Nasdaq Begins Y2K Freeze On Market Data Updates

The Nasdaq Stock Market went into partial Y2K
hibernation today, freezing changes made to information about
almost 5,000 listed companies held on its computer systems.

The freeze will last from December 27, 1999 through to January
3, 2000. It will delay company and new share issue data changes,
including updates about new initial public offerings, company
name changes, Nasdaq symbol changes, new NASD member
additions, time and sales updates, and others.

The move is designed to minimize activity on Nasdaq's computer
systems during the Y2K rollover and is part of the stock market's
Y2K action plan.

"This data freeze will be imposed to minimize the activity in the
system during the brief transition period to the new year," said
Gregor S. Bailar, executive vice president and chief information
officer of the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD),
parent of the Nasdaq Stock Market. "For us, there's no such thing
as being over-prepared."

Not all updates will be frozen, however, with listing deletions,
registration of market makers and some other updates to be
allowed.

Further information about the Nasdaq Stock Market's Y2K
activities can be found on the Web, at http://www.nasdaq.com .

Reported By Newsbytes.com, http://www.newsbytes.com