scholarly journals Front-Running and Market Quality: An Evolutionary Perspective on High Frequency Trading

2017 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 727-741 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thorsten Hens ◽  
Terje Lensberg ◽  
Klaus Reiner Schenk-Hoppé
Keyword(s):  
High Frequency ◽  
High Frequency Trading ◽  
Market Quality ◽  
Evolutionary Perspective ◽  
Front Running

High Frequency Trading of Commodities

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raymond P. H. Fishe
Keyword(s):  
High Frequency ◽  
Equity Markets ◽  
Conclusive Evidence ◽  
Commodity Markets ◽  
High Frequency Trading ◽  
Market Quality ◽  
Market Makers ◽  
Speed Advantage ◽  
Open Outcry ◽  
Derivative Markets

Electronic platforms and high frequency traders (HFTs) have changed the nature of trading. Like equity markets, commodity markets have experienced an influx of algorithmic traders and a decline in “pit” or open outcry trading. Regulatory efforts to understand the effects of HFTs and to offer prudent guidelines or new rules are in their infancy. An overall hesitancy exists because academic studies have produced diverse results on liquidity, volatility, and market quality. This survey focuses on high frequency trading research in commodity derivative markets, documenting basic results and extracting inferences when warranted. Evidence indicates that HFTs act as market makers and their speed advantage has lowered transaction costs, generally during normal markets. Although not entirely conclusive, evidence also suggests that HFTs may exacerbate volatility by withdrawing liquidity in times of market stress, such as during “flash” crashes.

Part III Trading, 17 Algorithmic Trading and High-Frequency Trading (HFT)

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Conac Pierre-Henri
Keyword(s):  
High Frequency ◽  
High Frequency Trading ◽  
Algorithmic Trading ◽  
Technical Approach ◽  
Great Cost ◽  
Scarce Resources ◽  
Flash Crash ◽  
Market Abuse ◽  
Front Running ◽  
Do So

This chapter analyses the MiFID II rules on algorithmic trading (AT), including high-frequency trading (HFT). The author argues that AT raises serious issues of volatility and systemic risk, and HFT issues of systematic front-running of investors. However, opinions are divided on the benefits and risks of these techniques, especially HFT. MiFID II takes a technical approach mostly focused on prevention of a repeat of the 2010 ‘Flash Crash’ with provisions on market abuse. The ESMA 2012 Guidelines remain the most effective regulation to frame the development of HFT, able to tackle market developments with relative speed. However, with implementation of the directive still far away, prosecution of market abuse among HFT traders by legislators and supervisors could lead to a de facto ban of HFT in some Member States. However, the author argues that supervisors would need to allocate scarce resources to it, at great cost, and only the most motivated supervisors will do so.

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