The introduction of the interim review of the AEX-index, the AMX-index and the AScX-index was announced in March. The new procedure makes it possible to add new companies more quickly if the index temporarily consists of fewer than 25 companies. During the interim review, a company may also qualify for inclusion in the index if the AEX-index consists of 25 shares, if that company’s trading volume places it among the 15 highest-ranking companies.

The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (the Exchange), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEx), has amended its rules to reduce the number of hard copies of documents which issuers are required to provide to the Exchange from 1 September this year.

On July 21st, 2008 the physical delivery against the July futures contract on sugar (SUN8) was successfully completed. The major traders of the Russian sugar market participated in the delivery.

In a further expansion of its short-term interest rate product offerings, CME Group, the world's largest and most diverse derivatives exchange, today announced plans to offer 3-month Overnight Index Swaps (OIS) futures and options on futures. The futures contract is scheduled to become available on Sunday, September 7, 2008, for a trade date of September 8, on the CME Globex electronic trading platform and on Monday, September 8, 2008, for open outcry trading.

The New York Stock Exchange today released its weekly program-trading data submitted by its member firms. The report includes trading in all markets as reported to the NYSE for July 21-25.

The London Stock Exchange today welcomed the world’s first ETF to offer access to Kuwait. The Lyxor ETF Kuwait (FTSE Coast Kuwait 40) will trade on the Main Market and is the first ETF on the Exchange to focus exclusively on the Middle East, reflecting international investors’ growing interest in the region.

Deutsche Börse AG achieved new record second-quarter results in Q2/2008. Sales revenue rose by 8 percent to €585.5 million (Q2/2007: €542.5 million), reflecting both stable revenue performance in the second quarter in the Group’s two largest business areas, Eurex and Clearstream, and the consolidation of the International Securities Exchange (ISE).

The media had reports that Binani Cement Limited may set up two grinding units, one at South Africa and another at either Mauritius or Madagascar with a capacity of 1 million tonne each for a total investment of $200 million. Further the company may also set up an international subsidiary for its overseas operations and list it at the London Stock Exchange's Alternative Investment (AIM).

Pursuant to the Articles of Association of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEx), the unclaimed interim dividend for 2002 will be forfeited and will revert to the company on 12 September 2008.

As of July 30th, 2008, by the end of the evening settlement period (2:03 pm – 5:45 pm) the new methodology for determination of the settlement price for futures contracts of secondary importance (less liquid) approved by the RTS Derivatives Market Committee and the exchange on November 23rd, 2008 and July 28th, 2008 respectively comes into effect on FORTS.

NYSE Arca, NYSE Euronext's fully electronic market for emerging issuers, today welcomed its first Chinese initial public offering, China Distance Education Holdings, a leading provider of online education in China focusing on professional education. Beijing-based China Distance Education Holdings listed its American Depositary Shares on NYSE Arca under the ticker symbol "DL" after its successful IPO in which it raised $61.25 million.

London Stock Exchange Group plc and Tokyo Stock Exchange Group, Inc. (the TSE) today published an outline framework for their new Tokyo-based market for growing companies. The proposed market structure has been developed following extensive discussion with market participants, and will take advantage of the opportunity created by the revised Financial Instruments and Exchange Act passed in June 2008, which enables the establishment of Exchange-regulated markets.