- Financial institutions must prepare to embrace rapidly emerging trend
- Multi-asset trading could become more significant than algorithmic trading
- Need for holistic trading risk on the increase

London, 13th September 2006:Quod Financial, a leading supplier of 3rd generation, multi-asset trading and order management systems for sell- and buy-side financial institutions, has today announced the publication of its latest white paper entitled "Multi-asset Trading: The New Frontier". The paper discusses the growth of multi-asset trading, citing the emergence of new global players and hedge funds as key contributors. It argues that this new trend is set to rival algorithmic trading in terms of market significance, with serious implications for the future of the financial market.

The white paper seeks to convince organisations that the noise around multiasset trading is not simply vendor-driven hype, but a real shift within the industry. All signs point to the continuation of this trend. Regulation such as MiFID, the first multi-asset regulatory framework, will significantly accelerate the adoption of multi-asset trading; while the creation of multi-asset trading venues through exchange consolidation and the evolution of the FIX protocol will make it easier for new participants to trade cross-asset.

Quod Financial is leading the way forward with the industry’s first multi-asset order management system developed to equip financial institutions to cope with the demands of this growing trend.

Ali Pichvai, Managing Director of Quod Financial, says: "Far from being another gimmick, multi-asset trading is the natural evolution (in the Darwinian sense) of e-trading, and can only be ignored at an institution’s own risk. Financial organisations cannot ignore the move to multi-asset trading. Primarily driven by the changing investment and execution strategies of buyside institutions - who now want to invest and hedge a wider range of assets - the adoption of multi-asset trading is already under way. They must prepare themselves fully for this new trading frontier by consolidating trading and order management systems and Quod is proud to be at the forefront of helping them do this".