NEW YORK and OSAKA, Japan, July 27, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc. (Nasdaq:NDAQ) and the Osaka Securities Exchange Co., Ltd. (OSE), the premier Japanese derivatives and securities exchange, today announced that the first domestic exchange-traded fund (ETF) based on the NASDAQ-100 Index® will soon be available to Japanese investors. The OSE has approved the listing of the NEXT FUNDS NASDAQ-100® EXCHANGE TRADED FUND (OSE:1545) on OSE's exchange-traded fund market. Nomura Asset Management Co., Ltd., one of Japan's largest asset management companies and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nomura Holdings, Inc., is the sponsor of the ETF.
The NEXT FUNDS NASDAQ-100 EXCHANGE TRADED FUND gives investors in Japan, which has the world's second largest economy, the ability to invest in 100 of the largest and most innovative global non-financial securities listed on NASDAQ – including Apple, Intel, Google and Microsoft.
"We are honored to have the NEXT FUNDS NASDAQ-100 EXCHANGE TRADED FUND, linked to one of the world's largest growth indexes, to be listed on OSE's market," said Michio Yoneda, President and CEO of OSE.
"The introduction of the NEXT FUNDS NASDAQ-100 EXCHANGE TRADED FUND gives retail and institutional investors in Japan access for the first time to a domestic product that tracks 100 of the world's most dynamic large-capitalization growth companies," said NASDAQ OMX Executive Vice President John Jacobs. "We look forward to continuing to work with the OSE and Nomura Asset Management as we explore other opportunities to serve investors in Japan."
NASDAQ OMX and OSE signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to form a strategic partnership in February 2009. The partnership facilitates cooperation and potential growth opportunities among both exchanges in various areas. As a result of this partnership, both exchanges introduced the NEXT FUNDS NASDAQ-100® EXCHANGE TRADED FUND in Japan.
The listing ceremony will be held at JASDAQ Plaza in Tokyo on the day of the listing, August 16th.
About the Osaka Securities Exchange
Osaka Securities Exchange Co., Ltd. (OSE) is the Japan's largest derivatives exchange. In 2008 total trading volume of all derivative products hit the record high of 163,689,348 units, up about 50.3 % compared to the previous year. This year, the year 2009, is the 20th anniversary of the introduction of Nikkei 225 options, the flagship product of OSE.
OSE is the only listed exchange in Japan whose shares have been traded on its own market, "Hercules," since April 2004. For more information about OSE, please visit www.ose.or.jp/e/.
About the NASDAQ OMX Group
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 more than 3,600 listed companies. NASDAQ OMX Group offers multiple capital raising solutions to companies around the globe, including its U.S. listings market; NASDAQ OMX Nordic, including First North, NASDAQ OMX Baltic 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 Group 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 Group exchanges in Helsinki, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Iceland, Tallinn, Riga, and Vilnius. For more information about NASDAQ OMX, visit www.nasdaqomx.com.
NASDAQ®, NASDAQ-100®, and NASDAQ-100 Index® 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 Nomura Asset Management Co., Ltd., ("Nomura") for the development of the NEXT FUNDS NASDAQ-100 ETF. The NEXT FUNDS NASDAQ-100 ETF has not been passed on by NASDAQ OMX as to its legality or suitability, and the NEXT FUNDS NASDAQ-100 ETF is not issued, endorsed or sold by NASDAQ OMX. NASDAQ OMX MAKES NO WARRANTIES AND BEARS NO LIABILITY WITH RESPECT TO THE NEXT FUNDS NASDAQ-100 ETF.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
The matters described herein 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. There can be no assurance that the FSA will give the NASDAQ OMX applicant the authorization and permissions which it seeks.
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