SEC Prohibits Flash Trading in 5-0 Vote

While the world of trading securities is meant to be open to everyone and fair to all its participants, at least in a perfect world, critics have argued for a while that many large trading firms had an unfair advantage due to flash orders. These moves allow trading firms to freeze the order of an exchange for as long as half a second, which allows them to get a quick glimpse into the market and adjust their transaction accordingly.
 
SEC Chairman Mary Schapiro worried that flash orders could eventually create a “two-tiered market” in which long-term and short-term investors end up …read more