what will be alternative after Deutsche Boerse will Abandon Quotation Board and Tighten Rules

Feb. 6 (Bloomberg) -- Deutsche Boerse AG will discontinue its First Quotation Board and tighten the rules of its Entry Standard segment to fight "massive and frequent suspected cases of market manipulation."

The operator of the Frankfurt stock exchange will end the segment where 448 stocks are listed in the third quarter, Laeticia Adam, a spokeswoman for Deutsche Boerse, said. Companies affected can switch to the more highly regulated Prime Standard and General Standard segments should they fulfill the requirements, move to the Entry Standard segment, or lose their listing, she said.

The segment, introduced in 2008, tightened rules a year ago, while the measures failed to constrain the number of suspected manipulations. Since December, it accepted no more new listings.

"The measures will protect and further improve transparency, quality and efficiency of the overall market," Alexander Hoeptner, who is responsible for the Market Services Department at Deutsche Boerse, said in a statement.

The group also plans to tighten the listing rules for the Entry Standard segment. The current Second Quotation Board, hosting almost 10,000 companies that have their first listing at another exchange, will be renamed Quotation Board, Adam said.

--Editors: Tim Farrand, Lukanyo Mnyanda

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