MM do their profit from buying at the bid and selling at the offer. They can do so because they make the market (in the option world), and they can simultaneously quote on thousands of series at the same time and react to the underlying market very quickly, probably faster than any retail trader, cause they have the technologies.
If the market is 0.55 - 0.65 and they receive a retail order to buy at 0.60, they will most likely fill it and make money out of it (remember they usually buy at the bid, 0.55 in this example).
It's not because a name trade in penny that the spreads are 1 penny wide. In fact, the penny trading program is one of the reason why MM don't make as much money than they used to make. Ask Peterffy about it.
Now the news from CNBC is that Gessler of the SEC has decided to allow PFOF to continue.
I am awaiting to hear the full report before being completely satisfied.
(Robinhood is up to9%. premarket.)
I was referring to options as this is the subject of this thread.Ok so how those PFOF brokers make money is that they lose on making markets on stocks where the spread is thin and then make up the losses ten times over with other assets like options? Is that how it is? Peterffy does not own exchanges anymore. That would be trading against his clients, the traders.
Schwab is highly diversified. It is integrating Tdameritrade into its operation which will lead to billions in savings. Is margin rates are among the highest on the street. With interest rates rises they will be minting money.The news didn't really spook Schwab.
I was referring to options as this is the subject of this thread.
Peterffy may not be owning exchange (although he owns part of some option exchanges...yes, that's legit!!!), but he used to own a very profitable MM firm (before the penny pilot program).
SEC, it looks like they will tweak PFOF. That is what I would like to see. Not a full ban, just more transparency...Less pocketing of orders.
From Bloomberg...
The US Securities and Exchange Commission will stop short of banning payment for order flow, a controversial way to process retail stock trades, as it proposes new rules for the $48 trillion American equities market.
The decision, described by people familiar with the matter, follows months of internal deliberations at the agency. It marks a win for brokerages that get paid for processing rights, although the SEC may still enact other changes that make the practice less profitable, according to the people.
The regulator is expected to unveil its plans in the coming months.
The Charles Schwab Corporation (SCHW)
72.06-0.86 (-1.17%)
Day's Range 71.61 - 74.17
The news didn't really spook Schwab.
Schwab is highly diversified. It is integrating Tdameritrade into its operation which will lead to billions in savings. Is margin rates are among the highest on the street. With interest rates rises they will be minting money.
Instead of focus on PFOF the SEC should have focused on collusion between brokerage firms to keep margin interest rates at a high levels while paying their customers negligible interest on their credit balances. Again we are talking hundred of millions. Compare the margin rates at Interactive vs. the rest of the industry.
Schwab was hit recently with with a record 187million fine and the stock price didn't even blink.