TMX Group Inc. recently announced December 2011 trading statistics for its diversified group of exchanges – Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX), TSX Venture Exchange (TSX-V), Montreal Exchange (MX) and Natural Gas Exchange (NGX), as well as TMX Select, TMX Group’s alternative trading system.  Here are a few highlights:

• In 2011, MX achieved a new annual volume record with 61,981,406 contracts traded, a 43% increase over 2010.  Open interest at December 31, 2011 increased 42% compared to the end of 2010.
• Trading volume on TSX in December 2011 fell 20% from December 2010, and was down 3% compared to the previous month.  In 2011, volume on TSX fell 1% compared to 2010, though transactions and value surpassed 2010 levels. In 2011, TSX achieved an annual record of 209,975,913 transactions.
• Trading volume on TSX-V was down 48% compared to December 2010, though increased 13% compared to November 2011.Trading volume on TSX-V was down 4% in 2011 compared to 2010. Transactions and value traded in 2011 exceeded 2010 levels. 
• Trading volume on NGX increased 5% compared to December 2010, though overall volume in 2011 was down 7% compared to 2010.

To view the complete report, please visit http://www.tmx.com/en/pdf/month_stats/TradingStats_Dec11.pdf.

TMX Group recently announced financing activity on Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) and TSX Venture Exchange (TSX-V) for December 2011, as well as full year 2011.  Here are a few highlights:

• TSX welcomed 199 new issuers during 2011, up from 187 new listings in 2010 (+6%).  Total financings raised fell 7% from 2010 levels. 
• The number of IPOs on the TSX increased 8% to 128 from 119 in 2010, though IPO financings raised were down 38%. 
• TSX-V listed 216 new issuers in 2011, up 17% from 2010, when there were 185. Total financings raised exceeded 2010 levels by 2%.   
• 46 issuers graduated to Toronto Stock Exchange in 2011. 

To view the complete report, please visit http://www.tmx.com/en/pdf/month_stats/FinancingStats_Dec11.pdf.  

Later this month, TMX Equicom will be releasing its 2011 Year-End Healthcare Report, our annual in-depth study of the Canadian life sciences sector. In advance of that release, here are some key preliminary figures from the report shedding light on sector financings for 2011:

• Gross proceeds of equity and convertible debt financings completed in Q4 2011 totaled $98M
• For 2011, the total gross proceeds for development-stage healthcare companies was $471M, compared to $498M in 2010 and $538M in 2009, down ~50% from the average raised during 2005-07

Check back here, or at equicomgroup.com, later this month for access to the full report, which will feature the following:

• Review of all major events from Q4 2011 in the Canadian Healthcare Sector 
• Comprehensive breakdown of all financings from 2011
• December 2011 survey results on the perception of Buyside and Retail contacts active in the healthcare space
• A look ahead at anticipated milestone events for 2012

Happy New Year from the media-relations desk at TMX Equicom!  We ended a strong year of media hits with a flurry of activity in December.  Equicom clients were featured on television, in print and on the web in the final weeks of 2011.  Here’s a handful of highlights:

Dec 23 – SIR Royalty Income Fund (TSX: SRV.UN) got a nod of approval from The Globe & Mail’s “Small Cap Stocks to Watch” column after posting positive numbers for Q1 2012. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/investment-ideas/small-caps/todays-small-cap-stocks-to-watch/article2281928/singlepage/#articlecontent

Dec 20 – In Saskatoon’s StarPhoenix, reporter Scott Larson wrote a feature about Karnalyte Resources Inc. (TSX: KRN), looking at Karnalyte’s progress on their Wynyard potash property. http://www.thestarphoenix.com/business/Karnalyte+advances+Wynyard+mine/5884704/story.html

Dec 20 – Robin Phinney, CEO of Karnalyte Resources Inc. (TSX: KRN), talked with Andy Bell, host of BNN’s Commodities, about plans for financing Karnalyte’s Wynyard carnalyte project. http://watch.bnn.ca/#clip588833

Dec 19 – Larry Sarbit, manager of the IA Clarington Sarbit US Equity Fund, talked with Kim Parlee on BNN’s Business Day PM about finding bargains in skittish markets. http://watch.bnn.ca/#clip589703

Dec 16 – John van Leeuwen, CEO of EcoSynthetix Inc. (TSX: ECO), discussed the benefits of biopolymers, with the Toronto Star’s cleantech reporter, Tyler Hamilton. http://www.thestar.com/business/cleanbreak/article/1103234--the-green-chemicals-opportunity-is-worthy-of-our-attention 

Dec 14 – Brad Radin, portfolio manager of the IA Clarington Global Equity Fund, talked with BNN’s Andy Bell, on Business Day PM, about savvy holiday-season investment strategies. http://watch.bnn.ca/#clip585793

Dec 14 – Kevin Norton, CEO of BIOX Corp. (TSX: BX), answered questions about the biofuels industry, during a live, online discussion hosted by The Globe & Mail. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/time-to-lead/building-innovation-in-canada/what-changes-are-driving-the-biofuels-industry/article2268204/

Dec 11 – Mad Money's Jim Cramer talked up SXC Heathcare Solutions Corp. (TSX: SXC), on CNBC.  http://video.cnbc.com/gallery/?video=3000061450

Shaun Smith, Manager, Media Relations

The New Year is upon us and it is time to start thinking about your 2011 annual report.  Check out this slidecast of November's webinar, "Maximizing the Value of your Annual Report", for tips on how to bring this year's project in on time and on budget.