[June 15, 2000] "First Call Corp., a Thomson Financial company, and B-Bop, The XML Platform Company, today released a jointly created 'FAML' Document Type Definition (DTD) for financial research documents utilizing Extensible Markup Language (XML). This FAML DTD for 'Financial Research Documents' ("-//B-Bop Associates//DTD FAML v1.0//EN") provides an initial framework for structuring the content of such documents. First Call and B-Bop are making the DTD available to the public, free of charge, via First Call's institutional Web portal at www.firstcall.com and B-Bop's Web site at www.b-bop.com. XML offers a common and open format for data interchange between business partners and provides the key element for developing interoperable systems over the Internet. To facilitate the exchange of information, a number of industries have sought to adopt standards for specific types of content to ensure information consistency and compatibility. Such a standard is obtained when there is a broad-based adoption of a single DTD within an industry. In developing the DTD and releasing it to the public, First Call and B-Bop seek to promote an open dialogue that will advance the effort to create an XML standard within the financial services industry. To ensure that the needs of the industry are addressed by the standard, the dialogue should involve a wide array of organizations creating, distributing, and receiving financial research. Given the high level of interest in XML by industry participants, First Call and B-Bop look forward to a single, broad and coordinated approach to creating a standard... A broadly accepted XML standard within the financial services industry will ensure that the independent elements included in a research document (earnings estimates, recommendations, analyses, etc.) are structured in a conformant manner across all organizations. This will facilitate the parsing of the research document into separate components. These components can then be distributed to the appropriate end-user, either separately or in various combinations, allowing for truly customized information aimed at meeting the unique needs of each recipient. XML documents can also be easily converted to the format specified by recipients and delivered seamlessly over the Web and to wireless devices and other applications." The XML specification is distributed as a collection of thirteen (13) DTDs in separate files (DTD Defining Metadata in Financial Analysis reports, DTD Defining Ratings and Target Price information, DTD Defining Financial Terms and quantites, DTD Defining Market Data elements, DTD Defining Securities like Common Stock, Bonds etc.).
References:
Announcement: "First Call and B-Bop Unveil Jointly Created XML Specification for Financial Research. Specification, Intended to Promote Coordinated Industry Effort to Create an XML Standard, Now Available.". See also the PDF version.
Announcement - from B-Bop. [cache]
Contact for XML Specification Feedback: Please provide feedback, comments and mailing list requests to dtd.feedback@tfn.com
Company Contacts: (1) Andrew Colligan, Product Manager, First Call Corp, 617-856-1345 or andrew.colligan@tfn.com; (2) Heidi Seidl, Marketing Manager, B-BOP Associates, Inc, 650-340-2706 or HSeidl@B-BOP.com.
