Not too long ago, we were bemoaning that state of independent research. Well, it looks like few firms, notably Goldman Sachs, Merrill Lynch and Instinet, have cracked the nut--at least partially. The result for buyside clients may be a surplus of products out there that will be tough to sort through, notes Financial News Online. Many have been forced to appoint more people to evaluate the new offerings. The rise of platforms like Instinet Research Platform or Goldman Sachs's Hudson Street may score some marketing points by touting that they've already done the research on their offerings. Merrill Open Minds looked at more than 100 providers, before deciding to offer seven, notes Financial News Online.  

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