Using high-speed, high-frequency programmed trades, Traders in effect bend down to pick up those pennies – often millions lying around in the stock market – then do it again, sometimes thousands of times a second. There is nothing wrong with this activity in, and of itself, however, HFTs have become a matter of financial public policy and regulatory review given a glimpse into its potential harm to efficient Markets. Left un-checked this could become the next big financial disaster waiting to happen.
