NEW YORK and SHANGHAI, China, Feb. 26, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Guotai Asset Management and The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc. (Nasdaq:NDAQ) announced today that Guotai has executed an exclusive licensing agreement with NASDAQ OMX to use the NASDAQ-100 Index in the development of an exchange traded product in China. The announcement comes as demand for indexed overseas products in China is rapidly developing. Subject to regulatory approval, this NASDAQ-100 Index-linked product will be the first foreign index-linked financial product traded in China.
Domestic investors in China who wish to invest in foreign capital markets must do so through the Qualified Domestic Institutional Investor (QDII) program. The program, first announced in April 2006, is designed to allow certain institutions, subject to approval from the China Securities and Regulatory Commission, to offer funds which are invested in foreign securities.
About Guotai
Guotai Asset Management Co., Ltd. was founded in 1998 as one of the original asset managers in China. A fully licensed asset manager, Guotai is also an authorized manager for social security, corporate annuity, QDII, and segregate accounts in addition to a full spectrum of mutual fund products. Headquartered in Shanghai, the company has locations in Beijing and Shenzhen.
About NASDAQ OMX
The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc. is the world's largest exchange company. It delivers trading, exchange technology and public company services across six continents, with over 3,800 listed companies. NASDAQ OMX offers multiple capital raising solutions to companies around the globe, including its U.S. listings market, NASDAQ OMX Nordic, NASDAQ OMX Baltic, NASDAQ OMX First North, and the U.S. 144A sector. The company offers trading across multiple asset classes including equities, derivatives, debt, commodities, structured products and ETFs. NASDAQ OMX technology supports the operations of over 70 exchanges, clearing organizations and central securities depositories in more than 50 countries. NASDAQ OMX Nordic and NASDAQ OMX Baltic are not legal entities but describe the common offering from NASDAQ OMX exchanges in Helsinki, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Iceland, Tallinn, Riga, and Vilnius. For more information about NASDAQ OMX, visit http://www.nasdaqomx.com.
NASDAQ(r), NASDAQ-100(r), and NASDAQ-100 Index(r), are registered trademarks of The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc. (which with its affiliates is collectively referred to as "NASDAQ OMX") and have been licensed for use by Guotai Asset Management Co., Ltd. ("Guotai") for the development of an exchange traded product in China (the "Guotai Product"). The Guotai Product has not been passed on by NASDAQ OMX as to its legality or suitability, and the Guotai Product will not be issued, endorsed, sold, or promoted by NASDAQ OMX. NASDAQ OMX makes no warranties and bears no liability with respect to the Guotai Product.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
The matters described herein may contain forward-looking statements that are made under the Safe Harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements about NASDAQ OMX's products and offerings. We caution that these statements are not guarantees of future performance. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties or other factors beyond NASDAQ OMX's control. These factors include, but are not limited to, factors detailed in NASDAQ OMX's annual report on Form 10-K, and periodic reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. We undertake no obligation to release any revisions to any forward-looking statements.
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