in a nut shell here how it works
The system most times is on auto. Which means their net
exposures at any given time are automatically cover with
one of their banks at the best price. Each one of their banks
quotes them about a 2 point spread but not the same 2 points
one may be at 1/3 another at 2/4 another at 0/2, if they are
short their system will hit the 2 price and cover their exposures.
They also skew things if their customers are hitting the
offer because the market is moving up. Their prices will
be higher then the market. example if the mkt is 2/4 and moving
higher they maybe at 4/6.
They have no ability to cover anything between 5pm fri and
3pm sun aprox. So if a bunch of people yesterday hit
their bid and they were long, the first chance to cover
those transaction would have been at a loss.
I think few people knew what was going to happen yesterday.
This is my post from Sat
http://www.elitetrader.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=48808&perpage=6&pagenumber=3