NASDAQ AND FIDELITY UNVEIL FINANCIAL PRODUCTS BASED ON THE NASDAQ
COMPOSITE INDEX
New
York and Boston NASDAQ Financial Products Services,
Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc.
(NASDAQ), and Fidelity Investments® today announced
the launch of two financial products based on the NASDAQ Composite
Index®an exchange-traded fund (ETF) that
is listed and traded on NASDAQ and a domestic index mutual fund
available directly from Fidelity. The ETF trades on NASDAQ under
the symbol ONEQ.
"We're pleased that Fidelity has chosen the NASDAQ Composite
Index as the benchmark for its first ETF," said John L. Jacobs,
Chief Executive Officer of NASDAQ Financial Products Services,
Inc. "The NASDAQ Composite is one of the most widely watched
financial benchmarks in the world, while Fidelity has a reputation
for providing investors with high-quality financial products.
It's a powerful combination for investors."
NASDAQ is one of the world's leaders in financial products including
the NASDAQ-100 Index Tracking Stock (QQQ*), which is currently
the world's most actively traded exchange-traded fund and the
most actively traded stock in the United States as of August 31,
2003. NASDAQ plays a unique role in the ETF arena, as it sponsors
ETFs such as QQQ and BLDRs*; provides ETF benchmark indices such
as the NASDAQ Composite, the NASDAQ Biotech, and the NASDAQ-100;
and serves as a listing venue for ETFs such as ONEQ and BLDRs.
Fidelity Investments is the largest mutual fund company in the
United States and is one of the world's largest providers of financial
services, with total managed assets of $906.0 billion and customer
assets of $1.6 trillion as of August 31, 2003.
"This is a significant milestone for us as it marks the first
time Fidelity will sponsor and manage an ETF," said Sanjiv
Mirchandani, Fidelity Investments' executive vice president of
Brokerage and Asset Management Products. "In recent years,
ETFs have been among the fastest growing products in the financial
services industry, and our brokerage customers have taken advantage
of the variety of externally managed ETFs we've made available
to them. We are delighted to combine resources with NASDAQ to
provide our customers with new and innovative financial products
based on the NASDAQ Composite Index."
"ETFs have been growing in popularity, providing investors
with convenient and cost-effective equity exposure," said
Deborah Fuhr, executive director of global ETF research at Morgan
Stanley. "This is a promising alliance of two leaders in
their industries, who both have a history of providing solid financial
products to the investment community."
The NASDAQ Composite Index measures approximately 3,400 domestic
and international NASDAQ-listed common type stocks. The top five
industry groups and their weights include Computer Software &
Hardware, 54%; Health Care, 13%; Financials, 11%; Consumer Discretionary,
8% and Telecommunications & Media, 6%, with other groups making
up 8% of the Index as of August 31, 2003. An ETF based on the
Composite provides investors with exposure to a wide range of
NASDAQ-listed companies in a single trade.
This
announcement expands Fidelity's leadership in providing its customers
with a broad array of high-quality products and services. The firm
manages more than 300 mutual funds for more than 18 million customers
as of August 31, 2003. Through Fidelity's brokerage services, which
have been available for 25 years, customers have the ability to
buy and sell stocks, bonds, options, and exchange-traded funds,
as well as more than 4,500 mutual funds including the new Fidelity
Nasdaq Composite Index Fundonline at www.fidelity.com, over
the phone, via wireless devices or through representatives virtually
24 hours a day, seven days a week. Fidelity also offers specialized
services for its customers who trade actively, including access
to its Active Trader Pro™ application.
About
NASDAQ
NASDAQ
(OTCBB: NDAQ) is the world's largest electronic stock market. With
approximately 3,500 companies, it lists more companies and has an
average daily trading volume higher than any other U.S. market.
NASDAQ is home to category-defining companies that are leaders across
all areas of business including technology, retail, communications,
financial services, media and biotechnology industries. For more
information about NASDAQ, visit the NASDAQ Web site at www.NASDAQ.com
or the NASDAQ NewsroomSM at www.nasdaq.com/newsroom.
About
Fidelity Investments
Fidelity
Investments is one of the world's largest providers of financial
services, with custodied assets of $1.6 trillion, including managed
assets of $906.0 billion as of August 31, 2003. Fidelity offers
investment management, retirement planning, brokerage, human resources
and benefits outsourcing services to 18 million individuals and
institutions as well as through 5,500 financial intermediaries.
The firm is the largest mutual fund company in the United States,
the No. 1 provider of workplace retirement savings plans, one of
the largest mutual fund supermarkets and a leading online brokerage
firm. For more information about Fidelity Investments, visit www.fidelity.com.
*Distributed
by ALPS Distributors, Inc. To obtain more complete information about
QQQ and BLDRS, unit investment trusts, including fees, expenses,
and risks, please call 888.627.3837 or visit www.nasdaq-100.com
/ www.bldrsfunds.com
to request a prospectus. Read it carefully before investing.
It
is not possible to invest directly in an index. The NASDAQ Composite
Index is a market capitalization weighted, unmanaged index that
is designed to closely correspond to the price and yield performance
of the NASDAQ Composite Index.
ETFs
are subject to market fluctuations of their underlying investments.
Diversification does not ensure a profit or guarantee a loss in
a declining market.
NASDAQ®,
NASDAQ Composite®, and NASDAQ Composite Index® are registered
trademarks of The Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc. (which with its Affiliates
are the "Corporations") and are licensed for use by Fidelity.
Fidelity
Investments & Pyramid (design) is a registered trademark of
FMR Corp. ONEQ is a trademark of FMR Corp.
For
more complete information on Fidelity® Nasdaq Composite Index®
Tracking Stock or Fidelity® Nasdaq Composite Index® Fund
or any Fidelity fund, including fees and expenses, visit Fidelity.com
or call any time at 800-FIDELITY for a free prospectus, which you
should read carefully before you invest or send money.
Fidelity
Distributors Corporation
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