Conference Board LEI for Korea increased slightly in January, and it has been on an upward trend for a year. This month, gains in letter of credit arrivals and real exports more than offset the large negative contributions from stock prices and the (inverted) index of inventories to shipments. The leading economic index increased by 7.1 percent (about a 14.7 percent annual rate) in the six-month period ending in January 2010, slightly higher than the increase of 5.9 percent (about a 12.2 percent annual rate) for the previous six months ending in July 2009. In addition, the strengths among the leading indicators have remained widespread in recent months.

The Conference Board CEI for Korea, a measure of current economic activity, declined in January for the first time since December 2008. The wholesale and retail sales component, industrial production, and total employment all made large negative contributions to the index this month. With the decline in January, the six-month growth rate of the coincident economic index continued to slow — to 1.7 percent (about a 3.5 percent annual rate), down from 3.7 percent (about a 7.6 percent annual rate) for the previous six months. At the same time, real GDP growth also slowed substantially, to 0.7 percent (annual rate) in the fourth quarter of 2009, following the rapid increases of 13.6 percent (annual rate) in the third quarter and the 5.6 percent average annual rate in the first half of the year.

The Conference Board LEI for Korea has been on an upward trend for a year now, and is back to its July 2008 level. Meanwhile, The Conference Board CEI for Korea declined this month, and its six-month growth rate has continued to slow. Taken together, the current behavior of the composite indexes and their components suggests that economic activity will continue to improve, but perhaps at a modest pace in the near term.

LEADING INDICATORS. Four of the seven components that make up The Conference Board LEI for Korea increased in January. The positive contributors — from the largest positive contributor to the smallest — were letter of credit arrivals, real exports FOB, private construction orders*, and value of machinery orders*. Negative contributors — from the largest negative contributor to the smallest — were stock prices, the (inverted) index of inventories to shipments, and the (inverted) yield of government public bonds.

With the 0.3 percent increase in January, The Conference Board LEI for Korea now stands at 114.7 (2004=100). Based on revised data, this index increased 2.1 percent in December and increased 1.8 percent in November. During the six-month span through January, the leading economic index increased 7.1 percent, with five of the seven components advancing (diffusion index, six-month span equals 85.7 percent).

COINCIDENT INDICATORS. Only one of the four components that make up The Conference Board CEI for Korea increased in January. The positive contributor was monthly cash earnings. The wholesale and retail sales component, industrial production and total employment declined in January.

With the 0.4 percent decrease in January, The Conference Board CEI for Korea now stands at 110.6 (2004=100). Based on revised data, this index increased 0.3 percent in December and increased 0.9 percent in November. During the six-month span through January, the coincident economic index increased 1.7 percent, with three of the four components advancing (diffusion index, six-month span equals 75.0 percent).

DATA AVAILABILITY. The data series used to compute The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® (LEI) and The Conference Board Coincident Economic Index® (CEI) for Korea reported in this release are those available "as of" 10 A.M. (ET) on March 10, 2010.

* The series in the coincident economic index based on The Conference Board's estimates is monthly cash earnings. The series in the leading economic index based on The Conference Board's estimates are private construction orders and value of machinery orders.

Semiconductor SectorSM index (SOX) have been introduced today by Direxion Shares. The new ETFs are leveraged Bull and Bear index funds that seek 300% of the daily performance, or 300% of the inverse of the daily performance (before fees and expenses), of the PHLX Semiconductor Sector index, the most widely recognized index investors use to track the semiconductor industry.

"The PHLX Semiconductor Sector index provides broad exposure to an industry that is increasingly tied to the global economy," said John Jacobs, Executive Vice President, NASDAQ OMX Global Index Group. "With the launch of these ETFs, investors can now employ new investment strategies involving some of the world's most innovative companies that often drive the broader technology industry."

On March 11, the following ETFs that offer leveraged long and short exposure to the PHLX Semiconductor Sector index began trading:

 --  Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bull 3X Shares (SOXL)

 --  Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bear 3X Shares (SOXS)

"Direxion is a leader in delivering innovative investment solutions that provide magnified exposure to a spectrum of specific industry sectors, on both the long and short end," stated Dan O'Neill, Direxion Shares' President. "We are pleased to introduce our new Semiconductor 3x ETFs, which reflect our commitment to serving sophisticated investors with tactical investment tools amid changing market conditions."

The PHLX Semiconductor Sector index is a modified capitalization-weighted index composed of companies primarily involved in the design, distribution, manufacture, and sale of semiconductors. To view a complete list of component companies, visit https://indexes.nasdaqomx.com/weighting.aspx?IndexSymbol=SOX&menuIndex=0.

NASDAQ OMX is a global leader in creating and licensing strategy indexes and is home to the most widely watched indexes in the world. As a premier, full-service provider, the NASDAQ OMX Global Index Group is dedicated to designing powerful indexes that are in sync with a continually changing market environment. Utilizing its expanded coverage as a global company, NASDAQ OMX has approximately 1,400 diverse equity, commodity and fixed-income indexes in the U.S., Europe, and throughout the world.

NASDAQ OMX's calculation, design, licensing and marketing support provide the tools to measure and replicate global markets. The NASDAQ OMX Global Index Group's range of services covers the entire business process from index design to calculation and dissemination. For more information about NASDAQ OMX indexes, visit https://indexes.nasdaqomx.com/.

Access to essential historical index data for NASDAQ OMX indexes can be accessed from a single source, NASDAQ OMX Global Index Watch. For additional information, please visit https://indexes.nasdaqomx.com/indexwatch.aspx.

“Company”) at $8.85 per warrant. The aggregate net proceeds to Treasury from the offering are expected to be $6,559,066. These proceeds provide an additional return to the American taxpayer from Treasury’s investment in the Company beyond the dividend payments it received on the related preferred stock.

The closing is expected to occur on or about March 17, 2010, subject to customary closing conditions. The offering was priced through a modified Dutch auction. Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. is the sole book-running manager for the offering. This offering represents Treasury’s sale of its remaining investment in the Company.

The warrants were offered pursuant to an effective shelf registration statement that was filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). A preliminary prospectus supplement relating to the offering was filed with the SEC on March 8, 2010, and a final prospectus supplement will be filed by the Company with the SEC and will be available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

Copies of the final prospectus supplement relating to these securities may be obtained, when available, from Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Prospectus Department, Harborside Financial Center, 100 Plaza One, Jersey City, New Jersey 07311-3988, telephone: 1-800-503-4611 or by emailing prospectusrequest@list.db.com. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus and prospectus supplement in the registration statement and other documents the Company has filed with the SEC for more complete information about the Company and the warrants.

This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

Virginia, after a federal court held at hearing where the defendant also appeared.

The order, arising from a CFTC anti-fraud enforcement action against Smith filed on February 23, 2010, continues the asset freeze the court entered against Smith at the outset of the CFTC’s action. The order also prohibits Smith from further violations of federal commodities law. Chief Judge James P. Jones of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia entered the order on March 5, 2010.

The CFTC’s complaint charges Smith with fraudulently soliciting at least $800,000 from customers and misappropriating customer funds in an off-exchange foreign currency (forex) scam. The complaint also charges Smith with issuing false statements to customers to conceal the fraudulent misuse of funds. (See CFTC Press Release 5734-10, February 26, 2010, and CFTC v. Ronald W. Smith, Jr. et al., No. 1:10CV00009 [W.D. Va. 2010].)

In its continuing litigation against Smith, the CFTC seeks restitution, disgorgement of ill-gotten gains, civil monetary penalties and a permanent injunction.

The following CFTC Division of Enforcement staff are responsible of this case: August A. Imholtz III, Kara Mucha, James Garcia, Kassra Goudarzi, Michelle Bougas, Michael Solinsky, Gretchen L. Lowe and Phyllis J. Cela.

was 475,500, an increase of 5,000 from the previous week's revised average of 470,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.5 percent for the week ending Feb. 27, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 3.5 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Feb. 27 was 4,558,000, an increase of 37,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 4,521,000. The 4-week moving average was 4,581,000, unchanged from the preceding week's revised average of 4,581,000.

The fiscal year-to-date average of seasonally adjusted weekly insured unemployment, which corresponds to the appropriated AWIU trigger, was 5.170 million.  

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 460,287 in the week ending March 6, a decrease of 10,969 from the previous week. There were 652,636 initial claims in the comparable week in 2009.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.2 percent during the week ending Feb. 27, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 5,528,856, a decrease of 68,281 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 4.8 percent and the volume was 6,361,354.

Extended benefits were available in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin during the week ending Feb. 20.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,290 in the week ending Feb. 27, an increase of 93 from the prior week. There were 2,335 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 388 from the preceding week.

There were 22,955 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Feb. 20, a decrease of 822 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 36,585, an increase of 1,113 from the prior week.

States reported 5,527,925 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending Feb. 20, a decrease of 159,649 from the prior week. There were 2,068,413 claimants in the comparable week in 2009. EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Feb. 20 were in Alaska (7.4 percent), Oregon (6.4), Idaho (6.3), Pennsylvania (6.2), Wisconsin (6.2), Montana (6.1), Puerto Rico (6.0), Michigan (5.7), Nevada (5.6), and Rhode Island (5.6).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Feb. 27 were in California (+16,112), New York (+12,263), Florida (+2,516), Texas (+1,440), and Nevada (+947), while the largest decreases were in Pennsylvania (-4,772), Massachusetts (-4,504), New Jersey (-3,972), Kentucky (-3,633), and Missouri (-1,661).

offering of shares of its class of unrestricted common stock.  The number of shares to be offered and the price range for the offering have not yet been determined.  The shares of unrestricted common stock to be sold in this offering are proposed to be sold by CBOE Holdings and/or certain stockholders.   CBOE Holdings will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale of shares by the selling stockholders.

CBOE Holdings intends for the proposed offering to take place concurrently with the proposed demutualization of Chicago Board Options Exchange, Incorporated, currently the parent corporation of CBOE Holdings.  Subject to a vote by the members of CBOE in favor of demutualization, CBOE Holding’s and CBOE’s goal is to complete both the demutualization and the IPO by the end of the second quarter of 2010.  It is the intention of CBOE Holdings to use the net proceeds from the shares sold by the company for general corporate purposes, including the repurchase of shares of the common stock to be issued to CBOE members in the demutualization and to members of the settlement class who will be receiving stock under the settlement agreement in the exercise right litigation between CBOE and former members of the Chicago Board of Trade.

The sole global coordinator of the offering will be Goldman, Sachs & Co. This offering will be made only by means of a prospectus. A copy of the preliminary prospectus, when available, may be obtained by contacting Goldman, Sachs & Co., 85 Broad Street, New York, NY 10004, Attention: Prospectus Department (Phone: +1 866 471 2526; Fax: +1 212 902 9316; e-mail: prospectus-ny@ny.email.gs.com.)  A registration statement relating to these securities has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission but has not yet become effective. These securities may not be sold nor may offers to buy be accepted prior to the time the registration statement becomes effective. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.

warrant. The aggregate net proceeds to Treasury from the offering are expected to be $11,150,940. These proceeds provide an additional return to the American taxpayer from Treasury’s investment in the Bank beyond the dividend payments it received on the related preferred stock.

The closing is expected to occur on or about March 16, 2010, subject to customary closing conditions. The offering was priced through a modified Dutch auction. Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. is the sole book-running manager for the offering. This offering represents Treasury’s sale of its remaining investment in the Bank.

The warrants were exempted securities under Section 3(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933 and were offered pursuant to an offering circular that was not required to be filed with the SEC. These securities are not deposits and are neither insured nor approved by the FDIC. A preliminary offering circular relating to the offering was made available on March 8, 2010 on Signature Bank’s website at http://www.signatureny.com, and a final offering circular will be made available on the same website. The offering of the warrants may be made only by means of an offering circular. The Bank’s principal executive offices are located at 565 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10017.

Copies of the final offering circular relating to these securities may be obtained, when available, from Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Prospectus Department, Harborside Financial Center, 100 Plaza One, Jersey City, New Jersey 07311-3988, telephone: 1-800-503-4611 or by emailing prospectusrequest@list.db.com. Before you invest, you should read the offering circular and other documents the Bank has filed with the FDIC and posted on its website for more complete information about the Bank and the warrants.

This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.