SCROLLING NEWS

Bloomberg's ability to maintain service levels at its current growth rate came into question last month when a processor at its London data center crashed, affecting some 500 Bloomberg users. First, Bloomberg's London 2 computer crashed on Feb. 8 following a hardware and software upgrade over the weekend, according to sources. Then, an emergency cutover to the London 1 computer failed. Among those put out was Barclays de Zoete Wedd, where 60 bond traders use Bloomberg's Portfolio System to capture trade details and manage positions. These traders reported poor response times, downtime and the loss of inputted trade details intermittently throughout the week, until trouble-shooters dispatched from Bloomberg New York could fully repair the damage.

Others are also betting on growth in Europe. Knight-Ridder last week bought Swiss online information service Data Star. Data Broadcasting Corp. (DBC), meanwhile, signed a deal allowing Germany's Data Consult Kraus to market DBC's Signal line of PC- based quote services in Europe. And Reuters last week picked up a majority stake in German portfolio management and research system developers Euro-FIS GmbH. Euro-FIS was already using Reuters data with its PC- and mainframe-based systems.

Seems Reuters doesn't have a corner on news surprises from the Bundesbank after all. Ten days ago, AP-Dow Jones subscribers had a seven-minute headstart on Reuters subscribers with news that the Bundesbank would slash the interest rate offered on 14-day repurchase agreements, from 8.49 percent to 8.25 percent.

Those puzzled by Smith Barney Harris Upham & Co.'s rather low- tech choice of diskless PS/2s running DOS/Mondrian for its retail broker quote platform may find an explanation in the firm's plans to swallow Shearson Lehman Brothers Inc.'s 9,000-strong retail brokerage business. The configuration of ADP's FS Partner AF quote service that Smith Barney is now installing is remarkably similar to that used by Shearson: diskless PS/2s running DOS/Mondrian-based quote services (IMD, Feb. 1). And such senior technology staff defections as Mel Taub and Dorothy Leo, who both leapt from Shearson to Smith Barney in the past two years, will undoubtedly make the union of the two firm's technology groups more blissful.

Meanwhile, sources say Bob Barsky, rollout manager working as a consultant to Smith Barney, has announced internally his intention to move to ADP once Smith Barney's ADP FS Partner installation is complete.

For its part, ADP lost Tom Hughes, a senior director who had been managing its Advanced Comtrend Graphics service. Hughes left last week to head FD Consulting Inc.'s new professional services group.

Kemper Corp.'s Beta Systems Inc. has hired Securities Industry Software Corp.'s (SIS) sales executive Ed Fletter, who will join Beta's marketing chief Paul Berenson to form a new combined sales and marketing team. Fletter left SIS for Beta after the back- office unit of Quotron was sold to ADP last month.

Staying put at Govpx Inc. but moving up is Angelo Susi. Susi, who was previously director of product development, was elevated two weeks ago to vice president in charge of products and information services, a new post.

Also climbing the ladder is Lynda Michaud, who was named head of sales and marketing at Thomson's Muller Data muni bond pricing unit. Michaud replaces Caress Kennedy, who fled the industry last year to run a temporary personnel agency (IMD, Aug. 10, 1992).