First Read

How Well Do You Network? This is a Test.
Jessica Titlebaum – Orc Group
Some people say it’s money, but I think it’s networking events that make the world go ‘round. They give you an opportunity to establish and maintain connections as well as build a successful brand with a purpose. An industry event is the catalyst to take networking to the next level.

With the summer season upon us, hopefully, I have gathered a list of upcoming events that you should make an appearance at in Chicago. Some are invite only, some are only for women and some are open to everyone but, to ensure that the right amount of beverages and appetizers are ordered, you must RSVP.

On another note, I would have included New York events, but I figured this was good incentive for our friends to come to Chicago. Dorothy Friedman, I am talking to you.

Exchange operator Nasdaq announces that they are toughening up real-time system monitoring to improve their oversight of their trade flow. Shareholders give a substantial thumbs-up to the ICE-NYSE merger. LCH.Clearnet starts a service in the US to give clearinghouse customers bankruptcy protection. In First Read today, take a look at the latest MarketsWiki.tv video interview: Tom Lloyd, general counsel at Campbell & Co., talks with John Lothian News Editor-at-Large Doug Ashburn about the emergence of managed futures mutual funds as an additional investment choice in the alternatives space, and explained some of the logistics behind setting up such a fund and carrying out the accounting, reporting and marketing functions.

EU regulators evaluating the proposed ICE-NYSE merger are looking at competetive risks in the soft commodity sector. US regulators continue to edge toward rules designed to mitigate the future potential for financial crises, but that progress also continues to increase tensions between the US and Europe. NYSE Liffe sets July 1 as the conversion date for beginning to clear derivatives trading through ICE Clear Europe.

Exchange operator CME Group posts an overall daily record volume this week. Korea plans to launch the country’s third stock exchange; this one will focus on smaller businesses. The head of Japan Exchange Group says that the company is on track for record profits.