Blog

Grain Price Volatility Springs Anew, But Institutions Stand Aside
May 21, 2013

By Suzanne Cosgrove

Given this year’s erratic U.S. spring weather -- with too much rain (or snow) and cool temperatures delaying spring corn plantings and threatening winter wheat crops -- one might expect grain futures trading at the Chicago Board of Trade volume and open interest would jump in April and May.

Grain prices have been predictably volatile, but surprisingly, average daily volume for grain and oilseed futures declined 9.48 percent in the month of April, compared with the same period a year ago, the CME group reported.

Average daily volume...

But Institutions Stand Aside, Grain Price Volatility Springs Anew
CBOT, commodities, electronic trading, grains
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Chicago's Own Algo Trading Competition
April 29, 2013

The inaugural University of Chicago Midwest Trading Competition took the Gleacher Center by storm earlier this month with over 100 graduate and undergraduate students gathering from across the country, representing such prestigious institutions as California Institute of Technology, Washington University, Carnegie Mellon, Notre Dame, University of Illinois, Johns Hopkins University, Illinois Institute of Technology, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, University of Michigan, and University of Chicago...

algo testing, algo trading, education, Freeway, UChicago, University of Chicago
events
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Exchanges Give Battered CDS Market Another Try With Futures

April 23, 2013

By Suzanne Cosgrove

Although volume in over-the-counter credit deposit swaps has fallen significantly since the 2008 global financial crisis, CDS futures are seeing new interest from U.S.-based exchanges.

Their re-emergence may be a by-product of global regulators’ drive for greater OTC sunshine since the meltdown – with futures benefitting from their inherent transparency – as well as a robust corporate bond market.

The Intercontinental Exchange will launch four cash-settled credit index futures contracts in May, subject to regulatory review, based...

CDS, CME, futures, ICE, OTC
futures
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Data Show High-Frequency Trading No Detriment to Liquidity, Eurex Officials Say
March 20, 2013

By Suzanne Cosgrove

Eurex market officials embarked on a road show recently to present its analysis of the impact of high-frequency trading on its markets, visiting the CFTC’s Washington office and well as gatherings in New York and Chicago.

The Eurex officials argue HFT adds to market liquidity. They say the practice currently accounts for 40 percent of trading volumes on Deutsche Boerse AG’s cash-market segment, Xetra, and 30 percent of transactions on Eurex, they say.

The timing of the presentation was opportune, given tighter restrictions facing...

CFTC, electronic trading, Eurex, futures trading, hft, liquidity, OptionsCity, trading volume
exchange news
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OptionsCity Reports Back from FIA Boca
March 20, 2013

By Kim Pike

2013 was another successful year for OptionsCity at FIA Boca. Our bright orange display lit up the room and was prominently featured at corner booth #7. Hazem Dawani, Jerald David, and Pat Gardner from our business development team represented OptionsCity at the show. Some highlights from our booth included an unveiling of new features and functionality in Metro 4.1: a sophisticated reconcilliation add-on, improvements to boost risk reporting and flex trades, market making engine enchancements, and much more (stay tuned for more details).

We also...

Boca Raton, CME FIA, Eurex, futures industry, ICE, trading
events
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