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Market Data Services Ltd. has announced an upgrade to its MDS2000 software suite. The New York City-based provider of cost-control software for market data and telecom will offer the solution either in-house or as an application-service-provider basis. The newest version, MDS2000 Version 2.6, offers enhanced functionality for large users, including Web-reporting features and the new Market Change ManagerModule offering capabilities to add or cancel market-data and telecom services via technology. The version also includes support for Bloomberg Anywhere conventions among other enhancements. In addition, MDSL is marketing the new version to firms as small as having just 40 traders.

UBS Investment Bank has announced the availability of real-time indicative options process to its clients. The bank will reach its clients using New York-based Caplin System's wide-area messaging technology. While the solution was initially rolled out for use by the bank's employees only, UBS has now extended the service to more than 500 clients. UBS replaced its previous service of static Web pages, with phone and fax support, with Caplin's Real-Time Text Protocol technology, to allow treasury, fund, and asset managers to analyze UBS Investment Bank instruments with a real-time browser. No software installation or application download is necessary and the solution can route prices to clients' desktops through unmodified firewalls and proxy servers.

SSISearch, a data-management firm based in East Grinstead, UK, is launching an FX reference-data directory. The global directory contains real-time, authenticated FX reference data for fund managers, corporate-treasury departments and other trading firms. Subscribing institutions enter, authenticate, and manage the reference data, which can be fed into front or back-office systems. Institutions are required to keep reference data updated. In addition, the systems contains a full audit trail of content.

Axa Group is implementing data terminals from MarketXS in its Utrecht, Netherlands offices for fund accounting and investment. The MarketXSPro for Windows offers users analytics and real-time information from global markets, as well as a customizable interface and integration with Microsoft Excel. Axa's users will tap into the terminals to monitor market movements, track the performance of listed mutual funds and calculate net asset values.