Not a bad show, I had fun. I haven't missed a single one for the past 12 years or so, since I live just an hour from midtown Manhattan.
I was there this past Sunday and yesterday, Monday, Feb 19 and 20. For the most part I attended several seminars; also spent a few hours around the floor speaking with the vendors and listening to some of their presentations. I thought the speakers are getting better and better - I would actually venture to say that the Expo is gradually turning more educational, rather then new trading system oriented.
However, there were definitely fewer exhibitors - mainly the big brokerage houses, like Fidelity and TradeStation, and a few medium size trading systems developers, like Nirvana (excellent software and methodologies there) and Best Choice (interesting, kind of expensive.) Long gone are the days, 5-6 years ago, when dozens of small-medium size innovators were crowding the corridors, showing off their fresh-out-of-the-lab "trading system breakthroughs". That was definitely a lot of fun... in contrast, the corridors now are mostly clear... who needs that?
One interesting observation: lots of young people there, in their mid-twenties I would say. Perhaps recent college graduates who can't get jobs at large corporations and are looking for a challenging new career. That's good, new blood is always great, if they can get plugged in properly and make a good living in trading.
First time, imo, that nobody offered free t-shirts... just lots of pens... oh well
I was there this past Sunday and yesterday, Monday, Feb 19 and 20. For the most part I attended several seminars; also spent a few hours around the floor speaking with the vendors and listening to some of their presentations. I thought the speakers are getting better and better - I would actually venture to say that the Expo is gradually turning more educational, rather then new trading system oriented.
However, there were definitely fewer exhibitors - mainly the big brokerage houses, like Fidelity and TradeStation, and a few medium size trading systems developers, like Nirvana (excellent software and methodologies there) and Best Choice (interesting, kind of expensive.) Long gone are the days, 5-6 years ago, when dozens of small-medium size innovators were crowding the corridors, showing off their fresh-out-of-the-lab "trading system breakthroughs". That was definitely a lot of fun... in contrast, the corridors now are mostly clear... who needs that?
One interesting observation: lots of young people there, in their mid-twenties I would say. Perhaps recent college graduates who can't get jobs at large corporations and are looking for a challenging new career. That's good, new blood is always great, if they can get plugged in properly and make a good living in trading.
First time, imo, that nobody offered free t-shirts... just lots of pens... oh well
