1911

Supreme Court finds Standard Oil Company (May 15) and American Tobacco Company (May 29) to be in violation of Sherman Antitrust Act.

Federal spending: $0.69 billion
Unemployment: 6.7%
Cost of a first-class stamp: $0.02

Financial Information Incorporated (FII) was founded. FII’s runners hurried along Wall Street to the offices of our subscribers. They delivered hastily handwritten notes describing events and changes that impacted the value of stocks and bonds traded in the public markets. These notices evolved into our widely used Financial Daily Card Service, the industry standard for Corporate Actions information.

1913

Woodrow Wilson becomes 28th U.S. President.

Federal spending: $0.72 billion
Consumer Price Index: 9.9
Unemployment: 4.3%
Cost of a first-class stamp: $0.02

FII created and published the first edition of the Stock Guide, which came to be known as the “Bible” of the securities industry.

1915

The one millionth Ford automobile rolls off the assembly line.

Federal spending: $0.75 billion
Consumer Price Index: 10.1
Unemployment: 8.5%
Cost of a first-class stamp: $0.02

The Called Bond service was created.

1917

U.S. declares war with Germany (Apr. 6). Background: World War I

Federal spending: $1.95 billion
Consumer Price Index: 12.8
Unemployment: 4.6%
Cost of a first-class stamp: $0.02 ($0.03 as of 11/3/17)

The Obsolete Section of the Stock Guide became available as a separate publication geared toward the library market.

1929

Stock market prices plummet (Nov.-Dec.). U.S. securities lose $26 billion, marking the first financial disaster of the Great Depression

Federal spending: $3.13 billion
Consumer Price Index: 17.1
Unemployment: 3.2%
Cost of a first-class stamp: $0.02

1936

FDR is reelected in a landslide. The Electoral Vote is 523-8.

Federal spending: $8.23 billion
Consumer Price Index: 13.9
Unemployment: 16.9%
Cost of a first-class stamp: $0.03

FII began publishing yearly cumulative editions of our Reorg and Called Bond Services.

1960

John F. Kennedy defeats Richard Nixon in a closely-fought presidential race.

Federal spending: $92.19 billion
Federal debt: $290.5 billion
Consumer Price Index: 29.6
Unemployment: 5.5%
Cost of a first-class stamp: $0.04

The world has become a “Global Village.” With the electronic age upon us and the need for more timely delivery of information to our subscribers, it became necessary for FII to change.

1972

U.S. Supreme Court rules that death penalty is unconstitutional (June 29).

Federal spending: $230.68 billion
Federal debt: $435.9 billion
Median Household Income: $9,697
Consumer Price Index: 41.8
Unemployment: 5.9%
Cost of a first-class stamp: $0.08

FII began to publish the Municipal and Corporate Bond Guides. With the continued addition of new data elements over the years, these publications continue to be the most comprehensive reference books for the securities industry.

1985

Ronald Reagan, 73, takes oath for second term as 40th President (Jan. 20).

Federal spending: $946.39 billion
Federal debt: $1817.5 billion
Median Household Income: $23,618
Consumer Price Index: 107.6
Unemployment: 7.2%
Cost of a first-class stamp: $0.20 ($0.22 as of 2/17/1985)

FII Warrant Service was created.

1988

Pan-Am 747 explodes from terrorist bomb and crashes in Lockerbie, Scotland, killing all 259 aboard and 11 on ground (Dec. 21).

Federal spending: $1064.14 billion
Federal debt: $2601.3 billion
Median Household Income
(current dollars): $27,225
Consumer Price Index: 118.3
Unemployment: 5.5%
Cost of a first-class stamp: $0.22 ($0.25 as of 4/3/88)

FII re-engineered itself to better serve its clients by developing electronic data delivery methods for Corporate Actions and sophisticated data management systems.

1989

George Herbert Walker Bush inaugurated as 41st U.S. President (Jan. 20).
Ruptured tanker Exxon Valdez sends 11 million gallons of crude oil into Alaska's Prince William Sound (March 24).
U.S. jury convicts Oliver North in Iran-Contra affair (May 4).

U.S. GDP: $5,438.70 billion
Federal spending: $1143.17 billion
Federal debt: $2868.0 billion
Median Household Income: $28,906
Consumer Price Index: 124

Put Option Service was implemented.

1990

U.S. Appeals Court overturns Oliver North's Iran-Contra conviction (July 20).

Federal spending: $1252.52 billion
Federal debt: $3206.6 billion
Median Household Income: $29,943
Consumer Price Index: 130.7
Unemployment: 5.6%
Cost of a first-class stamp: $0.25

FII's Put Options Service, the most comprehensive Put Service on the market for Optional Puts, Mandatory Retain Actions, and Mandatory Repurchases on all types of equity and debt securities including CMO’s and MBS’s, introduced to the securities industry.
All of FII's Financial Actions Services (FAS) became available to clients through a Data Feed, containing FII’s Reorganization, Called Bonds, Put Options, and Warrant Watch Services

1992

Four police officers indicted in Rodney King beating
Bill Clinton elected President, Al Gore Vice President; Democrats keep control of Congress

Federal debt: $4002.1 billion
Median Household Income: $30,636
Consumer Price Index: 140.3
Unemployment: 7.5%
Cost of a first-class stamp: $0.29

FII's Historical Reference Services transmitted to clients via a Data Feed, including the Active Stock, Obsolete Stock, Corporate Bond, and Municipal Bond Guides

1995

Los Angeles jury finds O. J. Simpson not guilty of murder charges.

Federal spending: $1519.13 billion
Federal debt: $4921.0 billion
Median Household Income: $34,076
Consumer Price Index: 152.4
Unemployment: 5.6%
Cost of a first-class stamp: $0.32 (as of 1/1/95)

FII created the securities industry’s first PC software product for processing voluntary and mandatory corporate actions - FII's Financial Data Management System (FDMS), featuring automated matching of corporate actions to clients’ security master files, automated holdings change tracking, automated generation of notification letters, and transactions calendar

1996

Clinton appoints Madeleine Albright as first female US secretary of state (Dec. 5).

Federal spending: $1572.41 billion
Federal debt: $5207.3 billion
Median Household Income: $35,492
Consumer Price Index: 156.9
Unemployment: 5.4%
Cost of a first-class stamp: $0.32

FII's Online Inquiry System (OIS) created, a PC corporate actions look-up service for FII's Financial Actions Services (FAS) with Reorganization, Called Bonds, Put Options, and Warrants

1997

Two convicted in World Trade Center bombing (Nov. 12).

Federal spending: $1635.33 billion
Federal debt: $5498.9 billion
Median Household Income: $37,005
Consumer Price Index: 160.5
Unemployment: 4.9%
Cost of a first-class stamp: $0.32

FII's Online Portfolio System (OIS-PORT) created, allowing customers to upload their CUSIP files for corporate actions data matches to FII's Financial Actions Services (FAS) with Reorganization, Called Bonds, Put Options, and Warrants

1999

Students Eric Harris, 18, and Dylan Klebold, 17, storm Columbine High School in Littleton , CO, killing twelve other students and a teacher, then themselves (April 20).
John F. Kennedy Jr., wife Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, and her sister Lauren G. Bessette are lost at sea when a plane he was piloting disappears near Martha's Vineyard, off Mass. coast (July 16).

Federal spending: $1716.95 billion
Federal debt: $5978.5 billion
Consumer Price Index: 166.6
Unemployment: 4.2%
Cost of a first-class stamp: $0.33 (as of 1/10/99)

FII's Equity Reference Services (ERS) developed, a hybrid service of active U.S. and Canadian stocks and historical corporate actions.

2000

Wary investors bring stock plunge; beginning of the end of the Internet stock boom (Feb. 25).
Cuban boy Elián González, 6, at center of international dispute, reunited with his father after federal raid of Miami relatives' home (April 22).

Federal spending: $1,788.83 billion
Federal debt: $5,674.2 billion
Consumer Price Index: 172.2
Unemployment: 4.0%
Cost of a first-class stamp: $0.34

FII's web-based system, FII Online (FIIOL), launched, leveraging the internet to achieve a fast and reliable corporate actions data delivery method.

2003

Space shuttle Columbia explodes, killing all 7 astronauts (Feb. 1).
California governor Gray Davis ousted in recall vote; actor Arnold Schwarzenegger elected in his place (Oct. 7).

Federal spending: $2,160 billion
Federal debt: $6,783 billion
Consumer Price Index: 183.9
Unemployment: 6.0%
Cost of a first-class stamp: $0.37

FII's Library Reference Service (LRS) created, exclusively for Public, Corporate, and University Libraries for historical mandatory corporate actions on equities

FII's Securities Reference Service (SRS) created for the securities industry, for historical mandatory corporate actions on equities

2004

U.S. final report on Iraq’s weapons finds no WMDs (Sept. 16).
George W. Bush is reelected president, defeats John Kerry (Nov. 2).

Federal spending: $2,293 billion
Federal debt: $7,379 billion
Consumer Price Index: 188.9
Unemployment: 5.5%
Cost of a first-class stamp: $0.37

FII's End-of Life File Service (ELF), a customized web-based automated portfolio system identifying inactive securities with the final resolution, developed to eliminate defunct securities on clients’ security master file.

2005

George W. Bush is officially sworn in for his second term as president (Jan. 20).
The Terry Schiavo case becomes the focus of an emotionally charged battle in Congress (March 20).

Federal spending: $2,472 billion
Federal debt: $7,932 billion
Consumer Price Index: 195.3
Unemployment: 5.1%
Cost of a first-class stamp: $0.37

FII developed new generation 24/7 FII Internet On-Line System, for FII’s Financial Actions Services and FII’s Historical Reference Services with the Active Stock, Obsolete Stock, Corporate Bond, and Municipal Bond Guides.

FII enhanced FII Online with Financial Actions Alert Service (FAAS), a corporate actions portfolio matching system, with customized email alert capability.

FII moved to a new, larger Operations Center in South Plainfield, NJ.

2006

President Bush signs a law renewing the Patriot Act, including a signing statement stating that he does not consider himself bound by its requirement to tell Congress how the law is being used (Mar. 9).
House releases a report on the response to Hurricane Katrina, assigning blame on all levels of government (Feb. 15).

Federal spending: NA
Federal debt: $8,506 billion
Consumer Price Index: 201.6
Unemployment: 4.6%
Cost of a first-class stamp: $0.39

Financial International Data Service (FIDS), an international corporate actions service, added to complement FII’s domestic corporate actions services.

2008

Barack Obama accepts the Democratic presidential nomination, becoming the first African American to be selected by a major party as its nominee for president.

Federal spending: $2,655 billion
Federal debt: $10,024 billion
Consumer Price Index: 215.3
Unemployment: 5.8%
Cost of a first-class $0.42

FII initiated multi-year project to upgrade and enhance our internal technology, systems, and processes for straight-through processing.

FII Financial Actions Services (FAS) data available through an intra-day Data Feed.

2011

S&P's Daily Dividend Record (DDR) and Unit Investment Trust (UIT) added to FII’s growing list of corporate actions and historical reference products.

Today

FII continues to develop and enhance its day to day operations to meet the demand of the global market place.