Barclays to Offload Risk Analytics and Index Solutions Business to Bloomberg

Bloomberg has stated it intends to expand its current risk and indices offering through the acquisition of Barclays' benchmark and strategy indices, portfolio analytics, risk and attribution models, and portfolio construction tools. The BRAIS indices will be integrated into Bloomberg's analytic dashboards, portfolio analytics, order-management systems, and execution-management systems in the Bloomberg Commodity Index and AusBond Indices. The deal is expected to close in mid-2016.

In addition to the BRAIS acquisition, Bloomberg has announced its plans to acquire the intellectual property of the Barclays portfolio analytics solution POINT, which will be incorporated into Bloomberg's multi-asset portfolio risk and analytics tool, PORT.

"As financial markets continue to evolve, our clients need and expect the index business to evolve too," says Michael Bloomberg, founder and chief executive of Bloomberg. "Combining the Barclays indices and their team with our data management, analytics and distribution will provide more independence, liquidity and transparency to the marketplace, improve industry innovation and further meet the diverse needs of our global client base."