A Trading Desk View Of Market Quality

This book is based on A Trading Desk’s View of Market Quality, a conference hosted by the Zicklin School of Business on April 30, 2002. The text includes the edited transcripts of each panel as well as separate presentations by two distinguished industry officials, Joel Steinmetz, who at the time was Senior Vice President, Equities, Instinet Corporation, and Laura Unger, formerly Acting Chairperson and Commissioner of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. This book is not simply a historical record of the conference. It is also an exposition of the complex issues raised by the industry experts and speakers in attendance. Therefore, we introduced new material from foll- up interviews with many of the panelists so that the final result would be a more valuable document. Our intention was to examine the discussions with a critical eye, then modify or expand various sections to reflect contemporary conditions. In addition, we have included a paper by Ozenbas, Schwartz and Wood (see Chapter 8, page 151) that provides further analysis on the connection between market quality and intra-day 1 volatility that was noted several times during the conference. During the production process, we worked with the panelists, and took pains not to put words in their mouths. They have all approved the final draft of the manuscript, and we thank them for their assistance and patience.

This book is based on the proceedings of a one-day conference on Market Quality, held at the Zicklin School of Business on April 30, 2002. Some of the questions addressed in this book are: How should market quality be defined, measured, monitored and improved? What is the evidence about the current state of our markets? How effective have recent innovations been? How can we better meet our investor needs?

Specialists and floor brokers, in direct contact on the trading floor, are at the heart of operations at the national U.S. equity exchanges. At the other end of the spectrum, electronic trading platforms characterize most other equity markets globally. Why have we not followed the international trend, and should we? Can the unique services offered by the floor be provided as effectively in an electronic environment? Which environment would institutional and retail traders each find most suitable to their special needs? These are some of the questions that will be addressed. In so doing, Electronic vs. Floor Based Trading will provide perspective on the future direction that exchange market structure is likely to follow in the coming years.

The structure and operations of the US equity markets have evolved dramatically in recent decades with the advent of major technology and regulatory changes. Nothing short of a groundbreaking shift has occurred in the securities industry as the transition has been made from predominantly manual, human intermediated trading to predominantly electronic trading. By many measures, commission, spreads and market impact costs have been dramatically reduced in recent years. But does that mean that market quality has improved? That is the key question addressed in this book, titled after the Baruch College Conference, “The Quality of Our Financial Markets: Taking Stock of Where We Stand.” Featuring contributions from a distinguished panel of practitioners, academicians, and regulators, this volume offers a penetrating and timely account of the most current issues in market quality, covering such topics as high-frequency trading; the Flash Crash of May 6th, 2010; dark pools; lit pools; fragmentation; disruptive and advanced technologies. And, very significantly, it takes a close look at the impact and influence of regulation. The Zicklin School of Business Financial Markets Series presents the insights emerging from a sequence of conferences hosted by the Zicklin School at Baruch College for industry professionals, regulators, and scholars. Much more than historical documents, the transcripts from the conferences are edited for clarity, perspective and context; material and comments from subsequent interviews with the panelists and speakers are integrated for a complete thematic presentation. Each book is focused on a well delineated topic, but all deliver broader insights into the quality and efficiency of the U.S. equity markets and the dynamic forces changing them.

This book examines the complexity of trading and the creation of liquidity. Titled after the Baruch College Financial Markets Conference, Equity Market Round-Up: Proposals for Strengthening the Markets, this book explores how regulation has a clear impact on market structure and, therefore, how market structure impacts efficient trading and capital formation. The following questions are analyzed: What are the liquidity strategies for pricing and interacting? Is liquidity any more available today for an illiquid stock than it was on the floor of the exchange 20 years ago? How do we cope with the dynamics of a continuous market? How can market structure be improved? What are the effects of high frequency trading? The Zicklin School of Business Financial Markets Series presents the insights emerging from a sequence of conferences hosted by the Zicklin School at Baruch College for industry professionals, regulators, and scholars. The transcripts from the conferences are edited for clarity, perspective and context; material and comments from subsequent interviews with the panelists and speakers are included for a complete thematic presentation. Each book is focused on a well delineated topic, but all deliver broad insights into the quality and efficiency of the U.S. equity markets and the dynamic forces that are changing them.

This book provides a comprehensive look at the challenges of keeping up with liquidity needs and technology advancements. It is also a sourcebook for understandable, practical solutions on trading and technology.