Hot Debate: EU Targets High-Frequency Trading in Market Law

Oct. 20, 2011 - PRLog -- According to Bloomberg, the European Union is seeking limits on commodities derivatives and curbs on high-frequency trading as part of proposals to overhaul the region’s financial-market rules. The proposals are to overhaul the EU’s Markets in Financial Instruments Directive, or Mifid, were adopted by the European Commission in tandem with others to toughen sanctions against market abuse. This topic will also be discussed further  by Edgar Perez, author of The Speed Traders, An Insider's Look at the New High-Frequency Trading Phenomenon That is Transforming the Investing World (http://www.thespeedtraders.com), at The Speed Traders Workshop 2011, "The Present and Future of High-Frequency Trading" (http://www.thespeedtradersworkshop.com), in Singapore, Hong Kong and Sao Paulo. The Speed Traders Workshop 2011 will be extremely helpful for all delegates who are working in finance and investments, from financial institutions, investment banks, hedge funds, pension funds, broker dealers, consultancy groups, prime brokers, solution providers and exchanges, who wish to gain a thorough understanding and practical knowledge of high-frequency trading.

Jim Brunsden from Bloomberg reports that today’s plans, which also include a crackdown on so-called dark pools, are aimed at reducing market volatility, increasing regulatory oversight and promoting competition. Specific measures include requiring trading venues to either cap the number of commodity derivative contracts that traders can enter into, or make “alternative arrangements” with the same effect.

High-frequency traders came under increased regulatory scrutiny following the so-called flash crash in May of last year, during which the Dow Jones Industrial Average briefly lost almost 1,000 points. The EU measures include requiring firms that offer high frequency or algorithmic trading services to prove that they have sufficient risk controls in place and to ensure that clients with direct access to the markets are properly qualified.
The safeguards include requiring trading venues to have “robust controls against problems such as disorderly trading, erratic price movements, and capacity overload,” the commission said. “Limits will be placed on how many orders per transaction participants can place as well as on how far venues may compete in attracting order flow.”

The Speed Traders Workshop 2011, led by Edgar Perez, author of The Speed Traders, will reveal how high-frequency trading players are succeeding in the global markets and driving the development of algorithmic trading at breakneck speeds from the U.S. and Europe to India, Singapore and Brazil. Highlights of The Speed Traders Workshop 2011 include:
•   The first and most comprehensive initiation to the world of high-frequency trading
•   Study materials provided by Edgar Perez, the author of the latest book on the subject of speed trading, and a well-known presenter in America, Europe and Asia
•   Latest update on high-frequency trading in the world and current regulatory initiatives
•   Techniques to detect high-frequency trading in the markets
•   Key enablers of high-frequency trading in the U.S., Europe and Asia
•   Proposed regulatory initiatives after the "flash crash”
•   Up-to-date review of the future of high-frequency trading

The Speed Traders, published by McGraw-Hill Inc., available online at amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, BORDERS, and INDIEBOUND, among multiple bookstores, is the most comprehensive, revealing work available on the most important development in trading in generations. High-frequency trading will no doubt play an ever larger role as computer technology advances and the global exchanges embrace fast electronic access. The Speed Traders explains everything there is to know about how today's high-frequency traders make millions—one cent at a time. In this new title, The Speed Traders, Mr. Perez opens the door to the secretive world of high-frequency trading. Inside, prominent figures drop their guard and speak with unprecedented candidness about their trade.

Mr. Perez is widely regarded as the pre-eminent networker in the specialized area of high-frequency trading. He has been featured on CNBC Cash Flow with Oriel Morrison (http://video.cnbc.com/gallery/?video=2023403523), BNN Business Day with Kim Parlee (http://watch.bnn.ca/business-day/august-2011/business-day...), TheStreet.com with Gregg Greenberg (http://www.thestreet.com/video/11144274/high-frequency-tr...), Channel NewsAsia Cent & Sensibilities with Lin Xue Ling, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, iMoney Hong Kong, Hedge Fund Brief, Oriental Daily News Hong Kong, and more. He has been engaged as speaker at Harvard Business School’s 17th Annual Venture Capital & Private Equity Conference, High-Frequency Trading Leaders Forum 2011 (New York, Chicago, Hong Kong, Sao Paulo, Singapore), CFA Singapore, Hong Kong Securities Institute, Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences at New York University (New York), Global Growth Markets Forum (London), Technical Analysis Society (Singapore), Middle East Hedge Funds Investors Summit 2012 (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia), among other global forums.

Mr. Perez was a vice president at Citigroup, a senior consultant at IBM, and a consultant at McKinsey & Co. in New York City.  Mr. Perez has an undergraduate degree from Universidad Nacional de Ingeniería, Lima, Peru (1994), a Master of Administration from Universidad ESAN, Lima, Peru (1997) and a Master of Business Administration from Columbia Business School, with a dual major in Finance and Management (2002). He belongs to the Beta Gamma Sigma honor society. Mr. Perez resides in the New York City area and is an accomplished salsa and hustle dancer.

Mr. Perez is one of the great business networkers and motivators on the lecture circuit; he is available worldwide for the following speaking engagements: Present and Future of High-Frequency Trading, The Real Story behind the "Flash Crash", Networking for Financial Executives, and Business Networking for Success.

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The Speed Traders, published by McGraw-Hill Inc., available online at amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, BORDERS, and INDIEBOUND, among multiple bookstores, is the most comprehensive, revealing work available on the most important development in trading in generations. High-frequency trading will no doubt play an ever larger role as computer technology advances and the global exchanges embrace fast electronic access. The Speed Traders explains everything there is to know about how today's high-frequency traders make millions—one cent at a time. In this new title, The Speed Traders, Mr. Perez opens the door to the secretive world of high-frequency trading. Inside, prominent figures drop their guard and speak with unprecedented candidness about their trade.