Feature
The Essentials of Centralization
As firms migrate to the cloud to centralize data, breaking down silos and creating links to facilitate data analysis gains importance. Michael Shashoua hears from providers and practitioners about the preferred central data models and methods
Funds of Hedge Funds' Last Stand?
The fund of hedge funds market has long been a manually intensive one. New regulations and strategies—and a general desire to survive—have led to a push for automation throughout the industry. By Anthony Malakian
London Stock Exchange CIO Antoine Shagoury: Man of the People
When Antoine Shagoury took on the role of CIO at the London Stock Exchange, he embarked on an ambitious program of reform at the venerable, but embattled, institution. Several years on, he reveals how technology is driving the growth of the entire…
Real-Time Surveillance: Mission Impossible?
European regulator ESMA wants trading venues to perform market surveillance and abuse monitoring in as close to real time as possible. But is the technology and operational capacity in place to make this initiative work? By Steve Dew-Jones
It's All Semantics: Top-Tier Banks Investigate Semantic Technology for Data Management
Semantic technology, while still for the most part in the conceptual phase in the capital markets, is a term that is becoming more than just a whisper inside financial institutions. By Anthony Malakian
Whither Volcker? Firms Brace for Deadline as Delays Anticipated
The Volcker Rule’s deadline for public comment has passed, with a sea of responses from organizations all over the world. Implementation dates are currently debatable, but compliance with the regulation will require structural and technological change…
The Return of Green IT
While it hasn’t gotten the attention it did during the green wave of the mid-2000s, environmentally friendly technology is in place at many of the world’s major financial institutions. Jake Thomases looks at the latest initiatives designed to save the…
Up For Discussion
Strapline: Regulation & Standards
Data’s Seat at Risk’s Table
Strapline: Data Management
Over-the-Counter, Under the Radar
ISINs may not be be appropriate for identifying every over-the-counter derivative, creating a challenge for instrument identification. Nicholas Hamilton reports on efforts to find a fitting standards format in the asset class
Big Data Is Big Stuff
The phenomenon of Big Data, now a proper noun in its own right, reflects the inexorable growth of data volumes, and the velocity and variety of those volumes, across the financial services industry, presenting market participants with a host of…
Special FX: The Evolution of e-FX Trading
Foreign-exchange trading has changed considerably over the past 10 years. Daily turnover has doubled, spreads have tightened dramatically, and the market has opened up to new entrants as never before. At the heart of this is a shift to electronic trading…
Direct Edge CEO William O'Brien Plans to Go Global
William O’Brien, who once rejected his exchange roots, took over a tiny ECN and grew it into one of the biggest equity exchanges in the world. Now he’s looking at new markets for Direct Edge. By Jake Thomases
Numbers Game: Gauging the Impact of Big Data Part II
In the February issue of Waters, the first part of this feature defined Big Data in terms of volume, variety and velocity. But what does this actually mean for the financial services industry and the technology considerations necessary for dealing with…
Call Auctions: Trading in a New Old-Fashioned Way
Call auctions are one of the oldest forms of stock trading. Plenty of people would like to have an auction option, yet no such system has existed for more than a decade. AX Trading is giving an electronic version another shot. By Jake Thomases
No Turning Back: Firms Forge Ahead on Data Quality
In light of the global regulatory environment and firms looking to become more efficient while cutting costs, data quality has become a focal point for many technologists. However, the challenges are many and there’s still confusion as to who owns the…
The Match Game
Strapline: Regulation & Standards
The Road To European Harmonization
Strapline: Regulation & Standards
Gauging Governance
Strapline: Data Management
Lingua Fatca
Strapline: Corporate Actions
Bi-Temporal Data Boon
Strapline: Data Management
First New York Securities' Jean Hill’s Blank Slate
Manhattan-based proprietary trading firm First New York brought Jean Hill on board to build its infrastructure from the ground up. However, there were several points during her career when it looked as though she was destined for any number of paths but…
Hard Coding: The Benefits and Drawbacks of FPGAs
Field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) are being touted in certain circles as the next wave of technology in the financial services industry, gaining adherents for their ability to perform complex tasks at previously inconceivable speeds. However, with…
Do They Only Like Me for My Algos?
Unlike bulge-bracket firms, mid-tier broker-dealers have to make tough choices about which algorithms to white label and which ones to develop themselves. They want to optimize their value to clients, but aren’t always sure what clients are looking for…