of certain single-country fixed-income products, including those aimed at Canadian markets. The company intends to refocus its fixed-income development on its global products and on the fixed-income portion of enterprise risk-management tools. BARRA will still maintain single-country indexes as part of the global and firmwide risk systems.
Separately, CMS announced the integration of U.S. money market securities data from The Depository Trust Co. into its BondEdge program.
The DTC has a database of more than 31,000 securities, which represents most of the U.S. commercial paper market as well as a number of bank certificates of deposit, bankers acceptances and other issues.
Vestek introduces performance evaluation tool
SAN FRANCISCO -- Vestek, a unit of Primark Corp., has launched Style-based Performance Attribution, an analytical tool that evaluates how a manager's style decisions affect portfolio performance.
The software allows managers to measure and analyze their portfolios vs. their benchmarks based on their own stock selection models, said Susan Lundquist, director of marketing.
More than 50 analytical models have been added to Vestek's existing Portfolio Analyzer software to create this program.
Managers will be able to better show clients style consistency, performance relative to benchmarks and performance-relative style, Ms. Lundquist said.
Antares upgrade paves way for advanced trade processing
WINDSOR, Conn. -- Financial Information eXchange messages in SS&C Technologies Inc.'s Antares 2000 Version 3.0 trade order management system paves the way for straight-through processing of trades, according to Laura Traverse, director of product marketing at SS&C.
The software, which will be available later this year, gives equity managers indications of interest, or IOIs, and orders in addition to executions using the FIX protocol. SS&C has a strategic alliance with AutEx, a Thomson Financial company in Boston, to link Antares 2000 to the FIX-compliant AutEx IOI and TradeRoute automated delivery systems.
SS&C also is making available its Web-based DataCenter for managers using the CAMRA 2000 portfolio accounting system.
The DataCenter will provide time-sensitive market data to investment managers throughout the day via the Internet.
SS&C expects clients using Antares 2000, Total Return 2000 and AdvisorWare 2000 will soon have access to the DataCenter.
FAME offers historical market data package
NEW YORK -- FAME Information Services Inc. has created a historical market data package called FAME's HMD/Risk Solution (Historical Market Data for Risk) for risk management. It is designed to assist managers in acquisition, storage and management of clean market data needed for risk-management systems. The package offers historical data, software and consulting by Benton Associates, the consulting division of FAME.
Performance Technologies upgrades Centerpiece
SAN FRANCISCO -- Performance Technologies Inc. has released Centerpiece 5.2, a new version of its Windows-based portfolio management system.
The system is used to streamline client reporting, portfolio performance tracking and accounting. The new version offers Morningstar Principia Pro and ProTracker System interfaces, navigational enhancements, additional reporting functions, more billing functions and "save as" options that save time on entering data. Users have access to beginning and ending portfolio values, cash flows and income for multiple time periods in comparative performance review reports.
Marco Consulting hires Financial Models
CHICAGO -- The Marco Consulting Group hired Financial Models to provide portfolio management software and services.
Marco is scheduled to implement six Financial Models software programs: PACER, for portfolio accounting; FMCNET, for electronic trade communication and settlement; RECON, for automated reconciliation; SYLVAN, for performance measurement and attribution; PAGES, for client statement processing; and SVC, for pricing and corporate action data.
