Press Release

FutureTrade, a leading provider of electronic equity, option and algorithmic trading, today announced an agreement with LaBranche Financial Services, Inc.’s Institutional Execution Group, which provides quality brokerage and execution services. Under the terms of the agreement, LaBranche Financial Services’ institutional clients will have access to FutureTrade’s electronic trading platform for self-directed direct market access (DMA) and algorithmic execution. LaBranche’s Institutional Execution Group will market the latest FutureTrade offering, which is integrated with major buy-side Order Management Systems. LaBranche Financial Services is a division of LaBranche and Co Inc. (NYSE: LAB).

“LaBranche’s Institutional Execution Group’s client base includes many of the nation’s large institutions and hedge funds. We are continuing to take initiatives to provide best execution at low costs and to address the ever changing complexities associated with finding liquidity,” said Phil Rapp, a Managing Director of LaBranche Financial Services. “By providing our clients with FutureTrade’s platform they will have one of the best available electronic trading solutions, and through our partnership with FutureTrade, we will be able to better serve our clients’ needs.”

“The Institutional Execution Group is proud to work with FutureTrade. We believe our agency model is a complementary fit with a broker-neutral platform such as FutureTrade and we can further help our customers consolidate their electronic trading with one multi-broker execution platform,” said Scott Bauer, Vice President of Electronic Trading at LaBranche Financial Services.

LaBranche’s Institutional Execution Group’s clients can benefit from the latest features available through FutureTrade’s platform. The system has been designed to enhance the ease of use and functionality of the platform, while enabling integrated multi-security trading of equities and options.

Popular features include:

» Internet accessibility

» Single stock and list trading

» Access to algorithms, ECN/ATS’s and Exchanges

» Direct access to LaBranche’s Institutional Execution Group

» Order staging from all major Order Management Systems

» Symbol-based order preferences

» Options spreads and sweeps

» Integrated market data and portfolio information

» Advanced web-based allocations

» Access to the NASDAQ opening and closing cross

“We are delighted to be working with such a respected firm as LaBranche and pleased to have been selected as the multi-asset electronic trading platform for LaBranche’s valued buy-side clients,” said James Kwiatkowski, Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing at FutureTrade. “Through our LiquidityPATH® program, LaBranche will be able to augment their existing brokerage services with one of the industry's most popular electronic trading platforms supported by its well regarded customer service capabilities.”

About LaBranche’s Institutional Execution Group (IEG) and LaBranche & Co Inc.
LaBranche’s Institutional Execution Group offers execution services for NYSE, Amex and Nasdaq/OTC with seamless processing from order origination to optimal trade execution. The Institutional Execution Group’s commitment to service goes beyond simply executing orders. With personalized service, the Institutional Execution Group offers a customized trading solution to its customers’ needs.

LaBranche & Co Inc. is the parent of LaBranche & Co. LLC, one of the largest Specialists in equity securities listed on the New York and American Stock Exchanges. LaBranche is also the parent of LaBranche Structured Holdings, Inc., whose subsidiaries are specialists and market-makers in options, exchange-traded funds and futures on various exchanges domestically and internationally. Our specialists and market makers are leading liquidity providers, bringing capital and critical expertise to securities markets. LaBranche’s LaBranche Financial Services, Inc. subsidiary provides securities execution, clearing and direct-access floor brokerage services to institutional investors.

About FutureTrade
FutureTrade provides buy-side traders with a fully integrated direct access trading platform for equities and options. Through one platform, traders access liquidity on all major exchanges, ECNs, ATSs, Market Makers, DOT and all major US Options Exchanges. Users enter orders, get instantaneous executions, track multiple portfolios, access market data efficiently, and see advanced analytics – all from a single integrated workstation. FutureTrade facilitates real-time reporting of trade data making it an ideal front-end to straight-through processing for buy-side traders. Market conditions and system performance may delay system access, real-time data and trade execution. Transactions executed through FutureTrade Securities, a wholly owned subsidiary of FutureTrade Technologies. Securities offered through FutureTrade Securities, LLC. Member of NASD and SIPC. For more information, please visit www.futuretrade.com.

Contact Information:
Jim Kwiatkowski
EVP Sales and Marketing
(212) 230-2501
Email: jimk@futuretrade.com