The NYSE Group today announced agreements that it says will improve access to bond trading.

The exchange reported that it has signed agreements with Kestrel Technologies and Townsend Analytics, offering issuers, market professionals and investors additional ways to access the NYSE Bonds platform through multiple front-end platforms, pending SEC approval.

“These strategic agreements give investors greater connectivity and wider access to the NYSE Bonds platform currently in development,” said John Thain, NYSE Group CEO. “This further supports our goal to offer the broadest range of products with the highest level of transparency and accessibility for all market participants.”

Using the design of the current NYSE Arca all-electronic trading platform, NYSE Bonds will provide more efficient and transparent trading in corporate debt issues for NYSE members entering orders in bonds listed on the exchange. Pending SEC approval, the system will be expanded to include the corporate debt of all NYSE-listed equity issuers and their wholly owned subsidiaries. Once approved, this exemption will expand the number of eligible bonds from approximately 1,000 today to as many as 6,000 in the future.