Patrick Kirchner Weighs In on Barclays POINT Transition Uncertainty

Asset managers caught flat-footed by the planned demise of a critical fixed income system are battling uncertainty as they gauge competitor systems to ensure a clean transition.

Barclays' widely used POINT system that helps managers analyze fixed income investments will officially cease to exist in 12 months after Bloomberg last year acquired the tool with plans to envelop the bulk of functionality into its own product known as PORT.

But many firms are unsure whether the revamped Bloomberg product will offer the same level of functionality and whether the cost of a Bloomberg Terminal, required to access PORT, is worthwhile for all staff currently using POINT. While some firms are taking a wait-and-see approach to find the best alternative before POINT's end, Citisoft's Patrick Kirchner warns that waiting too long to select a replacement system has its drawbacks. "I think the big danger to this approach is if one of these vendors stands out as an alternative you'll have a very long period of waiting in line." For more insight on how asset managers are preparing for the looming end of POINT, read the full article.