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and scope. The proposed mergers of the LSE with Deutsche
Börse A.G. and of CBOE with BATS are two current examples
of pending consolidation among marketplaces.
Regulatory changes, such as MiFID, also have facilitated the
entry of new participants in the European Union that compete
with our European markets. The regulatory environment, both
in the U.S. and in Europe, is structured to maintain this
environment of intense competition. In addition, a high
proportion of business in the securities markets is becoming
concentrated in a smaller number of institutions and our revenue
may therefore become concentrated in a smaller number of
customers.
We also compete globally with other regulated exchanges and
markets, ATSs, MTFs and other traditional and non-traditional
execution venues. Some of these competitors also are our
customers. Competitors may develop market trading platforms
that are more competitive than ours. Competitors may enter into
strategic partnerships, mergers or acquisitions that could make
their trading, listings, clearing, data or technology businesses
more competitive than ours.
If we are unable to compete successfully in this environment,
our business, financial condition and operating results will be
adversely affected.
Price competition has affected and could continue to affect
our business.
We face intense price competition in all areas of our business.
In particular, the trading industry is characterized by intense
price competition. We have in the past lowered prices, and in
the U.S., increased rebates for trade executions to attempt to
gain or maintain market share. These strategies have not always
been successful and have at times hurt operating performance.
Additionally, we have also been, and may once again be,
required to adjust pricing to respond to actions by competitors,
which could adversely impact operating results. We are also
subject to potential price competition from new competitors
and from new and existing competitors. We also compete with
respect to the pricing of data products and with respect to
products for pre-trade book data and for post-trade last sale data.
In the future, our competitors may offer rebates for quotes and
trades on their systems. In addition, pricing in our Corporate
Services, Index Licensing and Services and Market Technology
businesses is subject to competitive pressures. If we are unable
to compete successfully in respect to the pricing of our services
and products, our business, financial condition and operating
results may be adversely affected.
System limitations or failures could harm our business.
Our businesses depend on the integrity and performance of the
technology, computer and communications systems supporting
them. If our systems cannot expand to cope with increased
demand or otherwise fail to perform, we could experience
unanticipated disruptions in service, slower response times and
delays in the introduction of new products and services. These
consequences could result in service outages, lower trading
volumes or values, financial losses, decreased customer service
and satisfaction and regulatory sanctions. Our markets and the
markets that rely on our technology have experienced systems
failures and delays in the past and could experience future
systems failures and delays.
Although we currently maintain and expect to maintain multiple
computer facilities that are designed to provide redundancy and
back-up to reduce the risk of system disruptions and have
facilities in place that are expected to maintain service during
a system disruption, such systems and facilities may prove
inadequate. If trading volumes increase unexpectedly or other
unanticipated events occur, we may need to expand and upgrade
our technology, transaction processing systems and network
infrastructure. We do not know whether we will be able to
accurately project the rate, timing or cost of any increases, or
expand and upgrade our systems and infrastructure to
accommodate any increases in a timely manner.
While we have programs in place to identify and minimize our
exposure to vulnerabilities and work in collaboration with the
technology industry to share corrective measures with our
business partners, we cannot guarantee that such events will not
occur in the future. Any system issue that causes an interruption
in services, decreases the responsiveness of our services or
otherwise affects our services could impair our reputation,
damage our brand name and negatively impact our business,
financial condition and operating results.
We must continue to introduce new products, initiatives and
enhancements to maintain our competitive position.
We intend to launch new products and initiatives and continue
to explore and pursue opportunities to strengthen our business
and grow our company. We may spend substantial time and
money developing new products and initiatives. If these
products and initiatives are not successful, we may not be able
to offset their costs, which could have an adverse effect on our
business, financial condition and operating results.
In our technology operations, we have invested substantial
amounts in the development of system platforms and in the
rollout of our platforms. Although investments are carefully
planned, there can be no assurance that the demand for such
platforms will justify the related investments and that the future
levels of transactions executed on these platforms will be
sufficient to generate an acceptable return on such investments.
If we fail to generate adequate revenue from planned system
platforms, or if we fail to do so within the envisioned timeframe,
it could have an adverse effect on our results of operations and
financial condition. In addition, clients may delay purchases in
anticipation of new products or enhancements.
A decline in trading and clearing volumes or values or market
share will decrease our trading and clearing revenues.
Trading and clearing volumes and values are directly affected
by economic, political and market conditions, broad trends in
business and finance, unforeseen market closures or other
disruptions in trading, the level and volatility of interest rates,
inflation, changes in price levels of securities and the overall
level of investor confidence. In recent years, trading and
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