LONDON & NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jefferies announced today that the UK Debt Management Office (DMO), jointly with the London Stock Exchange, has appointed Jefferies International Limited as a Gilt-edged Market Maker (GEMM), in the wholesale sector of both conventional and index-linked gilts, with effect from the opening of business on Monday, 4 January 2010. This brings the total number of primary dealer firms in the UK government bond market to sixteen, all of which are primary dealers in both conventional and index-linked gilts.

“We are very pleased to be appointed as a Primary Dealer in the UK Government Bond Market and see this designation as integral to our rates business, which is dedicated to serving clients globally,” commented Tim Cronin, Global Head of the Fixed Income Division at Jefferies.

Jefferies was designated a US Primary Dealer by The Federal Reserve Bank of New York in June of this year, and last month Jefferies was appointed as a primary dealer in Germany. In September, Domenico Crapanzano joined Jefferies from Dresdner Kleinwort to lead the European Rates business for Jefferies based in London, and most recently, David Owen joined as Jefferies Chief European Financial Economist.

This announcement underscores Jefferies' growing strength in fixed income, where the Firm now has more than 400 professionals globally who are focused on the sales and trading of investment grade corporate bonds, high yield bonds, government and agency securities, repo finance, mortgage- and asset-backed securities, municipal bonds, whole loans, leveraged loans, distressed securities and emerging market debt.

Jefferies, a major global securities and investment banking firm, has served companies and their investors for more than 45 years. Jefferies & Company, Inc. is the principal operating subsidiary of Jefferies Group, Inc. (NYSE: JEF: www.jefferies.com). Jefferies International Limited, a UK-incorporated, wholly owned subsidiary of Jefferies Group, Inc., is authorised and regulated by the UK Financial Services Authority.