Trading arms race intensifies with new social media tool
A new tool designed to help banks and their clients gain a decisive trading advantage over their rivals based on Twitter posts has been launched by UK-based fin tech firm Eagle Alpha.
Trading Technology
“Problematic” US shutdown causes SEF blues at the EU
The European Commission has expressed concerns that the US government shutdown is preventing a deal between the EU and US regulator, just as new swaps rules come into force for firms based both inside and outside the US.
LSE launches new derivatives market
The London Stock Exchange has intensified its push into the derivatives markets with the launch of a new bourse called LSE Derivatives Market, which it says will create new opportunities for traders in London and provide a better proposition under the EU’s EMIR legislation than its predecessor Turquoise Derivatives.
Swap trading reforms hit the rocks as CFTC’s O’Malia recommends delay
As CFCT commissioner Scott O’ Malia calls for more time for SEF reforms to be implemented, senior market observers are concerned that the new rules will not only fail to meet their 2 October deadline, but will also hurt ordinary market participants and increase systemic risk rather than reduce it.
Saudi exchange opts for Nasdaq OMX trading engine
Saudi Arabia’s stock exchange the Tadawul has signed a deal with Nasdaq OMX to replace its trading engine with Nasadaq OMX’s X-Stream INET technology, beginning in January 2014.
Competition for Russia heats up as TMX boosts Moscow link
Trading infrastructure provider TMX Atrium has released a set of options for trading Russia through its connection to Frankfurt’s Equinix FR2 IBX data centre and the Moscow Exchange – a move designed to shepherd customers as rival providers stake out their own claims to the Russian market.
CCP proliferation clouds Asian OTC derivatives markets reform
Most emerging Asian countries have developed or are developing their own CCPs and trade repositories in response to global reforms of OTC derivatives markets – but proliferation of CCPs is a concern, according to new research by analyst firm Celent.
Germany’s Eurex to support new SL-x securities lending platform
Eurex clearing, the post-trade arm of Germany’s Eurex derivatives exchange, is to act as the clearing house for new securities borrowing and lending venue SL-x Trading Europe when it launches in Q4 this year.
Flurry of initiatives show confidence in ‘on time’ T2s
Momentum is building behind the European Central Bank’s (ECB’s) Target2-Securities (T2S) settlement platform. With the ECB confirming the platform will be delivered on time, further proof of the industry’s confidence in the initiative has come via a series of announcements regarding connectivity to T2S.
Securities settlement: the guessing game
With implementation of Europe’s Target2-Securities beginning in 2015, financial institutions are still defining their strategies and business models. Some questions remain to be answered.
Misys modular back office service will streamline and consolidate
Banking software vendor Misys has launched a modular back office service that it says will centralise and consolidate all processing across asset classes, trading systems and branches globally.
Singapore Exchange partners with Clearstream for Asian collateral service
The Singapore Exchange and Luxembourg-based Clearstream are planning to launch a collateral management service that should help customers use assets as collateral at SGX’s securities depository CDP.
Boerse Stuttgart taps Nasdaq OMX trading engine
Germany’s Boerse Stuttgart has chosen Nasdaq OMX to provide it with a new trading engine, which it says will decrease latency and increase throughput for members on the exchange. The Stuttgart exchange is focused on corporate bonds and investment funds for private investors, and has an average volume of €370 million per day. The exchange […]
BCS upgrades pre-trade risk checks to meet new algo trading regs
Russian broker BCS Prime Brokerage plans to install a new pre-trade risk system called TripleCheck, which it says will help it to meet tough new regulations on algorithmic and proprietary trading.
Australian Securities Exchange hooks up to NYSE Technologies SFTI
The Australian Securities Exchange has connected to NYSE Technologies’ secure financial transaction infrastructure network, creating a new link between the Australian market and the outside world.
Warsaw installs co-lo as Italy imposes HFT tax
Poland’s Warsaw Stock Exchange has introduced co-location systems designed to appeal to high-frequency traders, as Italy clamps down on HFT with Europe’s first HFT-specific tax. The moves highlight ongoing national and international divisions over the role of HFT in capital markets.
Borsa Istanbul revitalises Turkish capital markets
Created in April 2013, Turkey’s new Borsa Istanbul exchange is at the heart of an ambitious project to turn Istanbul into a major global trading centre. With the country’s economy ascendant, Turkey has a lot to offer, according to Ali Çöplü, chief information officer of Borsa İstanbul.
Nasdaq OMX connectivity disaster highlights stumbling markets
A three-hour trading crash at Nasdaq OMX caused by a connectivity issue has once again put the spotlight on trading technology and the resilience of financial markets, which have been sorely tested in recent months and years.
Eurex inks FX deal with Moscow Exchange
German derivatives exchange Eurex has signed an agreement with Russia’s Moscow Exchange that will allow it to launch Euro-Russian Rouble and US Dollar/Russian Rouble FX futures in Q4 2013.
From collateral to liquidity management: the importance of a Golden Repository
A fragmented data architecture can threaten a financial institution’s ability to keep track of its assets. All too often, front office systems are separated into individual asset classes and lines of business, making the integration of the transaction flows from these systems very difficult.
BCS opens low-latency London to Moscow link
Russia’s BCS Prime Brokerage has launched an ultra-low latency data line between London and Moscow which it claims is the fastest trading connection yet built between the two cities.
Stand by for light speed: high performance computing in financial services
Most debates about High Performance Computing in financial services quickly turn into conversations about high frequency trading, but there are many more reasons for getting the best of out of systems. Electronics and computer technology have always been pushing the boundaries of smaller, faster, cheaper (or at least, ‘more affordable’) and financial services firms have always been quick to take advantage of the latest advances.
Jos Schmitt returns to build new Canada exchange
Former Alpha ATS chief Jos Schmitt is planning a new stock exchange for Canada, to be called Aequitas Exchange, which will take on incumbent TMX Group.
Can balloons really enable HFT, or is it just hot air?
As the high-frequency trading arms race continues, some firms are exploring the idea of using lighter-than-air balloons as a faster way of transmitting data.
New rules for dark trading and HFT in Australia
Australia’s Securities and Investments Commission has set out a series of final rules on dark liquidity and high-frequency trading, which it says will promise a more stable market.
New GMEX derivatives exchange plans global conquest
An international derivatives market called Global Markets Exchange Group International has been launched by co-founders Hirander Misra and Vj Angelo, in a bid to target new business opportunities created by changing financial regulation.
Former UBS MTF chief Robert Barnes to join Turquoise
Robert Barnes, former chief executive of UBS MTF, is to take up a new role at Turquoise, the MTF owned by the London Stock Exchange. Barnes, who had been advising in a consultancy since he left UBS in February, will replace outgoing Turquoise chief Natan Tiefenbrun, who is understood to be leaving for his own reasons.
T+2: Moscow’s “biggest move in 20 years”
As the Moscow Exchange launches a new liquidity incentive promotion, Sergey Sinkevich, head of DMA at Russian broker Otkritie, argues that Russia’s move to adopt T+2 settlement is the most important development in the last 20 years for the country’s capital markets.
Market surveillance: a watching brief
The US Securities & Exchange Commission is often accused of using skateboards to chase Ferraris in its attempts to keep up with trading houses, but less than a year after announcing that it intended to create a new market surveillance system – and six months after going live with it – its cloud-based approach is […]
Fidessa offers free post-trade processing using FIX
A new service that claims to be able to dramatically cut post-trade costs for brokers and asset managers has been launched in the UK, using FIX messaging.
Nasdaq FinQloud financial cloud expands with Jordan & Jordan
US consulting, market data and technology firm Jordan & Jordan has chosen to launch its execution compliance and surveillance service on Nasdaq OMX FinQloud, the cloud computing platform built for financial services and powered by Amazon Web Services.
LSE to supply new Argentine B&MA exchange technology
Argentina’s Caja de Valores central securities depository has chosen the London Stock Exchange to be its technology provider, as the depository gears up to support the country’s new Bolsa & Mercados Argentinos exchange.
Here algo again: MiFID II will require your attention in 2014
For firms who remember MiFID I, and those that don’t, round two is almost upon us. This month, the Council of the EU agreed their general approach, meaning that the draft of MiFID II/MiFIR is free to advance to the European Parliament. If all goes according to the current plan, the new combined legislation will be with us in time for 2015 implementation.
House of Commons HFT tax proposal “not good for market”
Market participants have condemned a proposal in the UK House of Commons that calls for the UK government to consider implementing a tax on high-frequency trading activity in the country.
DTCC promises Omgeo acquisition will “open up new opportunities”
US post-trade utility the DTCC has agreed to acquire post-trade specialist firm Omgeo, in a deal that it says will help improve collaboration between investment managers, broker-dealers and custodian banks and reduce risk for market participants.
Euroclear moves France, Netherlands and Belgium to T+2 settlement
Securities trading in France, the Netherlands and Belgium is to move to T+2 settlement in October 2014, following a decision by Euroclear to pre-empt Europe-wide settlement reforms.
LSE’s Guy Eden joins Traiana
Risk and post-trade processing specialist firm Traiana has appointed Guy Eden, formerly of the London Stock Exchange, as head of product management.
Deutsche Börse opens doors to ‘dark pool’ Liquidnet
German exchange Deutsche Börse is to launch a new block trading service in partnership with Liquidnet, the buy-side crossing network.
LSE’s Luxembourg venture highlights regulator’s dilemma
The London Stock Exchange’s plans to establish a new central securities depository in Luxembourg reveal the way regulation can have unintended consequences – in this case a proliferation of CSDs.
European post-trade alliance targets repo market
Clearstream, Euroclear and Eurex Clearing have signed an agreement with the ICMA European Repo Council to create a joint project aimed at improving the efficiency of the repo market.
