NEW YORK, May 19, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX News Network/ -- TheMarkets.com, a leading provider of
research, estimates and workflow solutions to the buy-side, announced today
that Wachovia Securities has joined other leading sell-side firms to include
TheMarkets.com's broker vote platform, MeritMark, in its service offering to
clients. Clients of Wachovia Securities can now provide feedback through the
only web-based broker evaluation program designed by and for institutional
investors and sponsored by a growing consortium of brokers.

Buy-side participants in MeritMark fill out a single survey to evaluate
multiple brokers across the spectrum of sell-side personnel and services.
Currently deployed at buy-side firms around the world, the web-based platform
is customizable to the requirements of every client firm and is scalable
across office locations, with no consulting fees. MeritMark, on delivery to
the user, is pre-populated with data for nearly 700 brokers, independent
research firms and service providers, and over 16,000 professionals at these
firms.

"We are thrilled that Wachovia Securities has chosen to join our network
of brokers taking the lead to serve the buy-side better," said Bryan Lewis,
General Manager of MeritMark. "TheMarkets.com has, from its inception, been
dedicated to creating new efficiencies in the relationship between the buy-
and sell-sides. MeritMark is a critical part of that mandate, and one that an
increasing number of brokers are enlisting to build their service to the buy-
side. As it joins this group of dedicated brokers, Wachovia Securities
becomes part of a leading community dedicated to serving the buy-side better."

The growing list of brokers collecting votes through MeritMark includes
Bank of America, Bear Stearns, Citi, Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank, Dresdner
Kleinwort, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, Lehman Brothers, Merrill Lynch, Morgan
Stanley, UBS Investment Bank and Wachovia Securities.

About MeritMark and TheMarkets.com

MeritMark is the broker vote standard developed by institutional
investors, leading investment banks and TheMarkets.com. TheMarkets.com is a
leading provider of research and estimates services to over 2000 institutional
investment management firms worldwide. TheMarkets.com is owned by: Banc of
America Securities, LLC (NYSE: BAC), Citi (NYSE: C), Credit Suisse (NYSE: CS),
Deutsche Bank (NYSE: DB), Dresdner Kleinwort, part of Dresdner Bank AG and a
member of the Allianz Group (NYSE: AZ), The Goldman Sachs Group (NYSE: GS),
JPMorgan Chase (NYSE: JPM), Lehman Brothers (NYSE: LEH), Merrill Lynch
(NYSE: MER), Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS), UBS Investment Bank (NYSE: UBS), and
Reuters (Nasdaq: RTRSY, LSE: RTR). In addition to the founding investment
banks of TheMarkets.com, MeritMark is also sponsored by Bear Stearns
(NYSE: BSC) and Wachovia Corporation (NYSE: WB). For more information, visit
www.TheMarkets.com or www.MeritMark.com.

About Wachovia Corporation

Wachovia Corporation (NYSE: WB) is one of the nation's largest diversified
financial services companies, with assets of $808.9 billion and market
capitalization of $53.8 billion at March 31, 2008. Wachovia provides a broad
range of retail banking and brokerage, asset and wealth management, and
corporate and investment banking products and services to customers through
3,300 retail financial centers in 21 states from Connecticut to Florida and
west to Texas and California, and nationwide retail brokerage, mortgage
lending and auto finance businesses. Globally, clients are served in selected
corporate and institutional sectors and through more than 40 international
offices. Our retail brokerage operations under the Wachovia Securities brand
name manage more than $1.1 trillion in client assets through 18,600 registered
representatives in 1,500 offices nationwide.

    Press Contact
    Jasmine Swann
    TheMarkets.com
    +1 212-812-4631
    jswann@TheMarkets.com

SOURCE TheMarkets.com

http://www.themarkets.com

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