Concept
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In financial markets, the speed and accuracy with which information can be delivered to market participants has a direct effect on the returns that can be made. It is no wonder that the areas surrounding the NYSE (New York Stock Exchange) have some of the most advanced processing technologies in the world. A trade can be executed in less than half a millionth of a second –more than a million times faster than a human being can make a decision –because technology has automated each step from order to payment.
Not only are trade speeds fast, but quantitative trade data is also easily and cheaply displayed on platforms throughout the world for anyone to access in real-time. Simply by visiting a website, anyone can see spot (real-time) prices for almost any publicly traded financial product or instrument available. The intense competition of the markets drives the development of these technologies and information platforms, which in turn fuels more efficient, competitive markets.