CAPIS Signs Sponsor Agreement with BIDS Trading

NEW YORK, NY – June 10, 2010 – Capital Institutional Services, Inc. (CAPIS), an independent agency brokerage firm, and BIDS Trading, an alternative trading system (ATS) designed to increase competition and liquidity in the U.S. equity block trading market, are pleased to announce the signing of a sponsorship agreement. Through its agreement with BIDS Trading, CAPIS can provide customers direct and anonymous block liquidity in both BIDS Trading and NYBX.

BIDS Trading supports a sponsored access model which means that buy-side clients select a broker to pay for their trading activity in the BIDS ATS. The buy-side client benefits by more effectively utilizing their commission dollars to pay for the goods and services provided by their broker/dealer partners and the model benefits the brokers by giving them access to a new stream of commission dollars from their existing clients.

“We are very pleased to become a sponsoring broker with BIDS Trading.” said Kristi Wetherington, President and CEO of CAPIS. “Our goal in working with BIDS Trading was to offer additional value-added service for our clients. We feel access to BIDS Trading’s non-displayed liquidity pool combined with our own quality trading solutions is essential in building relationships with clients who are looking for hidden liquidity and marketplace anonymity.”

CAPIS specializes in global agency trading, independent research and commission management programs for asset managers, plan sponsors and broker-dealers. CAPIS’s traders deliver superior execution in domestic and international equities, fixed income, options and program trading.

“We are delighted to add CAPIS to our growing list of sponsoring brokers.” said Tim Mahoney, CEO, BIDS Trading. “Our goal is to encourage the broadest possible market participation and we are thrilled that CAPIS’ clients can now source unique block liquidity in the BIDS ATS. In May, 5.3 billion shares flowed through our system daily, with average daily matched volumes surpassing 49 million shares.”*

BIDS Trading allows market participants to trade large blocks of equities without revealing their order. Information disclosure is controlled by the trader via customizable trading tools: traders set their minimum block size to help protect their order and they can filter out counterparties based on past trading behavior.

Media Contact

Caroline Bujak, BIDS Trading, L.P.
Email: caroline.bujak@bidstrading.com
Tel: +1.212.618.2097

About BIDS Trading, L.P.

BIDS Trading, L.P. is a registered broker-dealer and the operator of the BIDS Alternative Trading System (ATS), which was designed to bring counterparties together to anonymously trade large blocks of shares. Developed by a consortium of leading financial services firms, BIDS Trading resolves the classic paradox of the block trader – the need to find legitimate trading counterparties without prematurely revealing trading intentions. The BIDS ATS is open to all qualifying broker-dealers and their institutional clients, subject to basic credit and regulatory requirements. For more information, visit www.bidstrading.com.

About CAPIS

Capital institutional Services, Inc. (CAPIS) is a leading independent U.S. institutional broker specializing in global agency trading, independent research and commission management programs for asset managers, plan sponsors and broker-dealers. Supported by advanced trading technology, CAPIS’s traders deliver superior execution in domestic and international equities, fixed income, options and program trading. With over 33 years of experience in the independent research and commission management business, the firm’s industry leading CCA and CSA programs provide added tools for reducing transaction costs and improving performance. Founded in 1977, CAPIS is a member of the New York Stock Exchange, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, and SIPC. For more information, visit www.capis.com.

*Figures include all volume traded on the BIDS ATS and NYBX.

NYBX volume is single counted. BIDS ATS volume is double counted to include both sides of the transaction.