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SEC Begins Probe Of Flash Trading

Tyler Durden's picture




*SEC IS EXAMINING FLASH ORDERS TO ENSURE FAIR ACCESS TO DATA 2009-07-30 19:04:18.188 GMT

Next up: Dark Pools (hint, hint, Mary)

Update: From Bloomberg

July 30 (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission will review so-called flash orders used by four
equity markets, NYSE Euronext Chief Executive Officer Duncan
Niederauer
said.

Charles Schumer, the third-ranking Democrat in the U.S.
Senate, told the SEC to review flash orders in a July 24 letter.
Regulators told NYSE officials they will examine them, and based
on those discussions it appears unlikely the SEC will impose
curbs on other forms of high-speed trading, Niederauer said
today in a conference call with analysts to discuss the New
York-based company’s second-quarter results.

“I don’t think there is any fear of them doing something
that would severely damage the displayed liquidity on U.S.
equity markets,” he said. “High-frequency trading is actually
the most consistent source of liquidity.”[TD: Time for one more of those "The Y in the NYSE stands for Trust" ads]

John Nester, a spokesman for the SEC, didn’t return a
telephone call seeking comment. Last month, SEC Chairman Mary
Schapiro
said the agency is concerned that electronic
indications of bids and offers are being disseminated to a
select group of brokerages.

NYSE’s competitors -- Nasdaq OMX Group Inc., Bats Global
Markets, Direct Edge Holdings LLC and the CBOE Stock Exchange --
give information to their clients about orders for a fraction of
a second before the trades are routed to rival platforms. NYSE
Euronext
, the world’s largest owner of stock exchanges, told the
SEC in May that these flash orders result in most investors
getting worse prices.




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Thu, 07/30/2009 - 15:31 | Link to Comment Anal_yst
Anal_yst's picture

Proactivity FAIL

Thu, 07/30/2009 - 15:32 | Link to Comment Gilgamesh
Gilgamesh's picture

Could have swore that said Flash Dancing.

Thu, 07/30/2009 - 17:42 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Thu, 07/30/2009 - 15:33 | Link to Comment djchill2
djchill2's picture

Watchout!!! The SEC is badass!...Nobody wants to part of them!....sarcasm off.

Thu, 07/30/2009 - 15:41 | Link to Comment GlassHammer
GlassHammer's picture

Markopolos: "If you flew the entire SEC staff to Boston, and sat them in Fenway Park, they wouldn't be able to find first base."

Just saying...

Thu, 07/30/2009 - 15:46 | Link to Comment Screwball
Screwball's picture

That was some of the best TV I have seen in years. 

Thu, 07/30/2009 - 15:50 | Link to Comment GlassHammer
GlassHammer's picture

Markopolos went for the jugular and rightfully so.

 

What ever happened to him?

Thu, 07/30/2009 - 16:29 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Thu, 07/30/2009 - 15:47 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Thu, 07/30/2009 - 16:52 | Link to Comment Lets_Eat_Amen
Lets_Eat_Amen's picture

best of luck to you.  i wouldn't hold it for long since those leveraged ETFs reset and shed weight constantly.

Thu, 07/30/2009 - 17:07 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Thu, 07/30/2009 - 15:47 | Link to Comment phaesed
phaesed's picture

WOOOOOO! Did you see how the HFT-HK's (High Frequency Trading-Hunter Killers) just shook out all those stops? Poor people with investing discipline just paid the exchanges some more cash. Thank you T1000!

Thu, 07/30/2009 - 15:48 | Link to Comment Dr Hackenbush
Dr Hackenbush's picture

Selloff.  The machines have detected the balance of humans are going long. 

Thu, 07/30/2009 - 15:52 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Thu, 07/30/2009 - 15:56 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Thu, 07/30/2009 - 15:56 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Thu, 07/30/2009 - 15:58 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Thu, 07/30/2009 - 16:32 | Link to Comment disreputable cousin
disreputable cousin's picture

Duncan Niederauer said “I don’t think there is any fear of them doing something that would severely damage the displayed liquidity on U.S. equity markets,”  ..... “High-frequency trading is actually the most consistent source of liquidity.”

That sounds like a threat to me. Screw with us and we'll burn it all down.

It also sounds arrogant and calculated to intimidate. Logically, if HFT didn't create an advantage greater than the cost of creating and continually modifying the programming required to keep current, nobody would care about regulation. Since the cost of HFT is extremely high, the benefits must be commensurate with the costs. If one second barriers were required or flash orders were banned, would that significantly diminish the value if the investment? If not, then why are they even concerned?

These are fraudsters who are in the process of institutionalizing the fraud. The SEC will undoubtedly be intimidated by the iBanks and exchanges and defer to their cover stories and fraud.Perhaps they are even stupid enough to confuse textbooks with reality (Yes, I know they are)

Altruistic liquidity is something I can approve of in the same way I am willing to pay for an insurance policy. If you're there when I need you then I'm willing to pay the premium.These fraudsters are only interested in the economics of the bubble and the related ponzi economics associated with a market that is biased upward due to computers and management that makes bonus money on trading profits.

Thu, 07/30/2009 - 17:04 | Link to Comment Hank Rearden
Hank Rearden's picture
"a market that is biased upward due to computers" Computers aren't biased, unless they are programmed by humans to be biased. As such, any perceived upward bias is initiated by humans. Besides, high frequency books don't build positions, they are in and out and are flat or relatively close to flat at the close (most often hedged). Some positions are built by index arb etc. but they are hedged with futures and options. Don't forget, one of the key reasons why HFT has grown in popularity is that it doesn't generally occupy much space on the balance sheet, which most banks/funds don't have.
Thu, 07/30/2009 - 16:00 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Thu, 07/30/2009 - 16:02 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Thu, 07/30/2009 - 16:02 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Thu, 07/30/2009 - 16:14 | Link to Comment Gilgamesh
Gilgamesh's picture

C is for CONfidence.

 

Not going to mention how it stands for Barney.

Thu, 07/30/2009 - 16:16 | Link to Comment ptoemmes
ptoemmes's picture

S - Securities

E - (and) Exchange

C - Commission_of_a_crime_will_not_be_punished

Thu, 07/30/2009 - 16:05 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Thu, 07/30/2009 - 16:07 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Thu, 07/30/2009 - 16:09 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Thu, 07/30/2009 - 16:22 | Link to Comment ShankyS
ShankyS's picture

Is that dudes name Niedermayer - Like from Animal House - Sure he fits the description to a T. 

Thu, 07/30/2009 - 16:56 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Thu, 07/30/2009 - 16:23 | Link to Comment lizzy36
lizzy36's picture

Notwithstanding the lovely SEC press release, examine and probe are not synonymous.

And perhaps the SEC should look into the president discussing the q2 gdp  data right NOW! - and not examine but a bend over probe.

Thu, 07/30/2009 - 16:25 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Thu, 07/30/2009 - 22:34 | Link to Comment texpat
texpat's picture

Tighter spreads! What's not to like.

Thu, 08/06/2009 - 10:52 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Thu, 07/30/2009 - 16:27 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Thu, 07/30/2009 - 16:37 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Thu, 07/30/2009 - 16:38 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Thu, 07/30/2009 - 16:40 | Link to Comment Gilgamesh
Gilgamesh's picture

And by examining, we can assume they are typing FLASH in the Search feature on MySpace and Facebook? 

Thu, 07/30/2009 - 16:40 | Link to Comment Eagle
Eagle's picture

"...the DISPLAYED liquidity..."

 

Is that the same as BOGUS or PHANTOM liquidity?

Thu, 07/30/2009 - 16:47 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Thu, 07/30/2009 - 16:55 | Link to Comment deadhead
deadhead's picture

you beat me....i see that obama pulled out some ky to make the friday number a little easier to take......in January/Feb he would have done that DURING market hours and the obama short would have been a great play.

I guess he has finally figured out the bad news delivery must be after market closes, after a big run up.

he also said job losses are "huge".....

 

 

Thu, 07/30/2009 - 16:56 | Link to Comment disreputable cousin
disreputable cousin's picture

Duncan Niederauer said “I don’t think there is any fear of them doing something that would severely damage the displayed liquidity on U.S. equity markets,”  ..... “High-frequency trading is actually the most consistent source of liquidity.”

Or, it might mean, in addition to my above analysis, that the SEC is a tame and willing pet and they are under control. The exchanges and iBanks have nothing to worry about. The blogs and politicians are just noise and the ponzi plan will continue unabated. CNBC will carry their water and the WSJ is also providing quiet support.

Thu, 07/30/2009 - 16:55 | Link to Comment jedwards
jedwards's picture

Question:  If Goldman is involved in 25% of all daily trades, how can they ensure that they aren't trading between themselves?  Wouldn't that be illegal?  Can they really ensure that they aren't both counterparties to a trade?  

 

Because if they are, they can easily move the markets up or down without costing themselves any money.

 

What do they have in place to make sure they don't engage in this, and who is stopping this?

Thu, 07/30/2009 - 16:59 | Link to Comment disreputable cousin
disreputable cousin's picture

They put little red dots on their orders. This sets them apart so nothing unsavory might occur.

Thu, 07/30/2009 - 17:26 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Thu, 07/30/2009 - 17:02 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Thu, 07/30/2009 - 17:13 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Thu, 07/30/2009 - 18:06 | Link to Comment Artie13
Artie13's picture

Have you noticed that 'somebody' has set the propaganda wheels in motion? Both articles below are from today.

From Advanced Trading:

http://advancedtrading.com/exchanges/showArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=JYVZWP4GH2ZACQSNDLRSKH0CJUNN2JVN?articleID=218900109&_requestid=371746

From Wallstreet & Technology (Larry Tabb video):

http://www.wallstreetandtech.com/larry-tabb/index.jhtml;jsessionid=EYK4FYBQYCXEGQSNDLPCKHSCJUNN2JVN

 

Thu, 07/30/2009 - 20:46 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Thu, 07/30/2009 - 18:06 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Thu, 07/30/2009 - 20:44 | Link to Comment lsbumblebee
lsbumblebee's picture

"Okay, okay. We'll look into this flash order thing. Jeez. What next?"

 

 

Thu, 07/30/2009 - 22:35 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Thu, 07/30/2009 - 22:37 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Fri, 07/31/2009 - 01:03 | Link to Comment agrotera
agrotera's picture

Was that Neidermeyer or Neiderauer?

 

[just kidding...

http://www.entertonement.com/collections/3678/Animal-House   ]

 

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