Many who follow today's HFT debate may think "latency arbitrage" only came about recently bc of new technology & loopholes in 2009-era legislation. This could not be farther from the truth. Latency arbitrage has been around for over 200 years. Here are some examples:
-
-
Even in the CME trading pits there were constant attempts to gain consistent edge. Traders would wear special platform shoes that let them see & trade over shorter competitors. Where else would official rulebooks include specific limits on shoe height?pic.twitter.com/LZGQoABAos
Show this thread -
I say all this to give context. Before the game was fast horses & special telescopes. Today it's glass fiber optic cable and microwave towers. This kind of jockeying has always existed and likely will always exist.
Show this thread -
Across all high speed trading eras, one theme is clear: it's nearly impossible to stop smart, very rich traders from finding an edge, whether it be new technology or loopholes in existing laws.
Show this thread
End of conversation
New conversation -
-
-
Thank you for sharing! I should write a short thing on how firms monopolized private telegraph and telephone lines to such a degree in late 19th century britain that the post office and telecoms companies literally ran out of space for cables & wires on certain routes
Thanks. Twitter will use this to make your timeline better. UndoUndo
-
Loading seems to be taking a while.
Twitter may be over capacity or experiencing a momentary hiccup. Try again or visit Twitter Status for more information.