Answer:
[D] The offer of paying the salary for the services of an analyst from the research department.
Explanation:
Soft dollars, also known as brokerage, include any dollars retained on a trade to be used for services for the client's benefit. When brokerage firms pay for research services through commission revenue rather than a direct payment, this arrangement is termed soft dollar payments. The above example shows direct payment of an analyst from the research department rather than through commission revenue.
