More than Lowest Brokerage: CMC Markets Stockbroking Wins Prominent Awards from Investment Trends*

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Mar 17, 2011, 05:00 ET

SYDNEY, March 17, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- CMC Markets, the leading independent financial services provider, has been awarded 'Highest overall client satisfaction,' 'Best website functionality,' 'Best customer service,' and 'Best charting' in the Investment Trends Dec 2010 Australia Online Broking Report.

The multiple awards won demonstrate the quality and depth of CMC Markets' stockbroking business after CMC Markets launched Australia's lowest online brokerage rate of $9.90 or 0.10% in 2010.

"People often view us as the online broker who is the low cost option. What we want traders to be aware of, especially active traders, is not only do we have the lowest brokerage but we have the best charting (which is free to all clients), best website functionality, best customer service and most importantly the highest overall client satisfaction levels," said Louis Cooper, Head of CMC Markets Australia and New Zealand.

"On top of this, we have an unrivalled education offering for new share traders who want to familiarise themselves with the share market, including a unique 'Trading Insights' blog that both clients and non-clients can access for trading strategies and information on both local and global markets," said Mr. Cooper.

"What we saw happen in the second half of 2010 was a surge in the competition in online brokers as the low cost brokers have started to challenge the more established providers. Our research found that newer entrants like CMC Markets have strengthened their market position considerably," said Pawel Rokicki, Senior Analyst at Investment Trends.

The Investment Trends analysis found that CMC Markets attracted 7% of new clients, significantly higher than their overall 3% market share.

CMC Markets' clients can access a platform that offers low cost brokerage with free unlimited conditional orders, access to all ASX equity instruments, live pricing, market news and analysis, and free charting which will ensure clients are more equipped than ever to make smart, strategic trading decisions. This is why our clients are the happiest online broking clients in the country," said Mr. Cooper.

About Investment Trends December 2010 Australia Online Broking Report

The results are drawn from the Investment Trends Second Half 2010 Investment Trends Online Broking Report, based on a detailed online survey of 6,069 current share traders in November and December 2010. The survey included 1,513 frequent traders (trading at least four times a month) and more than 4,500 other investors who had traded during the last year.

About CMC Markets

The CMC Markets Group, a leading independent financial services provider, offers a range of investment products and investment tools including shares, options, listed managed investments, warrants, interest rate securities and Contracts for Difference (CFDs). Through our partnerships we can also provide access to managed funds and margin lending execution. In 2007 CMC Markets launched its broking service with the acquisition of Andrew West Stockbroking and CMC Markets Stockbroking is now one of the only non-bank aligned, online stockbrokers in Australia. CMC Markets' institutional partner Goldman Sachs owns a 10% stake in the company.

CMC Markets is a pioneer of CFD trading in Australia and a world leading CFD provider. With offices in London, Frankfurt, Dublin, Madrid, Vienna, Sydney, Tokyo, Toronto, Beijing, Auckland, and Singapore, CMC Markets represents clients in over 70 countries. The company was founded in 1989 and is regulated by ASIC in Australia. CMC Markets Stockbroking is a participant of the ASX Group.