Cognizant to enter NASDAQ for stock trade

Chennai, Feb 23 (UNI) Leading provider of IT and business process outsourcing services today announced that it would ring the NASDAQ opening bell remotely from here on March five.

"Cognizant is honoured to open the NASDAQ market from India, commemorating our growth as global services firm since our initial public offering nearly nine years ago and India's emergence as a global leader in IT and BPO service industries", Cognizant CEO and president Fancisco D Souza said in a release here.

"NASDAQ is recognised as the pre-eminent global electronic stock exchange with the highest financial and coporate governance standards in the world, and our company will be ranked among the world's leading companies in the NASDAQ-100 index", he added.

"Cognizant and NASDAQ will co-host two celebrations -- one in Chennai at Cognizant's techno-complex and one in New York at NASDAQ's market site", he said adding "the market opening will broadcast live beginning and can be accessed online at www.nasdaq.com".

According to the company information, Cognizant listed on NASDAQ in June 1998, has become one of the top-tier global IT services firms surpassing USD 1.4 billion in annual revenue, in 2006.

UNI