Sometimes there’s a serious news story on the Amsterdam derivative markets. Developments within trading firms, stockexchanges or some legal wars. This time it’s a little different. There’s nothing I have but question marks. Received some mail with questions on the one-lot-trader who’s dominating the AEX index options market in the front months, as well as the weekly and daily options.

Apparently some algorithm trader is having an ultrafast piece of software hitting and lifting orders with an electronic eye. Odd enough, it’s executing its trades with a size of just one lot – but at such speed it seems to be dominating the market. Transactions are filled with partial trades.

Nobody has yet been able to figure out what, why and how they’re doing it – and who it is. One could argue if it works for one lot, it could be done for a bigger size as well. But that doesn’t really seem to matter as the one-lot-trader captures a high market share anyway. At least some readers should know what’s going on – enlighten us in the comments!
Jack