BOX - Boston Options Exchange

There is no Primary Market Maker or Specialist on BOX; responsibilities and privileges are equal for all market makers in a given class as is order matching priority (price and time). There is no pre-determined limit to the number of market makers on an individual class; however, temporary limits may be implemented while BOX adjusts messaging capacity to demand from Participants.

Wow, a competitive marketplace.

Market Makers pay a monthly assessment per appointed class (a “class” consists of all those options series on the same underlying security or index). This fee is variable by class (the most active classes being subject to a higher monthly fee than the less active classes). The Market Maker monthly fee per class will act as a "credit" against the Market Maker’s trading fees such that the monthly fee is effectively very low for actively trading Market Makers.

and

BOX will match orders using a strict price/time priority algorithm at all times with the sole exception of the conclusion of the Price Improvement Process. All BOX Participants are treated equally in the matching process as all orders on the BOX central limit order book are valid for their entire quantity to any Participant, including broker/dealers and specialists/market makers at other exchanges. Any BOX Participant may enter an order on any BOX traded instrument.

The way it should be.
 
The best thing to come out of this will be the traditional exchanges being forced to honor their markets and do away with their noncompetitive rules.

Or, they will fade away ...
 
The Price Improvement part of the rules are vital. Currently it is not 100% clear if everyone will see the customer side of the order during price improvement periods. Without this ability, the BOX would rank right near the bottom for exchanges in terms of equal access. Imagine for a minute if only the contra side of the PIP was displayed and only market makers for that class are invited in the Price Improvement Process. If this is the case then outside traders would never know when many customers orders are available then they would simply see it trade at the contra price.

I suspect/hope that we will see the customer side of the order in such circumstances and that will create a level playing field. However, as I said it is not clear with statements such as:



"BOX Market Makers on the concerned options class may introduce Improvement Orders to compete with the original order"

It doesn't sound like all participants will be allowed to enter PIO's.
But perhaps you can still enter an order (not considered a PIO)


And Under Market Maker Privileges


"Right to compete during the Price Improvement Period on classes where he holds a market maker appointment"



An example of a PIP would help clarify (currently not available).



Knowing that Timber Hill is involved leads me to believe that it will be a GREAT/FAIR exchange. I'm just waiting for the exact rules to come out to be certain that it will be good for traders such as myself.


and,

Metooxx

I tried to PM you buy your message box was full.
 
Originally posted by mskl
The Price Improvement part of the rules are vital. Currently it is not 100% clear if everyone will see the customer side of the order during price improvement periods. Without this ability, the BOX would rank right near the bottom for exchanges in terms of equal access. Imagine for a minute if only the contra side of the PIP was displayed and only market makers for that class are invited in the Price Improvement Process. If this is the case then outside traders would never know when many customers orders are available then they would simply see it trade at the contra price.

I suspect/hope that we will see the customer side of the order in such circumstances and that will create a level playing field. However, as I said it is not clear with statements such as:



"BOX Market Makers on the concerned options class may introduce Improvement Orders to compete with the original order"

It doesn't sound like all participants will be allowed to enter PIO's.
But perhaps you can still enter an order (not considered a PIO)


And Under Market Maker Privileges


"Right to compete during the Price Improvement Period on classes where he holds a market maker appointment"



An example of a PIP would help clarify (currently not available).



Knowing that Timber Hill is involved leads me to believe that it will be a GREAT/FAIR exchange. I'm just waiting for the exact rules to come out to be certain that it will be good for traders such as myself.


and,

Metooxx

I tried to PM you buy your message box was full.


Try again, I will clear it.
 
Does anyone know how to get in contact with these bozos? They have their web site up but all email contact information is undeliverable. Bodes well for the advanced technology they are touting.....
 
Originally posted by troutbum
Does anyone know how to get in contact with these bozos? They have their web site up but all email contact information is undeliverable. Bodes well for the advanced technology they are touting.....

Send an email to Peterffy at Timber ...
 
Hi,

I have read with interest the stream. It sounds like there is a broad feeling that market makers are making undue profits because of the floor market structure. So I tried making a small guesstimation :

There are roughly 2.5 millions equity option contracts traded per day. The tick is 5cts, the quotity is 100, so the effective tick per contract is 5 $. If we assume that "old style" floor exchanges enable market makers to hold on to two ticks on average because of all the "bad practice" and all the sweet rules they enjoy, that will amount to 10$ x 2.5 millions = 25 millions $ / day. No wonder these guys were getting rich.

Now, the ISE has presumably divided the average edge MM make per contract to maybe one tick. That still leaves quite a bit of money on the table. Do you guys believe that BOX can help along the way and bring it down to its minimum of 0.5 tick (or can it go below ? I could not figure why ?).

Carrying the number game a little further, how many market makers can this type of revenue sustain ? My guess is that you need at least 1 Million $/year per trader to make it worthwhile being in the business of market making. That still leaves room for around 1000 hot bodies that will make markets. That is still a crowd, but only two guys per equity listed (ball park).

How many market makers are there in activity today ?

thks
 
Originally posted by junglebee
Hi,

I have read with interest the stream. It sounds like there is a broad feeling that market makers are making undue profits because of the floor market structure. So I tried making a small guesstimation :

There are roughly 2.5 millions equity option contracts traded per day. The tick is 5cts, the quotity is 100, so the effective tick per contract is 5 $. If we assume that "old style" floor exchanges enable market makers to hold on to two ticks on average because of all the "bad practice" and all the sweet rules they enjoy, that will amount to 10$ x 2.5 millions = 25 millions $ / day. No wonder these guys were getting rich.

Now, the ISE has presumably divided the average edge MM make per contract to maybe one tick. That still leaves quite a bit of money on the table. Do you guys believe that BOX can help along the way and bring it down to its minimum of 0.5 tick (or can it go below ? I could not figure why ?).

Carrying the number game a little further, how many market makers can this type of revenue sustain ? My guess is that you need at least 1 Million $/year per trader to make it worthwhile being in the business of market making. That still leaves room for around 1000 hot bodies that will make markets. That is still a crowd, but only two guys per equity listed (ball park).

How many market makers are there in activity today ?

thks

Not as many as yesterday ...
 
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