Stifel's Technology

We offer excellent technological capabilities and top management is committed to maintaining our technological edge. We are proud of our State-of-the-Art Technology - - an internet-based quote and back-office platform plus access to Stifel's powerful Intranet. If your business demands "real-time quotes," you will find that a fast quote system and abundant functionality are as close as your PC. In addition, clients have access to their accounts on-line and can trade on-line with their broker's approval. Stifel's web site is very impressive as well.

The Front Office

The front-end of this package consists of ILX quotes, the same quote system used by many of the largest firms in the securities industry. The ILX system is not only fast, but it is very stable. ILX maximizes stability by operating two side-by-side computer systems. Although each system only carries half the network traffic, each is capable of handling the entire load if one of these systems goes down. One system is located in Manhattan and the other is in New Jersey. In addition, ILX's unique system design enables them to add additional capacity very quickly and easily.

In addition to the speed and stability of the ILX system, many of the features of this system are very attractive and broker-friendly, such as its charting capability. Other features make finding information a breeze, such as Symbol Book and Option Montage.

The Back Office

Century brokers and clients enjoy many advantages since we clear through our sister company, Stifel Nicolaus (a self-clearing, NYSE-member firm). As a result, we utilize a very powerful, real-time back office system called Beta. Real-time means that trades made today appear in your client's account today.

Some of the data and functionality at your fingertips include: Broker order entry (you may call in orders, if you prefer) Account activity for the preceding 12 months IRA historical detail for the last 3 years Open positions held in the account (by tax lot) Positions held outside the account (if you enter them into the system) Closed positions Money market balances Account values Buying power Standing account instructions (i.e. hold dividends, mail trade proceeds, etc.) A menu of product and other information ……..and much, much more.

Many regional firms have chosen the BETA system as their primary back-office system.

Our Intranet

Century brokers who subscribe to our ILX "live quotes" also have access to Stifel's Intranet at no charge. This is a very potent source of research and other information. Vast amounts of research from First Boston is available. This includes research reports on individual companies and entire industries as well as economic commentary.

On-line Account Access and Trading for Clients (Stifel @ccess)

Century clients can access their latest account information via the Internet using Stifel @ccess. This user-friendly system enables clients to obtain a living picture of their accounts at any time of the day or night. This secure site provides clients with account activities, summary, positions, and much more.

With the approval of their broker, clients can utilize this system to trade on-line. However, unlike many firms in the securities industry, the broker is always "in the loop." The broker decides which clients should have on-line trading and what the commission rate should be (ranging from full commission to the firm's minimum).

Stifel's Web Site

Clients and brokers can obtain a wealth of information from stifel.com (Stifel's web site). This is an extremely useful site, containing such features as market updates, important news, and various calculators for client use (such as a retirement planner). This site enables users to obtain quotes on stocks and stock charts. In addition, users will find Stifel's research, mutual fund information, and a link to Reuters. Best of all, this site remains fresh since new information is added daily. The site is constantly improving through the addition of new features periodically.