Exchange Data International has launched a global IPO database designed to allow investment banks to track the IPO action around the world.

The firm suggests that the Worldwide Initial Public Offering Database will help investment banks to prepare in advance for forthcoming IPO transactions, keep tabs on recently launched issues and compete effectively in the marketplace. “Investment banks’ back offices need to know which companies have declared their intentions to go public so that they can set up the issue in their reference databases. Corporate finance departments need this information so they can advise on the IPOs and consummate the deals,” it notes.

“In today’s world, information is a source of competitive advantage. Business intelligence is a critical component that enables financial institutions to execute their strategy effectively,” says Jonathan Bloch, CEO of Exchange Data International. “With EDI’s Worldwide Initial Public Offering Database, banks can access up-to-date information quickly and easily from one source, improve decision making, reduce errors and ultimately generate profit.”

EDI monitors IPOs worldwide and provides daily updates via email or the web on all IPOs in 74 countries. Information is gathered from primary sources including more than 150 international exchanges and confirmed through secondary sources such as international news agencies.

IPOs are divided into four categories: rumoured, pending, new complete deals, and historical transactions. Investment banks can look up essential data including the name of the company, country of incorporation, exchange, security description, ISIN, symbol, subscription period, currency, industrial code, number of shares offered, share price proposed (or the range), initial price, listing date and notes (where applicable).

EDI says that users can search all announcements against all available countries/exchanges or specify a country of incorporation or exchange. Searches also can be restricted to a date range, type of announcement, status of an announcement or specific security. The system supports a linked search between an issuer name and a security description, so that the results can be narrowed down should a particular issuer have listings in multiple asset classes. Also, the calendar search allows users to enter specific date ranges to view either creation dates or listing dates of securities.