As they pare back on their lists of brokers and providers, most institutions rely on the “broker vote” to determine which firms to keep, and ultimately, how their research and advisory service dollars will be apportioned.

U.K. consultants report strong demand for core real estate but think clients will be slow to move to value-added space.

Armed with next generation technology, the sales trader of the future can provide clients with custom-feel service despite a challenging commission environment.

A notable share of U.S. small businesses and middle market companies are obtaining credit from non-bank providers.

Corporate users continue to concentrate their IRD business among their top three dealers, while asset managers and hedge funds are starting to diversify their lists.

Investors’ desire for low-touch trading is tempered by content needs accessible only through high-touch channels.

Despite lower market volumes, U.S. equity investors seeking content drive up the commission wallet.

Mid-tier brokers see strong gains as research source, now accounting for 40% of the research wallet.

Hedge funds could see IT costs slashed by using cloud computing on demand.

Buy-side equity traders favor electronic trading for cost, but commission dollar requirements and  other issues often curtail use.