Financial Times Launches FT Alphaville

Today the Financial Times launches FT Alphaville a digital news and commentary service specifically aimed at finance professionals working in hedge funds, private equity and investment banking. The new sub-site of FT.com aims to be the essential source of commentary and analysis on financial markets news.

Features on FT Alphaville include:
- the "6am cut", a carefully edited daily email delivered to FT.com users first thing in the morning, listing key financial news items that will affect their day;
- a rolling financial blog offering immediate news, analysis and commentary, written by Paul Murphy, finance expert and one of the FT’s associate editors;
- and, "Markets Live", an online daily discussion forum lead by Paul Murphy and Neil Hume, senior stock markets correspondent.

The name of the site is derived from the City term "Alpha" meaning ‘absolute returns’, indicating an extra return on investment, above and beyond the industry benchmark. The site will be global in outlook but will initially focus on the UK and European markets.

The launch will be supported by an online marketing campaign and adverts will feature across financial sites including Economist.com, Hemscott.com, investorschronicle.co.uk, Yahoo! Finance and Interactive Investor. There will also be in-paper advertising in the Financial Times newspaper and online adverts on FT.com.

Lionel Barber, FT editor, commented: "Our readers need timely and tailored news – FT Alphaville will do just that. The "6am cut" will allow readers to pick up vital financial news either on their way to work or as soon as they get into the office and the rolling blog and online discussions will mean FT Alphaville will constantly be on top of breaking financial news, giving readers core relevant information when they need it. I have no doubt that FT Alphaville will become the place for news, commentary and analysis on the financial markets."

The Financial Times Group, one of the world’s leading business information companies, aims to provide a broad range of business information and services to the growing audience of internationally minded business people. The FT Group includes:

The Financial Times, one of the world’s leading business newspapers, is recognised internationally for its authority, integrity and accuracy. Providing extensive news, comment and analysis, the newspaper is printed in 23 cities across the globe, has a daily circulation of over 437,000 and a readership of more than 1.4 million people worldwide.

FT.com is one of the world's leading business information websites, and the internet partner of the FT newspaper. Since its relaunch in May 2002, the website has continued to be the definitive home for business intelligence on the web, providing an essential source of news, comment, data and analysis for the global business community. FT.com attracts 5.5 million unique monthly users (ABC electronic figures March 06), generating 41 million page views and has 84,000 subscribers. FT.com broke even in December 2002.

For further information please contact Lucy Ellison on +44 (0)20 7873 3119 or
Katy Hemmings on +44 (0)20 7873 4447
Lucy.ellison@ft.com