On September 1^st, we lost OATS to CAT. It is a huge loss because OATS reporting was a familiar tool that successfully worked for broker-dealer businesses for over a decade. Since its release in March 21, 2007, OATS became the reporting feature that was a must for trading companies to comply with. Effective since June 2007, and until August 31, 2021, OATS reporting was a big item that assured conformance with the FINRA rules. Thus, OATS era ended for the firms that received and/or handled securities publicly.

In 2012, as a result of the “Flash Crash” two years prior, the US Security and Exchanges Commission determined that the audit information captured by the electronic trading industry was insufficient for effectively investigating and enforcing regulatory requirements in the constantly evolving modern exchanges. The SEC subsequently released a proposal, known as Rule 613, to overhaul the auditing systems of the exchanges and self-regulatory organizations in order to combine them into a single, robust audit trail that would capture all relevant trade data from every stage of a transaction’s cycle...

Since most technology firms (including InfoReach), financial firms, and traders are remote due to COVID-19, we thought it was an excellent opportunity to share some best practices for engaging while working remotely.

As with most people, InfoReach customers have started to work from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This creates a unique challenge for clients who do not often work remotely. This guide is designed to help you seek out the best information and troubleshooting steps to get the best performance available to you.

The term “High-Frequency Trading” has taken on an air of mystery to people outside the world of electronic trading. For some, it may conjure imagery of shadowy forces secretly controlling the global stock markets. Others might have heard it’s possible to get rich without ever leaving their computer just by booting up trading software. The reality of HFT is, of course, less grandiose. While high frequency trading offers an excellent business opportunity for those with the right skill-set and resources, it is not the next step in progression for a novice trader. It requires a significant investment of time and capital as well as existing business relationships to have order flow executed...

Financial markets undergo constant evolution, so developing successful trading strategies requires equally constant iteration and innovation. However, releasing an unproven strategy into a live trading environment poses too significant a liability when real money is on the line. Backtesting is an indispensable tool that developers can take advantage of to limit this risk.

The growth of algorithmic trading over the last decade has made a huge impact on the markets, effectively automating order execution in ways previously unthought of. Today, it is estimated that around 60% of trades are executed by computer systems, and that number looks set to grow over the next decade. However, some have argued that algo trading is a victim of its own success, and the countless algorithms currently available make choosing and justifying allocation increasingly difficult.

For any independent futures trader, choosing the right platform from which to navigate the market is among the first and most fundamental considerations. Not all platforms are created equal, and the sheer number of options available today can be overwhelming. What is clear, however—whether you are a beginner or a seasoned trader—is that the right platform can mean the difference between success and failure.

Selecting a platform that fits your requirements can be tricky, with an endless stream of features, tools, and technologies offered at a variety of price points—some of which are more cost-effective than others...

Celebrated by some, maligned by others, when MiFID II finally came into force on Jan 3rd, 2018 it represented a seismic change for the industry. From investment banks to insurance firms, you’d be hard pushed to find anyone, however disparately connected, who has not been deeply affected by its implementation—with certain factions making their displeasure heard. However, is the road to hell really paved with good intentions? Or is ESMA merely trying to change market structures without demonizing those involved? Here, we look at the good, the bad, and the ugly as we try to balance the books on MiFID II and what it means for the future of the markets.