INTL FCStone Inc. announced Oct. 17 that its swap dealer and wholly owned subsidiary, INTL FCStone Markets LLC (IFM), has introduced its structured products online calculator (SPOC), a new online pricing tool that provides users with open access to the firm's structured products pricing portfolio.

SPOC showcases thousands of structured product prices across asset classes in a manner that provides unparalleled transparency and instructional support to the marketplace, IFM said. Designed to highlight the breadth of the company's pricing capabilities and educate consumers and producers alike, the platform is now available to IFM's existing account holders. SPOC brings a new level of insight to the structured products universe by breaking through the complexity of elaborate hedging mechanisms, offering both transparency and educational support. Features and benefits include:

* Direct pricing access and direct connection to clients' brokers.

* Real-time pricing indications on IFM's structured products.

* Education on the company's structured products via detailed data, charts, graphs, etc.

* Mid-Market Mark for structured products, bringing transparency to the forefront.

* Storage of customer pricing histories for reference against future hedging activities.

IFM chief executive officer Mark Maurer said, "Among the most challenging aspects for those requiring risk management solutions is determining the hedging strategy that best aligns with a firm's unique risk exposure and strategic goals. SPOC helps facilitate this by providing customized solutions that break down risk levels, chart desired outcomes and offer immediate contact with INTL FCStone brokers and traders to review strategies and implement hedging activities."

IFM helps producers and end-users construct their hedge programs using OTC Structured Products and OTC Vanilla Options, which are more flexible than standard exchange-traded contracts and can be tailored to meet each customer's specific needs on a case-by-case basis. The IFM team analyzes each client's entire risk profile, combined with their initial hedging targets, in order to locate potential risks that the customer may not have considered. The company assists its clients in building a comprehensive risk management strategy to help reduce market exposure.

"As technology continues to evolve and client needs change, INTL FCStone Markets is looking to redefine high-touch, as well as how we interact with our customers using technology in the structured products space. In addition to the invaluable hedging strategies that we offer and the products that we trade, our business is built upon a foundation of added-value client service. SPOC reflects INTL FCStone's commitment to our customers, as well as to promoting enhanced transparency and education in the marketplace," Maurer concluded.

INTL FCStone Inc., through its subsidiaries, is a leading provider of execution, risk management and advisory services, market intelligence and clearing services across asset classes and markets around the world.

Serving more than 20,000 customers in 130 countries on five continents, the company provides products and services across five market segments: commercial hedging, global payments, securities, physical commodities, and clearing and execution services. Its customers include the producers, processors and end users of virtually every major traded commodity, as well as asset managers, introducing broker-dealers, insurance companies, brokers, institutional and retail investors, commercial and investment banks and governmental, non-governmental and charitable organizations.