I'd suggest maybe look at algo trading rather than HF, it's much more accesible to outsiders, plus you can use the algorithms on places like betfair and stand a decent chance of actually making money.
Ask HN: Any high frequency trading hackers
11–20 of 63 posts
Re: Ask HN: Any high frequency trading hackers
#12Get in touch with savvis to do a colo at NJ2.
Re: Ask HN: Any high frequency trading hackers
#13Hadn't started implementing any systems yet, but earlier this year I ordered these and they've been ultra-educational at least for figuring out how to get started, vocabulary, etc.: High-Frequency Trading: A Practical Guide to Algorithmic Strategies and Trading Systems http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0470563761 Inside the Black Box: The Simple Truth About Quantitative Trading http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0470432…
For what it's worth....
I really liked Inside the Black Box.
I didn't find I learned or enjoyed High-Frequency trading that much though.
Re: Ask HN: Any high frequency trading hackers
#14I'd suggest maybe look at algo trading rather than HF, it's much more accesible to outsiders, plus you can use the algorithms on places like betfair and stand a decent chance of actually making money.
Do you have any suggestions on where to start reading on Algorithmic Trading? Perhaps also a way that I could test algorithms against the market, without actually risking any money?
Re: Ask HN: Any high frequency trading hackers
#15You won't find a better place to ask than: http://www.wilmott.com/index.cfm?&forumid=1
There is a fledgling Hacker-News-for-quants at http://quant.ly.
The site is still building critical mass, but most of the current users are experienced quants & HF traders. (Disclaimer: I launched the site)
Re: Ask HN: Any high frequency trading hackers
#16I've been working on an algorithmic trading system using machine learning, it is not HFT currently. It is currently daily (24h+ held equities), the intra-day side (~5-60 minute held equities) will come very quick after I feel comfortable with the machine learning side of things. The source of data will change, and a few tweaks to the actual trading system and it will be running intra-day. The HFT will only come around once I can get a small colo that can achieve the necessary http://edwardworthington.com/
Sorry the interface was thrown together over a weekend (The actual back-end application was the primary focus for the last year as it was just me looking at it via command line) and quickly designed it with a large AJAX load at the beginning, I'll eventually change it to a static load then do ajax polling to update the data.
I cannot recommend any particular reading sources as I've been working with my financial buddies, that have been feeding me tips and doing my own discovery on the internet.
This was just a side project of mine but has turned into a really nice application. It is always calculating the better strategies (out of over 50 possible different methods/functions with variables ranging from 0-260 that are used to indicate open and close signals in any number of combinations). It has improved its strategy over the last week taking it from estimating ~60% to ~70% gains YTD. I have no doubt it will eventually get over 100%.
I'd love to collaborate with anyone wanting to get into this stuff as I'm flying solo.
Re: Ask HN: Any high frequency trading hackers
#17I'd suggest maybe look at algo trading rather than HF, it's much more accesible to outsiders, plus you can use the algorithms on places like betfair and stand a decent chance of actually making money.
Do you have any suggestions on where to start reading on Algorithmic Trading? Perhaps also a way that I could test algorithms against the market, without actually risking any money?
You can buy historical 'tick data'. Be forewarned, however, that simulations run on this kind of data are not the same as real trading since it doesn't reflect the bid/ask. Also in my opinion and experience, price alone is insufficient data for analysis. Also don't forget to figure in total execution cost as it makes a huge difference in the evaluation of algorithms, not to mention the 'bank roll' necessary to allow any 'edge' to play out. Trading simulations are an engaging software problem, but they aren't such a great approximation of actual trading, at least in my experience.
Re: Ask HN: Any high frequency trading hackers
#18Light speed seems to be a pretty important problem - the added benefit being if you crack that nut, further employment will be unnecessary.
Yeah, but causal loops would be a bitch.
Re: Ask HN: Any high frequency trading hackers
#19[deleted]
Re: Ask HN: Any high frequency trading hackers
#20I'd suggest maybe look at algo trading rather than HF, it's much more accesible to outsiders, plus you can use the algorithms on places like betfair and stand a decent chance of actually making money.
Do you have any suggestions on where to start reading on Algorithmic Trading? Perhaps also a way that I could test algorithms against the market, without actually risking any money?
You can easily test in virtual markets.
Optionshouse has a nice one that has a XML ajax interface.
VSE from marketwatch is a bit older but can also be done.
I've wrote APIs for both.