Options Insider Radio: BOX Enters Jumbo SPY Fray

In this episode, Mark is joined by Ed Boyle, Senior Vice President of Strategy at BOX.

They discuss:

• Jumbo SPY contract
• Mini options
• The risks of exclusively listed products
• Weekly options
• And more...

Options Insider Radio: BATS, Moving Forward

In this episode, Mark and co-host Dan Passarelli talk to Jeromee Johnson, Head of BATS Options.

They discuss:

•     Past news headlines about BATS, good and bad.
•     The tech troubles that caused the failure of the IPO.
•     The effects of the CBOE shutdown. 
•     The semi-exclusive trading of Russell Index products.
•     Exchanges as SROs.
•     The introduction of mini options and the feedback from retail clientele.
•     BATS's cuts in fees for mini options.
•     The ongoing debate about Max/Jumbo SPY contracts.
•     Upcoming products from BATS.
•     And more!

Options Insider Radio: The Acquisition of NYSE

In this episode, Mark talks to Steve Crutchfield, Head of Options at NYSE Euronext

They discuss:

•     The status of the merger with ICE.
•     The future of options and equity business under ICE.
•     The influx of volumes at NYSE Amex. 
•     The introduction of mini options.
•     Liquidity providers and their role in mini options.
•     The interest NYSE has in the proposed Max/Jumbo SPY contracts.
•     Upcoming products from the NYSE.
•     And more!

Options Insider Radio: ISE's New Exchange

In this episode, Mark talks to Gary Katz, CEO of the International Securities Exchange.

They discuss:

•     The details about ISE's new exchange "Gemini".
•     The ongoing debate about Max/Jumbo SPY contracts.
•     The difference between ISE and BOX approach to Max.
•     The effects of the CBOE shutdown and the future of exclusivity.
•     The semi-exclusive trading of Russell Index products.
•     The introduction of mini options.
•     Exchanges as SROs.
•     Upcoming products from the ISE.
•     And more!

In this episode, Mark talks to Ed Provost, Executive VP & Chief Business Development Officer at CBOE.

They discuss:

• The technology problem CBOE experienced last week.
• The potential for people to review CBOE's proprietary products.
• The semi-exclusive trading of Russell Index products.
• Extending the S&P license.
• The attempts to threaten CBOE's SPX excuisivity.
• VIX ETPs
• The introduction of mini options
• Exchanges as SROs
• The possibility of tradeable VIX products
• And more

Options Insider Radio 118: Interview with Don Montanaro, CEO of TradeKing

When Mark was at the FIA Conference in Boca, he laid claim to his favorite croquet courtside recording spot where he caught up with Don Montanaro, CEO of TradeKing.   They discussed:

• The Zecco acquisition, and why it was such a great fit for TradeKing
• Technological elements that are being offered, picking from the best of both Zecco and TradeKing
• The new Forex platform
• New investors who might be interested in the combined entity
• Additional acquisition opportunities
• The clearing issues that the acquisition created, and the hunt for a new clearing partner
• How TradeKing is dealing with the downturn in options trading that happened in 2012, and what they’re expecting for 2013
• Readiness for Mini options
• Binary options
• The ORF fee
• The potential of a transaction tax
• And more…

Options Insider Radio 117: Interview with Optionshop

In this episode, Mark and Chris are joined by Michael Quattrocchi and Bob Fitzsimmons from Optionshop.

They discuss:

• What differentiates Optionshop from other brokers
• The product classes they offer, the exchanges they deal with, and their ideal clients
• The commodities explosion that happened last year
• Optionshop’s educational offerings
• Spread functionality of their trading platform
• Costs to trade on their platform
• And more…

Options Insider Radio 116: Interview with Michael Mollet from CFE

In this episode, Mark and Chris are joined by Michael Mollet, Managing Director of Business Development at CBOE Futures Exchange (CFE).

They discuss:

• An overview of CFE, including the types of VIX contracts listed
• Impressive 2012 volume numbers
• Products for active volatility traders
• The education necessary to help investors understand CFE products
• VIX volume records despite it being range-bound
• Re-launched and re-designed variance contracts
• And more…

Options Insider Radio 115: Interview with Ron Piccinini from PrairieSmarts

In this episode, Mark and Chris talk with PrairieSmarts’ co-founder and Managing Partner, Ron Piccinini.

They discuss:

• An overview of PrairieSmarts, and how it breaks down risk into easy-to-understand metrics
• How the software works, and what separates it from other platforms
• Products that work with the PrairieSmarts software
• The economics of buying portfolio insurance, and how PrairieSmarts can help
• An overview and the mechanics of the software’s back-testing feature
• And more…

Options Insider Radio 114: Interview with Paul Finnegan

In this episode, Mark and Chris are joined by Paul Finnegan, CEO of LiveVol.

The group discusses:

• Paul’s transition from the exchange space to the vendor space
• What is LiveVol, and what does it bring to the marketplace
• Where does LiveVol touch the industry?
• The evolution of LiveVol over time
• The importance of high-quality market data
• LiveVol X platform features
• Different contract types
• And more

Options Insider Radio 113: Lightspeed Financial

Mark and Chris are joined by Steve Ehrlich, CEO of Lightspeed Financial.

They discuss

• The differentiators of Lightspeed’s trading platform
• They key to fast, accurate market data
• Portfolio margining
• The solution to executing spreads
• The decline in options volume in 2012
• Education as the secret weapon of brokers
• Looking out for clients, versus churn and burn
• And more…

Options Insider Radio 112: Interview with Gary Katz

In this episode, Mark and Chris are joined by Gary Katz, CEO of ISE.

They discuss:

• Mini options ready to launch in March
• Why can’t we trade it now?
• Market share, both for November and year-to-date
• ISE’s OptimISE platform
• Multiple exchanges and models…what does it mean for customers?
• The impact of regulation
• The prospects of opening a new exchange for ISE?
• The max SPY contract
• And much more

Options Insider Radio 111: Interview with Steve Crutchfield

In this episode, Mark and Chris are joined by Steve Crutchfield, Head of U.S. Options at NYSE.

They discuss:

• The shift of focus at NYSE and how that shaped Steve’s new position
• The impact on the changes at NYSE on their options business, including working with their floor brokers
• Dividend trades, including the ethics, consequences, and the reasons behind them
• And much, much more…

Options Insider Radio 110: Interview with George Ruhana, CEO of OptionsHouse

In this episode, Mark and Chris are joined by George Ruhana, CEO of OptionsHouse.

They discuss:

• OptionsHouse's platform overhaul
• Various apps available from Options House
• As a client, Chris makes a request
• Prodigio app
• Why choose OptionsHouse
• Why trading options makes sense
• The implications of weeklys expirations
• And a lot more.

Options Insider Radio 109 with Larry Aronwitz

Mark and Chris are joined by Larry Arnowitz, President of Atrium Trading.

They discuss:

• What is Atrium Trading, including their commissions and client types
• Getting into the brokerage business
• Choosing a broker
• Social media as a vehicle for education
• Brokerage horror stories
• Atrium Trading mobile app
• Lack of American interest in FX
• Clearing brouhaha
• Disaster preparedness in light of hurricane Sandy
• And so much more…

Options Insider Radio Featuring Tony McCormick

Join your hosts, Mark Longo and Chris Nagy, as they discuss the world of options with Tony McCormick, the CEO of BOX Options Exchange.

They discussed:

• Mark's hosting of the Exchange Leader's panel at FIA New York
• How Tony's retail background has served him as leader of BOX
• BOX's creation of the price improvement model
• The volume on BOX that is price improved
• Exchanges creating multiple market models
• High frequency trading and the use of order types
• Wrapping one's head around spreads
• BOX's upcoming complex spread book
• The opaque nature of options volume
• Dividend trades
• SEC's technology roundtable

FIA New York - Exchange Leaders Panel

Mark moderates the Exchange Leaders Panel at FIA New York. 

The panelists were:

• Steve Crutchfield, AMEX
• Lisa Fall, BOX
• Boris Ilyevsky, ISE
• Jeromee Johnson, BATS Markets
• Ed Provost, CBOE
• Walt Smith, NASDAQ PHLX

• Going through the process of receiving the SRO
• NASDAQ’s recent competition
• Litigation around the PIP
• Specific updates to the order book
• Retail after-hours trading
• Thoughts on the mini Apple and max SPY

• Max SPY contract
• Bringing the Max SPY to the next level, creating a sort of Super Max SPY
• New trading floor possibilities
• Improvements to their spread functionality with the implied order type
• Technology as its own revenue center
• Mini options
• After hours trading
• An update of the ISE product suite

Exclusive 2012 OIC Conference Coverage: St. Bernard Project

Zack Rosenburg, Co-Founder, discusses the St. Bernard Project.

• Topics covered include:
• Last year's roller coaster ride.
• Their thoughts on the merger.
• Arca has an interesting relationship with the Amex, what exactly is that relationship like?
• What interesting thing might we see in the future for Arca?
• How likely is Arca to pursue retail options trading in the after-hours?

• What is NYSE Technologies
• Options Analytics, which has a feed that will provide the underlying, volatility and options Greeks
• A data filtering product, which can help those who may just be using OPERA
• Inroads they've made developing a cloud
  

Mark and Steve discuss:

• Planning, preparing, and then throwing out all of the plans from last year’s roller coaster
• Investors’ concerns and opinions on the merger
• Amex market share: what are the growth attributes, and what are the ongoing strategies to attract more customers?
• The relationship between Amex and Arca
• Ongoing Amex projects
• The possibility of after-hours retail trading