Oregon residents can download a free card, search drug pricing, andlocate participating pharmacies at or The Oregon State Chamber of CommerceLeslie K. Carnes, Copyright Business Wire 2009. (Updates with comment from Dresdner Kleinwort) Stocks  |  Japan By Kristina Cooke NEW YORK, June 26 (Reuters) – Dresdner Kleinwort Securitieshas withdrawn its name from the list of primary dealers of U.S.Treasury securities, the New York Federal Reserve said onFriday, as new parent Commerzbank scales back its U.S.operations. The change, effective after the close of business onFriday, brings the number of dealers back down to 16 afterJefferies & Co (JEF.N) was added last week. Sixteen dealers isthe smallest number in the network’s 49-year history at a timehuge government debt issuance is looming. Primary dealers do business directly with the Fed and arerequired to bid at Treasury auctions. The Fed also regularlyconsults with them as it gathers market intelligence.

Kleinwort Benson Government Securities first became aprimary dealer in 1980. It dropped from the Fed’s list in 1989,but became a dealer again in 1997 after merging with Dresdner. Commerzbank AG [CBKG.DE] took over Dresdner Bank earlierthis year and has moved quickly to scale back its loss-makinginvestment-banking unit and is focusing on its Europeanoperations. “Retaining our US primary dealership does not fit in withthe strategy of the new Commerzbank, which is to be a leadingplayer and provider of liquidity in the European bond marketgoing forward,” said Marypat Davis, a spokeswoman for DresdnerKleinwort in New York in an email.

She added that a sales forcewould be kept in the United States to support that strategy Dresdner Kleinwort stopped producing U.S economic researchout of New York earlier this year. The Fed has lost five dealers since the beginning of theglobal financial crisis. The others are Countrywide, which isnow owned by Bank of America Corp (BAC.N); Lehman Brothers(LEHMQ.PK); Merrill Lynch, also owned by BofA; and BearStearns The number of dealers peaked at 46 in the late 1980s The shrinking numbers come as the U.S. central bank buyslonger-term government debt for the first time since the 1960sand as a wave of Treasury debt issuance, intended to financeeconomic rescue programs, hits the market.