Patchy data thwarts consolidated tape hopefuls in Europe

Vendors grapple with unstandardized data reporting and data gaps in their push to develop a consolidated tape, as the EU prepares to unveil its latest legislative plans.

In trade data utopia, investors would have access to a stream of information on equity, bond and derivative transactions that is up-to-the-second, standardized and doesn’t cost much. The idea is not yet reality in Europe. But the European Union’s long-held ambition to create a consolidated tape of exchange-listed trade data moves one step closer on November 23 when lawmakers release details of their wider project to create a single capital market across the region. A consolidated tape is one of