NRI Adds New Functionality To I-Star Back-Office Solution To Optimize Introduction Of New Options Contracts On Nikkei Stock Exchange

Nomura Research Institute, Ltd. (NRI), a leading provider of consulting services and system solutions, today announced the addition of a new functionality to the I-STAR securities back-office solution for wholesale brokerage firms. This new component, “Weekly Option Dealing” provides access to the new options on the Nikkei Stock Average, contracted by the Osaka Exchange, Inc., and is scheduled to be made available via the Exchange on May 25, 2015.

I-STAR provides a wide range of functionalities required for the back-office operations of the securities business, from execution to settlement and accounting, and also enables the management of trades across multiple asset classes, including equities, bonds, derivatives and investment trusts. Through the “Weekly Option Dealing” functionality, users will be able to utilize I-STAR to enter the new weekly option contracts that are being introduced on the Nikkei Stock Average for the enhanced convenience of market participants. The feature will also allow users to engage in post-trade activities, including:

• Managing limitation of positions and deposits
• Engaging in market syndication, reconciliation and accounting
• Creating regulatory reports for external institutions that are compliant with market standards and ongoing mandates

In February 2015, NRI added another enhancement to its I-STAR solution to enable users to manage the average price¹ in margin and derivative trading in order to become fully compliant with Japanese regulations that came into effect this past March. Through this component, users are able to link to average price trades and executive price trades, while also managing the treatment and booking of fractions rising from average price transactions.

“Continuing to advance our solutions and services with features that respond directly to emerging market trends and regulatory needs is critical for driving the success of our clients and maintaining our industry leadership,” said Minoru Yokote, Senior Managing Director of NRI. “I-STAR is a market-leading solution that provides today’s top financial institutions with the advanced level of support needed to handle complex back-office operations. The addition of a our weekly options feature reflects our strong commitment to our customers’ financial needs by enabling them to take full advantage of the upcoming introduction of new options contracts to the Japanese market.”

I-STAR is operated from the NRI data center and is offered as an SaaS solution, thereby enabling users to reduce the manual procedures and operating costs associated with installing an in-house system. The solution also provides steady support around the rapidly changing financial needs and regulations within the Japanese securities industry. Since its launch in 1987, I-STAR has been adopted by more than 100 financial institutions, and has become the de facto standard for the Japanese wholesale securities industry.

For more information on I-STAR, please click here.