[Infowarrior] - "Hollywood Stock Exchange" is back (real money)

[Richard Forno]

Well.....more like "Hollywood Futures Trading Exchange" but you get  
the idea.   I remember the HSX back in the mid-90s and futzed around  
with it during lunch hours to waste time.  Not sure how this will go  
over with the "average" or "novice" investor, though.......  --rf


08 December 2008 - 14:31
Cantor speculates on box office entertainment

http://www.finextra.com/fullstory.asp?id=19405

Cantor Fitzgerald has filed an application with regulators to launch  
an exchange that will allow users to hedge and speculate on the  
financial performance of movies.

Cantor says that subject to approval from the Commodity Futures  
Trading Commission (CFTC), its exchange's first traded product will be  
"Domestic Box Office Receipt" contracts.

The contracts - expected to be listed in the first quarter of 2009 -  
will offer film finance professionals and traders an opportunity to  
hedge and speculate on the ticket sales of major film titles.

Howard Lutnick, chairman and CEO, Cantor Fitzgerald, says: "The Cantor  
Exchange and our intention to list Domestic Box Office Receipt  
contracts reflect our continuing commitment to innovation in the  
finance and entertainment sectors."

Cantor Fitzgerald already owns and operates the Hollywood Stock  
Exchange virtual entertainment stock market.

Separately, WeSeed, a new online community Web site for stock market  
investors dubbed "Facebook-meets-Amazon", has been launched in the US.

The site lets users get information and ideas on buying stocks through  
a propriety search tool as well as from "celebrity experts" and fellow  
members. In addition, users can practice investing in a virtual  
environment.

Jennifer Openshaw, president and co-founder, WeSeed, says: "By  
leveraging the power of community, the 100 million Americans who don't  
currently invest can learn the basic fundamentals of stock investing  
and become smarter, more confident, better informed and even more  
competitive in their jobs."