Liffe hits the road

In a bid to popularise its upcoming electronic trading platform, Liffe - the London International Financial Futures and Options Exchange - is taking to the road.

The derivatives exchange will hold five roadshow-style events around the UK, preaching the benefits of etrading to private investors, most of whom have been plucked from Liffe and Proshare databases recording individuals with an equities trading history.

A spokesman for Liffe Connect - the electronic platform which will go live for equity options this November - said: "This is aimed at the man in the street who is interested in equities and equity options. Obviously this is partly about education. We expect a response from people who have traded shares or options before, but novices can get involved too."

However, Liffe is not proposing PC-based trading from homes. Liffe Connect will allow member firms to extend order routing to retail brokers, which might then provide live trading facilities for private investors.

Charles Schwab Europe - a leading online broker for equities - is one of the companies planning to offer online dealing in options, and a co-sponsor of the Liffe roadshows.

The roadshows, which cost £16.95, will kick-off in Edinburgh's Balmoral Hotel on 5 September. They will be held every Saturday morning for five weeks in Leeds (Hilton National Hotel), Bristol (Hilton National Hotel), Birmingham (Burlington Hotel), and London (Marriott Hotel, Heathrow).

More information, including a private investor pack, is available on 0171 379 2377.