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Lowest Volume Quad-Witching Day Stick Saved By 1 Billion NYSE Share Spike After Close

Tyler Durden's picture




 

Another day demonstrating just how pathetic stock trading has become. Up until the close, the NYSE was on track to record the lowest quad witching volume in history. Fast forward to 1 minute after the close, and the machines kick in, sending in almost one billion shares down the frontrunnable chute known as the NYSE pipeline. Too bad most retail investors still don't understand that the only time when trading actually occurs now is after the market is officially closed. And even with the post-close spike, this was still arguably one of the lowest quad witching days ever.

Beforeclose:

After close:

 

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Fri, 09/17/2010 - 16:15 | 588494 traderjoe
traderjoe's picture

Apathy and Disgust M'fers!

Fri, 09/17/2010 - 16:16 | 588497 vote_libertaria...
vote_libertarian_party's picture

25% of the days volume in one minute?

So what shares were bought/sold in that minute?

Fri, 09/17/2010 - 16:29 | 588520 Sarah Conner
Sarah Conner's picture

You'd have to ask SkyNet's HFT operation to know what was bought/sold...

"... and the machines kick in..."

Fri, 09/17/2010 - 16:18 | 588500 tyler
tyler's picture

Its funny to see the fools at cnbc take the market so seriously.

Fri, 09/17/2010 - 16:24 | 588511 hamurobby
hamurobby's picture

Bloomberg Asia and Euro in the eve is more fun to watch than any of the US shows.

Fri, 09/17/2010 - 16:27 | 588517 Cognitive Dissonance
Cognitive Dissonance's picture

They're paid to take it seriously, regardless of whether is warranted or not. The owe, they owe, so off to work they go.

The only question is to whom they have sold their souls and how much do they owe, they owe, so off to work they go.

Fri, 09/17/2010 - 17:56 | 588685 Problem Is
Problem Is's picture

"The only question is to whom they have sold their soul..."

To Jack Scratch, for:

  1. Rick Santelli: Some one to rant to...
  2. Steve Liesman: Some one to believe him...
  3. Cramer the Clown: Some one to revere him...
  4. Larry Kudlow: Some one to pontificate to...
  5. Maria Bartiromo: Fame, knockers and a Citi exec...
  6. Michelle Caruso-Cabrera: A chest big enough for success...
  7. Erin "Let'em Eat Lead" Burnett: Any chest (Jack is still working on that one) and clout...

And Jack Scratch has a deal for you CD...
Your soul for seven years of good fortune... So long as you do not ask to stay in any one moment...

Fri, 09/17/2010 - 17:23 | 588633 drbill
drbill's picture

What isn't so funny is how few people out there actually look beyond CNBS to get their news and hence how ignorant they are of what's really going on...

Fri, 09/17/2010 - 16:24 | 588512 vote_libertaria...
vote_libertarian_party's picture

So how long is 'ever'?  How long has quadruple witching existed?

Fri, 09/17/2010 - 17:12 | 588610 snowball777
snowball777's picture

As long as derivative contracts have had expiration dates.

Fri, 09/17/2010 - 17:28 | 588643 sysin3
Fri, 09/17/2010 - 16:25 | 588515 Fidel Sarcastro
Fidel Sarcastro's picture

The ES (mini S&P) mostly traded in a 4.00-pt range.  Truly pathetic! 

Fri, 09/17/2010 - 16:29 | 588521 Fidel Sarcastro
Fidel Sarcastro's picture

Consolidated NYSE volume was 1.855 billion, an anomaly of Quad-day to be sure, but 1 BILLION came in > the close?

This market is BEGGING for another flash crash.  I can not wait. 

Fri, 09/17/2010 - 16:34 | 588528 goldmiddelfinger
goldmiddelfinger's picture

I noticed 800mm+ at 3:57 but on any quad there is a massive MOC explosion.

Fri, 09/17/2010 - 16:35 | 588530 NOTW777
NOTW777's picture

cnbc saying "embrace HFT or get left behind"

they call it "Technology"

embrace fraud?

Fri, 09/17/2010 - 16:38 | 588532 sethco
sethco's picture

How TF does the average Joe Investor embrace HFT?

Fri, 09/17/2010 - 16:41 | 588536 NOTW777
NOTW777's picture

cnbc working on new show for fast trading machines with digitized dialogue,

robot anchors

Fri, 09/17/2010 - 16:52 | 588559 Sudden Debt
Sudden Debt's picture

1001100110010011100111110010100010101001110011010110101!!!

Fri, 09/17/2010 - 17:03 | 588589 euclidean
euclidean's picture

+1 hahaha

Fri, 09/17/2010 - 18:03 | 588705 SpeakerFTD
SpeakerFTD's picture

I count 8 sets of robot tits in there.  Almost competitive with CNBC.

More 00, Less 11!

 

Fri, 09/17/2010 - 22:56 | 589090 snowball777
snowball777's picture

I count 9, but one robot has three.

Fri, 09/17/2010 - 21:13 | 588963 Hephasteus
Hephasteus's picture

That's the code on Fry's ass to get to future profits from the past.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EXpYhJk7BI

Fire up the main Duper Computer.

Fri, 09/17/2010 - 18:08 | 588713 Problem Is
Problem Is's picture

"cnbc working on new show for fast trading machines with digitized dialogue,"

CNBC will call this new show...

Paint The Tape!

Fri, 09/17/2010 - 16:45 | 588545 Azannoth
Azannoth's picture

When HFT algos play http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pong Joe the Investor is the Ball, thats how u do it

 

Fri, 09/17/2010 - 17:07 | 588602 sethco
sethco's picture

so, learn to like taking it up the heinie

Sat, 09/18/2010 - 09:44 | 589346 Geronimo66
Geronimo66's picture

Nothing wrong in embrasing Quants!

A shame Quants get blamed for HFT while the firms are to blame. Bigger shame on you Tyler that you bring Quants down and blame them for HFT. We live nowadays in very complex and fast world were modelling is a great tool to get some perspective in this world. HFT is only a small part of a Quant job. Quants were pushed by firms such as Goldman to model CDO's with crap mortgages into something thats can be sold looking as a good investment.

Is Goldman to blame? Goldman took advantage of bad sub prime which were issued when George W Bush and there after Clinton tried to keep the economy going. Voters and sponsors want properity and not austerity. Bankers etc etc want bonuses. Greed in all layers of sociaty brought us were we are now. Great article of Mr. Pento!!

In my opinion we should embrace Quants but not the HFT. HFT has nothing to do with fundamentals nor economy. HFT sole purpose is to make buckets full of money for the firms.

Very nice documentary about Quants can be found on http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forums/documentary-on-quants which gives a good perspective on Quants.

Sun, 09/19/2010 - 11:35 | 590577 MichaelG
MichaelG's picture

"HFT sole purpose is to make buckets full of money for the firms."

And the purpose of quants is ...?

PS LTCM.

Fri, 09/17/2010 - 16:42 | 588538 Voodoo Economics
Voodoo Economics's picture

We love to PAINT our office tapes money green, even if we have to take the market red at the witches day end.

Fri, 09/17/2010 - 16:43 | 588540 goldmiddelfinger
goldmiddelfinger's picture

Let the redemptions begin...........Bitchez

Fri, 09/17/2010 - 16:50 | 588558 T Rex
T Rex's picture

If it wasn't SPY what's the point?

Fri, 09/17/2010 - 16:59 | 588578 Waterfallsparkles
Waterfallsparkles's picture

Did not want to bring prices down with all of their selling orders.  Have to do it AH.  Watched this happen before.

Fri, 09/17/2010 - 17:41 | 588668 KidDynamite
KidDynamite's picture

riiiight.  because after hours, they can magically execute all of their sell orders without moving the price, right?

 

it's just market on close orders. they are large today because there was a rebalance and options expiry today. it's got nothing to do with computers, algos, black helicopters, tin foil hats, HFT, or manipulation. 

Sat, 09/18/2010 - 01:36 | 589240 Rick64
Rick64's picture

Take a look at OXY and C in the after hrs. or right at the close almost everyday. there are many others with this pattern.

Fri, 09/17/2010 - 17:01 | 588585 T Rex
T Rex's picture

Futures are leaning that way but only slightly.

Fri, 09/17/2010 - 17:05 | 588593 Pat Hand
Pat Hand's picture

This is a quad witching day plus an S&P rebalance. Most of these are prints of VWAP trades, NOT "volume traded after the close".  Plenty of things to worry about but this is just silly misunderstanding of the markets

Fri, 09/17/2010 - 17:06 | 588601 Pat Hand
Pat Hand's picture

and MOC orders

Fri, 09/17/2010 - 17:13 | 588612 KidDynamite
KidDynamite's picture

yes - just MOC orders, as a result of the quarterly SPX rebal.  Of course, it's no fun to look at the actual explanations for things - it's much more fun for Tyler to mis-educate the public and rally them into angry ignorant masses ranting about machines (which have somewhere between ZERO and NOTHING to do with the MOC volume). 

 

Fri, 09/17/2010 - 17:06 | 588600 freshman
freshman's picture

Whatever price traded at 4:01 does not impact the moneyness of the tons of insurance contracts (aks options) sold by the "liquidity providers".

Fri, 09/17/2010 - 17:10 | 588607 T Rex
T Rex's picture

Bottom line, it's inconsequential?

Fri, 09/17/2010 - 17:15 | 588617 T Rex
T Rex's picture

LOL

Fri, 09/17/2010 - 17:15 | 588618 T Rex
T Rex's picture

LOL

Fri, 09/17/2010 - 17:44 | 588676 Oquities
Oquities's picture

in addition to the macro-market manipulation highlighted, i'm fascinated by how often my covered call options expire right at the money or 1-2 cents below strike.  been observing this for 25 years.  got into the bathtub with my laptop handy just in case i had to buy-back/cover, but i just should have kept reading my novel.

Tue, 09/21/2010 - 04:47 | 594239 ZeroPower
ZeroPower's picture

got into the bathtub with my laptop handy 

Umm...i hope your trading skills are more refined than your common sense?

Fri, 09/17/2010 - 20:53 | 588932 Charley
Charley's picture

Another victory for the bulls...

Fri, 09/17/2010 - 21:59 | 589028 Buck Johnson
Buck Johnson's picture

They are doing everything they can to keep the market artificially inflated.  With the bad numbers in housing and employment and others, we should be having multiple triple down days a week.  Irelands banks had a bad day today and are on the way of Greece and we still have a "up" day.  You are correct, most of the trading seems to take place at the end of the market day in just a few minutes.

Sat, 09/18/2010 - 02:29 | 589272 BearShitWoods
BearShitWoods's picture
Man Vs. Machine: The New Kings Of Wall Street

http://www.cnbc.com/id/38990334

 

Sat, 09/18/2010 - 13:27 | 589675 Orly
Orly's picture

I have an idea: how 'bout we go all 4X on their ass?  Have the market open 24/5 and that's it.  There is no "after-hours" trading.

Problem solved.

Thu, 10/07/2010 - 05:36 | 631556 Herry12
Herry12's picture

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