Released on: July 10, 2008, 4:43 am

Press Release Author: Enikö Elisabeth Rozman/AIM Software

Industry: Software

Press Release Summary: Back office and risk managers in financial institutions are
invited to participate in this year's assessment of the global reference data
industry

Press Release Body: VIENNA (Austria),10 July 2008 - AIM Software announced today the
launch of its 5th international reference data management survey. AIM Software's
study is designed to provide insight into the trends, challenges and planned
investments for reference data automation and risk management. The survey is carried
out by AIM Software in collaboration with FISD (www.fisd.net) and is sponsored by
Interactive Data (Europe) Ltd (www.interactivedata.com), part of Interactive Data
Corporation (NYSE: IDC).

In recent years, few areas of operations have attracted as much interest as
reference data management and risk management. But how successful have financial
institutions actually been in improving automation levels within their companies?
What are the driving forces for reference data automation? How well can the
financial industry cope with new regulations, such as MiFID? And how mature are back
office systems in those areas?

In order to find answers to these questions, AIM Software regularly undertakes
research in more than 70 countries. This year's edition of the survey will examine
changes and advances between 2008 and previous years. Data and risk managers are
invited to participate by completing a 5-minute online questionnaire at:
http://www.aimsoftware.com/survey2008.

Martin Buchberger, Head of Marketing at AIM Software, stated, "The positive feedback
from financial institutions, global media and the whole financial industry
encouraged us to continue our research and led us to conducting the survey for the
fifth consecutive year." Buchberger continued, "We saw that the impact of new
regulations is about to substantially change the whole operational infrastructure of
financial institutions. We specifically took a closer look at risk management and
reference data management processes in order to get a better picture of what shapes
this development and to see how companies cope with it."

The 2008 survey intends to observe how regulations and market liberalization
influence the global financial markets. The final results of the AIM Global Data and
Risk Management Survey 2008 will be available by the end of 2008. Participants
benefit from a free, comprehensive benchmarking to the rest of the market,
country-specific drill-downs and charts.

Buchberger concluded: "This year's survey again tries to distinguish which issues
signify a trend and which are hype. The results from last year's survey proved that
this research spotted most of the developments on a long-term scale before they
became crucial, giving readers the chance to see where they stand in their own
efforts."

Last year's findings at a glance:

- The 2007 survey results show that financial institutions all over the world are
undertaking considerable efforts to deepen and to further automate their reference
data management, with the percentage of companies planning to increase automation
growing by 15 percentage points (2006: 28% in / 2007: 43%).

- 49% declare that MiFID has a substantial influence on IT investments (Basel II:
60%, Sarbanes-Oxley: 27%).

- Although a relatively high percentage of 39% of the interviewed companies still
rely on proprietary development, 40% of them claimed in 2007 to prefer buying a
solution and/or to extend it, compared to some 22% in 2006.

- 43% of the respondents plan to increase the degree of automation for reference
data and 29% for pricing data. 33% of the more than 400 respondents plan to increase
their level of automation in corporate actions.

- 54% of the interviewed financial institutions plan to extend their reference data
management facilities within the next two years, whereas in 2006 only 37% of
companies planned to do so.



About AIM Software
Established in 1998, AIM Software (www.aimsoftware.com) is one of the leading
providers of reference data management and risk management solutions for financial
markets, with offices in Austria, Switzerland, the US, Hong Kong and Japan. AIM
Software is active in the major financial centres based on its service and support
partner network and supports more than 100 references in 15 countries. Supported by
the company\'s expertise in the areas of reference data management, risk management
and financial instrument pricing, the creation of future proof software solutions is
the cornerstone of AIM Software\'s business mission. For further information, please
visit http://www.aimsoftware.com.

About Interactive Data Corporation
Interactive Data Corporation (NYSE: IDC) is a leading global provider of financial
market data, analytics and related services to financial institutions, active
traders and individual investors. The Company\'s businesses supply real-time market
data, time-sensitive pricing, evaluations and reference data for millions of
securities traded around the world, including hard-to-value instruments. Many of
the world\'s best-known financial service and software companies subscribe to the
Company\'s services in support of their trading, analysis, portfolio management and
valuation activities. Through its businesses, Interactive Data Pricing and
Reference Data, Interactive Data Real-Time Services, Interactive Data Fixed Income
Analytics, and eSignal, the Company has approximately 2,300 employees in offices
located throughout North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. The Company is
headquartered in Bedford, Mass. Pearson plc (NYSE: PSO; LSE: PSON), an
international media company, whose businesses include the Financial Times Group,
Pearson Education, and the Penguin Group, is Interactive Data Corporation\'s majority
stockholder.

Interactive Data Pricing and Reference Data provides global securities pricing,
evaluations and reference data designed to support financial institutions' and
investment funds\' pricing activities, securities operations, research and portfolio
management. Interactive Data Pricing and Reference Data collects, edits, maintains
and delivers data on more than 6 million securities, including daily evaluations for
approximately 2.5 million fixed income and international equity issues. Interactive
Data Pricing and Reference Data specializes in 'hard-to-get' information and
evaluates many 'hard-to value' instruments.

Pricing, evaluations and reference data are provided in the U.S. through Interactive
Data Pricing and Reference Data, Inc. and internationally through Interactive Data
(Europe) Ltd. and Interactive Data (Australia) Pty Ltd.

Interactive Data and the Interactive Data logo are service marks of Interactive Data
Corporation.

For more information about Interactive Data Corporation and its businesses, please
visit www.interactivedata.com.


Web Site: http://www.aimsoftware.com

Contact Details: For further information, please contact:
Enikö Elisabeth Rozman
PR & Communications
AIM Software
Advanced Information Management
Intellingent Solutions for Analysis
Gonzagagasse 16/1.
1010 Vienna
Austria
Tel: +43 1 5124652
E-mail:pr@aimsoftware.com
http://www.aimsoftware.com/survey2008