In-depth coverage and analysis, not just about the latest financial technology and market data, but about how financial services firms are using it. This month's issue is Sept 2001 . The market may be down, but attendance wasn't. This year's Securities Industry Association Technology Management Conference and Exhibit boasted 8,903 attendees, smashing last year's record of 8,600. Sure, it's the end of August, but these are dog days of a different kind.
Volatility has dried up, trading profits are down and activity is sluggish.
Things haven't stopped exactly, but they've become pretty darn slow. Royal Bank of Scotland, Banco Santander Central Hispano, Commerzbank, Sanpaolo IMI and Societe Generale came together to design an online marketplace for treasury and capital markets products. Now the consortium, dubbed Centradia, has announced its technology partners and plans for a September launch. Outsourcing is still largely confined to the back office, but not for long. These days, being down for even a few minutes is unacceptable.