Quote from erbronni:
The sad fact is most people don't understand the difference between trading and investing. The downside is traders are going to have to pay for other people's bad investment decisions.
There's an article in the NYT today on Optiver being investigated for their high frequency trading on the oil futures market:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/04/business/global/04optiver.html
Does the press have something against high-frequency trading?
Quote from rufus_4000:
Unbelievable. Being a owner and operator of HFT strategies, i am amazed at the attentions that this really very "niche" business is getting. And suddenly firms like Getco are on the front pages of magazines (Forbes, WSJ). And I have seen plenty of automated systems driven "action" that pushes the market around. Let's face it, if you drop $2B into the market, the market will go in your favor for a little while.
Since I know some of the names contained in those article, what are they thinking? HFT doesn't make *that* much money, I have yet seen any HFT trader making $100M (ok, maybe misha came close).
This is my prediction what will happen. A whole lot of nothing. They will outlaw "flash orders" (very little volume comes from that anyways), and put a cap on holding limits. And then the politicians are going to declare victory. And come 2010 election cycle, we will be filled with ads like this:
"I am John Doe, congressman from your state. I *FOUGHT* for you, the Main Street, against the Wall Street Fat Cats. I was instrumental in out lawing illegal wall street practices like Flash Orders, and limit their capability to manipulate the market. I am on YOUR side, the average American Investor. And I want to fight for you for 2 more years."
Mean while, the market just laughs at it, and business continues on as usual.
Quote from libertad:
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1000% correct....
Also...the transaction tax will NEVER happen....
Computer banks can be anywhere....software can be anywhere....
And those who own them will seek the least cost jurisdiction to operate in....
Worldwide agreement wll NEVER happen as to such a tax as well....
Quote from zdreg:
if the co. trades in the US or is US based or the brokerage firm is US connected u will pay the tax.
libertarian philosophy goes out the window when somebody has a gun to your head. capish?
Quote from bears21:
dual listing will be common as brokerage houses will be setting up llcs outside the country and finding any loophole you can find will be found. look what they did with online betting and how you couldnt make a deposit from a us bank to an overseas betting house. they just came up with an llc and funnel the business. where theres a will theres a way.