Subject:
Re: RIC Code

Posted by:
Paul Lucke of ex-Reuters on 15 March, 2001 at 14:24:02:

Message:
RIC codes are Reuters Instrument Codes. The naming scheme was specified many years ago (by Herbie Skeete of Reuters) for Reuters to use as a way of uniquely identifying all instruments in all asset classes upon which Reuters publishes prices. Public RICs are allocated by Reuters. Instruments on which Reuters does not report prices have no RIC codes.

The RIC-naming convention is logically structured and consistent and usually based on a root symbol supplied by the exchange on which the instrument is listed. The trailing ".X" identifies the exchange or other execution venue on which the instrument is listed. e.g. .L for London, .F for Franfurt. IBM.L and IBM.T are completely different financial instruments.

The Reuters instrument records include numerous other fields (a selection of over 2000 different fields now) some published by the exchange, others calculated or supplied by Reuters. These fields usually include the designated 'Official code' which may be an ISIN or CUSIP or Wertpapier or some other code. There may be other fields for secondary codes where one instrument has both a CUSIP and an ISIN cide.

Each execution venue has its own protocol defining the instrument designation it will accept for accepting orders, usually it requires its own designated symbol or internal code.

I hope