Economics Archives

Front-Running Stocks: How Does It Work?

How does front-running stocks work? Why is the practice of front-running prohibited in the financial market? If you’re front-running stocks, you’re technically manipulating the market into giving you private or insider information. In Flash Boys, Michael Lewis goes into depth on the concept to educate readers on why it’s a dishonorable way of trading stocks. Here’s Lewis’s easy-to-understand breakdown of front-running stocks, including three versions of the practice that high-frequency (HF) firms and investors use.

3 Arbitrage Examples in High-Frequency Trading

What is arbitrage? What are some arbitrage examples that are most often used in high-frequency trading (HFT)? According to Michael Lewis, the author of Flash Boys, there are three different forms of arbitrage that firms use if they participate in HFT: slow-market, dark pool, and rebate. These arbitrage examples help investigators understand how HFT works in large corporations. Continue reading for a better understanding of arbitrage with examples to illustrate the concept.

Is Competition Good for Business? Peter Thiel Says No

Is competition good for business? Is there such a thing as “healthy competition”? Entrepreneur Peter Thiel believes that the idea of healthy competition is a myth. But it’s a myth that is so deeply ingrained in our society that it tends to exercise a destructive influence on our business strategies. As such, Thiel spends a chapter in his book Zero to One exposing and debunking the myth. Keep reading for Peter Thiel’s take on why competition is bad.

What Is Prop Trading? How It Deceives Customers

What is prop trading? How do firms and banks use prop trading to trade against their customers? Proprietary trading (also known as “prop trading”) is used by banks or financial firms to trade for themselves, not their customers. However, doing so means that they’re competing against their own customers, and they have more power to win. Continue to learn what is prop trading and how it works as a scheme.

Is It Safe to Invest in the Stock Market? It Depends

Is it safe to invest in the stock market? Does high-frequency trading make it unsafe? High-frequency (HF) traders aren’t going anywhere anytime soon, but don’t make the mistake of getting caught up with them. HF traders ultimately caused the stock market crash of 2010 and practicing high-frequency trading can get you into legal trouble. That being said, if you play the game of trading fairly, it’s safe to invest in the stock market. Here’s why you should steer clear of high-frequency trading if you want to safely invest in the stock market, and how Wall Street firms might have a

The 4 Types of Poverty Traps, Explained

What are the four different types of poverty traps? Is it possible for countries to escape those traps? According to British economist Paul Collier, the four types of poverty traps are the conflict trap, the natural resource trap, being landlocked, and poor governance. These “traps” are why the poorest countries remain poor and struggle to catch up with the developing world. Here’s a detailed look at each kind of poverty trap.

Flash Boys: Book Review, Context, and Impact

The Impact of India's Economic Collapse on Annawadi

Are you looking for background on Michael Lewis’s Flash Boys book? How was the book received by critics? In the book Flash Boys, Michael Lewis gives a basic explanation of the unethical methodology of high-frequency trading, how it’s affected the financial industry, and how Brad Katsuyama dedicated his career to stopping HFT. Knowing the book’s context also helps to understand the impact the book had on regulations and investigations into HFT. Here’s a review of Flash Boys, with background, critical analysis, and impact.

What Is Electronic Trading? A Simple Guide

What is electronic trading? Is it easy to buy and sell stocks electronically? The answer is, if you know what you’re doing, it’s fairly simple. Electronic trading is the process of trading stocks using computer technology. It only takes three steps: gathering market data, making a smart trade decision, and executing an order. We’ll explain what electronic trading is and how it fits into the modern stock market that relies on technology.

The Conflict Trap: Why Some Countries Can’t Grow

What’s the conflict trap? What causes conflict in developing nations? In his book The Bottom Billion, economist Paul Collier explains that one big reason why many poor countries stay poor is because of conflict. This conflict is often fueled by low income, slow growth, and natural resource dependence. Continue reading to learn about the conflict trap, according to Collier.

Active vs. Passive Investing: What’s the Difference?

What’s the difference between active and passive investing? Which one is smarter to practice? In his book Money: Master the Game, Tony Robbins says that passive investing is the smarter approach, as you’re less like to lose money than you would with active investing. However, he does say that you can use either strategy when dealing with your investments. Here’s Robbins’ explanation of active vs. passive investing.