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                                                                    EXHIBIT 23.3
 
                       CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS
 
   
     We consent to the inclusion in Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2 to the
registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-34679) of our reports dated
August 8, 1997 and August 15, 1997, on our audits of the financial statements of
The Burridge Group Inc. and Gofen and Glossberg, Inc., respectively. We also
consent to the references to our firm under the captions "Experts", "Summary
Historical and Pro Forma and Financial Data" and "Selected Historical Financial
Data".
    
 
                                             /s/ COOPERS & LYBRAND L.L.P.
                                          --------------------------------------
                                                 Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P.
 
Chicago, Illinois
   
October 7, 1997