Abstract: Quotes entered into an automated trading system may comprise a visible, or primary, amount, and a linked or hidden amount. The visible amount only is shown to other traders on the system but part or all of the linked amount may be dealt if the order with with the quote is match is for an amount greater than the visible amount. If, after matching and deal confirmation, all the visible amount has been dealt, but some or all of the linked amount remains, a fresh order for the remaining linked amount is generated and submitted to the trading system for matching. The new quoted may be visible only or may have a visible component up to a limit specified by the maker on submission of the original quote, with the remainder being linked. Maker quotes converted to taker quotes by an auto-match routine may be resubmitted for undealt linked amounts in the same way. In one aspect of the invention, linked amounts are matched and dealt before visible amounts.

Abstract: An anonymous computerised trading system matches orders by conducting auctions at specified times. As well as entering orders, participants assign credit limits for the duration of the auction, thus minimising the time for which credit is allocated to the system.

Abstract: A deal feed system for passing deal tickets to back office systems comprises a deal feed contributor which receives tickets from trades on a plurality of trading systems on a plurality of trading floors, a database for storing the tickets, and a distributor for passing the tickets to back office systems. Virtual deal codes are defined to which a plurality of real deal codes map. The virtual deal codes to which a ticket relates is stored in a table with a reference to the stored ticket. A deal code table is updated with the range of the virtual deal code and the update transmitted to the bank office systems and to traders.

Abstract: Best bid and best offer rate data from deals concluded on an anonymous trading system in a fungible instrument such as a foreign currency pair are processed to derive indicative rates. A minimum indicative rates spread between bid and offer prices is defined. The indicative rate bid and offer prices are set to the received best bid and offer prices and alternately an amount is added to the indicative offer rates and subtracted from the indicative bid rates until the spread between the indicative bid and offer rates is greater than or equal to the predefined minimum indicative rates spread and greater than the spread between the best bid and offer prices.

Abstract: In an anonymous trading system, credit between counterparties is effectively increased by netting buy and sell trades to reflect the true risk to which each party is exposed. Credit limits are adjusted by calculating the exposure in each currency at the relevant time and then converted into the credit limit currency equivalent. The credit limits are adjusted accordingly. The resulting credit limits may be different for bids and offers by or from a given counterparty.

Abstract: In an electronic trading system, prime brokerage services may be provided by assigning one or more dependent or child deal codes to a deal code. Prime broker trades are conducted via the dependent deal codes but appear to the market as deals with the parent deal code using credit assigned to the parent deal code. The prime bank customer is a dependent deal code of the customer bank which also trades on the system, allowing credit to be allocated by the customer dependent code for prime broker trades. A deal code may have several dependent deal codes which can trade with one another. Dependent deal codes can be used to expand the size of trading floors beyond that which can be supported by a single deal code and to assist in migration between system versions.

Abstract: An anonymous trading system has a clique of arbitrators which match orders from trader terminals and execute deals. One or more branches is attached to each arbitrator connecting trader terminals through a city node and one or more market distributors. At any one time only one arbitrator is active with the passive arbitrators active as market distributors. The active arbitrator is switched according to the geographical location of the greatest market activity.

Abstract: An anonymous trading system comprises an interconnected network of broking nodes arranged in cliques which receive buy and sell orders from trader terminals via connected trading engines and which match persistent orders, executed deals and distribute price information to trader terminals. The system has the ability for a trader to call out for a quote (request for a quote) anonymously. RFQs are only transmitted on to potential counterparties if they are within a predetermined price range. The RFQs include a price at which the requesting party is willing to deal, but this price is not communicated potential counterparties. Counterparty responses are matches on a time, price basis and non-matched responses may be matched with themselves. Similarly, non-matched RFQs may be matched with each other.