Options Insider Radio Interviews

Talking Crypto Algos with AlgoTraderOur guest today is Andy Flury, Founder and CEO of AlgoTrader. Mark and Andy discuss: What is AlgoTrader? What is happening on the algo front in crypto? Are we seeing the same degree of algo penetration in the crypto market that we see in equities or options? What types of algos are popular in the crypto market? And much more...

GUEST: ED SZADO - Associate Professor of Finance at the Providence College School of Business. Prof. Ed discusses his study Endowment Risk Management and Return Enhancement with Listed Index and ETF Options with Mark. He explains his findings to our listeners. Were there any surprises that he learned in doing the study? What takeaways does he have from the study?

 Interview with Ed Boyle, CEO at BOX Options Exchange. WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES! LAST YEAR WAS A RECORD FOR OPTIONS VOLUME. THIS YEAR NOT SO MUCH. DO YOU THINK WE’RE ON TRACK TO BEAT 2018? WHAT’S YOUR OUTLOOK FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR FROM A VOLUME PERSPECTIVE? HEALTHY GROWTH? SAME? DECLINE? UPDATE ON THE TRADING FLOOR - WHAT IS TRADING ON IT? WHEN CAN I COME SEE IT? BOX & VOLATILITY: WHEN WILL WE SEE THE REALVOL PRODUCTS? REALVOL/REAL DAY ANY OTHER PROPRIETARY PRODUCTS ON THE DOCKET? ARE YOU LAUNCHING A BOX FUTURES EXCHANGE? 16 EXCHANGES - WHEN IS BOX GETTING INTO THE GAME? AFTER HOURS OPTIONS TRADING? WHAT’S THE NEXT BIG INNOVATION COMING TO THE OPTIONS MARKET? WHAT BRINGS YOU TO OIC THIS YEAR? ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS? WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP MARKET MAKERS? AUCTIONS? DISPLAYED QUOTES? COMPLEX ORDER BOOKS: HOW DO WE GET THEM TO TALK TO EACH OTHER? AFTER HOURS TRADING FOR OPTIONS? OTHER NEW BOX PRODUCTS? BOX AND CRYPTO?

Patrick McCreary - Executive Director, Volant Trading   Give us an overview of Volant? Do you specialize in certain markets? False price improvements? What brings you to OIC this year? Any announcements? New Vol products - SPIKES, etc. Thought on current volatility landscape?

Greg Ferrari - Managing Director or Global Trading & Market Services, NASDAQ   What’s new at Nasdaq Options? You currently have six exchanges, any plans to add any more? VolDex/SkewDex update? After hours options trading? What’s the next big innovation coming to the options market? What brings you to OIC this year? Any announcements? Client Experience Center?

Today's guest is Michael Ourabah, the CEO of BSO. Mark and Michael discuss: - What is BSO? - How is the race to zero shaping up overseas? - How are the market data and connectivity wars shaping up in the crypto marketplace? - How do we solve the inherent latency issues plaguing crypto right now? - Can you build a one-stop shop for crypto connectivity? - Is there still a strong institutional appetite for crypto? - How is the emerging crypto scene in the Middle East? - And much more...

  Unlocking Volatility Secrets Using Data Science Our guests today are: Jay Schuren, GM Time Series Data Scientist at Data Robot Jimmy Heinz, Equity Volatility Trader at the Gelber Group. Mark, Jay and Jimmy discuss: Why does a volatility trading group need a data scientist? How does data science improve volatility trading? Which product classes yield the greatest benefit from data science analysis? How do outlier volatility events like February 2018 impact the analysis? Is data science the future of volatility trading? And much more...  

Nick LaMaina - SVP, Product Management and Strategy Jeff Peters, Senior Product Manager What’s new at Tradestation? An update on the new branding initiative? Mobile functionality Option Station Pro? How are your efforts progressing to target new basic retail clients? What’s new for options traders at Tradestation? Is the App Store still active? What is the percentage of customers that use APIs? You did not have a great showing in our Options Broker Madness tournament this year. What can we do to improve your ranking in 2019? What brings you to OIC this year? Any announcements?

Henry Schwartz, Founder & President - Trade Alert   Give us an update on the state of the industry. Any surprises this year? How many names comprise the top 50% of volume this year? Is there fragmentation across new exchanges? What’s new at Trade Alert? New condition codes? Is this the death of passive?

Our guest today is Ian Rosen the CEO of Stocktwits. Mark and Ian discuss: - Why the heck is StockTwits launching a brokerage service? - What sets TradeApp apart from the many other brokers out there? - How do they plan to make money with zero commissions and zero payment for order flow? - What products will be available on Trade App at launch? - When can we expect options? -How are the new Premium Rooms faring? Are people lining up to pay for rooms? - Why did they raise the StockTwits character limit from 140 to 1000? -  

Talking Crypto, Political Intrigue and Coconut Water with Tony Saliba Tony Saliba is back in the studio catching us up on the latest developments. Mark and Tony have a fascinating conversation covering a wide range of topics including: Tony's Crowd of Fame award A turbulent year and the end of Crypto Winter The new crypto offerings from Mercury Digital Assets and the San Juan Mercantile Exchange The prospects for crypto options in the U.S. The future of options in China. Devious political intrigue around the CHX acquisition. Tasty delicious coconut water! And much more. You need to tune into this one...

Getting Back In The Trading Job Market with STA Our guest for this episode is Jim Toes, President of the Securities Traders Association. Mark and Jim discuss What is STA doing at the Options Industry Conference? What options initiatives is STA working on currently? Is strike mitigation the solution to the problems facing options market makers? What is on the docket for the STA 2019 Market Structure Conference? How can we help traders who may be looking for new jobs? STA might have an answer for that. And much more...

TALKING ADVISORS AND OPTIONS WITH RAYMOND JAMESOur guest for this episode is Gary Franklin, VP - Retail Options Trading and Strategies for Raymond James. Mark and Gary discuss: Overall options penetrations with advisors - is it growing or shrinking? What is the level of options interest at Raymond James? The challenges of finding liquidity for clients in the options market. The options wish list for advisors. And much more...

Talking Renaissance, Risk and Real-Time OI With OCC Our guest for this episode is John Davidson, CEO of the Options Clearing Corporation. Mark and John discuss: What is the Renaissance Initiative? Looking back at a turbulent 2018 for the options market. The challenges of modeling risk for volatility products OIC carrying the torch for education in the options markets After-Hours options trading Crypto Currencies Why can't we have real-time open interest updates. And much more...

What the Heck is Gatsby? Did you ever ask yourself - what is Gatsby? We decided to find out at OIC 2019. Here's the answer...

UPDATE ON ORATS? NEW OFFERINGS? UPDATE ON EARNINGS SEASON? ANY SURPRISES? WHAT BRINGS YOU TO OIC THIS YEAR? ANY SURPRISES FROM THE CONFERENCE THIS YEAR? HOW ARE THE CIGARS?

Talking After-Hours, Trading Floors and More with NYSE WHAT’S NEW AT NYSE/AMEX OPTIONS? - WALK US THROUGH THE VOLUME BREAKDOWN - NYSE VS AMEX. WHO IS USING WHICH EXCHANGE AND FOR WHAT? HOW ARE THE TRADING FLOORS FARING IN 2019? What is NYSE WEST? - Today NYSE ushered in a new era on the West Coast when we cut the ribbon on NYSE West - our new home base for the NYSE Arca Options trading floor in downtown San Francisco. Have we reached peak exchange in the options market? FANG PLUS INDEX OPTIONS - WHAT ARE THEY? AFTER HOURS OPTIONS TRADING - will we ever see it? What can we do to help options market makers? WHAT’S THE NEXT BIG INNOVATION COMING TO THE OPTIONS MARKET? WHAT BRINGS YOU TO OIC THIS YEAR? ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS?

Options Insider Radio Live From OIC 2019GUEST: Craig Iseli, Chief Operating Officer of SpiderRock What is Spider Rock What are the origins of that interesting name? Have we reached the point of danger with too many options exchanges? Are options really penetrating to the financial advisor market? Are options the silver bullet for advisors looking to fight back against robo advisors? Where are the biggest opportunities in the options market - advisors, asset management, software or something else entirely? What can the options market do to bring more market makers back into the fold? How are auctions impacting the liquidity landscape? And much more...

CATCHING UP WITH AN OPTIONS ICON - Thomas Peterffy Our CEO had a chance to catch up with an options icon at OIC 2019. Their far-reaching conversation covered: - Highlights from Thomas's 42-year career in the options market - What is the enduring legacy of Interactive Brokers? - Thomas's views on the new wave of zero commission brokerage firms invading the space. - Why he decided to exit the options market-making business. - Does he feel the options markets were irreparably harmed when exchanges became for-profit companies? - Is he pleased with the performance of his stock on IEX? - Is he still a proponent of a randomized speed bump for stocks and options? - Did the options market drop the ball by allowing esoteric products like XIV to become prevalent with retail traders? - His thoughts about crypto as an asset class? - What excites him about the future of the options market? - And much more...