Abstract: A reprice-to-block order and related market center and process are disclosed which automatically reprice a posted limit order to the price of a block trade executed at an inferior price on a market away from the market center that posted the limit order.

Abstract: An anti-internalization order modifier and related market center and process are disclosed which prevent orders sent from the same trading firm from executing against one another on the posting market center the orders are posted on.

Abstract: A posting market center and process are disclosed for maintaining a market center-restricted order on a selected market center. In a market which allows price exemptions, the market center and process disclosed hide a received market center-restricted order which technically crosses or locks the away market, but would be marketable if an acceptable contra-side order was then available in the posting market center's internal order book. The posting market center then maintains this hidden order until it is fully executed, is canceled or can be displayed on the public order book.

Abstract: An enhanced system and method for handling, matching and executing discretionary orders in an electronic options environment is disclosed. Market maker entitlements are integrated with the discretionary order processing, so that the market maker is guaranteed an allocation of the trade if the market maker is at the NBBO when an incoming discretionary order priced at or better than the NBBO is received. If the incoming discretionary order cannot execute at the NBBO using its display price, then it will use as much discretion as is required to participate in a market maker entitlement if the market maker is quoting at the NBBO, and to execute against the order book and route to away markets quotations at the NBBO. Once posted to the order book, only the display price of a discretionary order is eligible for preferential execution in a market maker entitlement process.

Abstract: A posting market center and process are disclosed for maintaining a market center-restricted order on a selected market center. The market center and process disclosed aggressively maintain a market center-restricted order that would normally lock or cross an away market by initially pricing the order a tick increment away from the contra side market best bid or offer and then dynamically re-pricing the order in increasing aggressiveness as the away market best bid or offer moves its quotes further away from the order's currently displayed price. The disclosed market center-restricted order stands its ground to an updated away market best bid or offer that moves to its price or through it.

Abstract: An enhanced system and method for handling, matching and executing a diverse group of limit-priced orders in an electronic options environment is disclosed. Most of the order types disclosed are automatically repriced and reposted as the NBBO changes to increase their execution opportunities. Market maker entitlements are integrated with the order processing, so that the market maker is guaranteed an allocation of the trade if the market maker is at the NBBO when an order priced at or better than the NBBO is received. Once posted to the order book, the displayed price of an order may be eligible for preferential execution in a market maker entitlement process, regardless of whether the displayed price is original or has been automatically repriced.

Abstract: An enhanced system and method for handling, matching and executing reserve orders in an electronic options environment is disclosed. Market maker entitlements are integrated with the reserve order processing, so that the market maker is guaranteed an allocation of the trade if the market maker is at the NBBO when a marketable reserve order is received. Once posted to the order book, only the displayed size of a reserve order is eligible for preferential execution in a market maker entitlement process.

Abstract: An enhanced system and method for handling, matching and executing discretionary orders in an electronic options environment is disclosed. Market maker entitlements are integrated with the discretionary order processing, so that the market maker is guaranteed an allocation of the trade if the market maker is at the NBBO when an incoming discretionary order priced at or better than the NBBO is received. If the incoming discretionary order cannot execute at the NBBO using its display price, then it will use as much discretion as is required to participate in a market maker entitlement if the market maker is quoting at the NBBO, and to execute against the order book and route to away markets quotations at the NBBO. Once posted to the order book, only the display price of a discretionary order is eligible for preferential execution in a market maker entitlement process.

Abstract: A directed order process and related market center are disclosed, wherein a market center grants permission to order sending firms to send directed order flow to participating designated market makers. Such designated market makers create a virtual guarantee order book for each permissioned order sending firm. If an order sending firm sends a directed order to the market center that is marketable against a virtual guarantee order, then the market center automatically pairs the orders in a two-sided directed cross order instruction, which executes against any superior trading interest in the marketplace first before crossing.

Abstract: A passive liquidity order and related market center and process are disclosed which allows market participants to trade without displaying any part of their order to the public order book, while still directly interacting with the public marketplace according to price/time priority rules that give preference to displayed trading interest over nondisplayed trading interest at the same price level. The passive liquidity order is a nondisplayed order type which allows participants to provide liquidity to the marketplace without publicly divulging their trading intentions.

Abstract: A program trade order process and related market center are disclosed which accumulate program trade orders throughout the trading day and execute the accumulated program trade orders at a designated time. The process disclosed provides trade reporting and order surveillance capabilities as well.

Abstract: A tracking liquidity order and related market center and process are disclosed which allow posting market centers (e.g. exchanges) to fill routable, smaller orders that would have otherwise routed off the posting market center. Such tracking liquidity orders increase the liquidity of that posting market center and allow it to execute more orders internally, without having to route them to an away market center.

Abstract: An anti-internalization order modifier and related market center and process are disclosed which prevent orders sent from the same trading firm from executing against one another on the posting market center the orders are posted on.

Abstract: A cross and post order and related market center and process are disclosed which automatically convert any unfilled balance of a cross order that was broken up due to interaction with the posting market center's order book to a limit order at the same price. The process also automatically associates the transactions that are used to fill the generated limit order with the cross and post order that was originally sent to the posting market center for execution.

Abstract: An unpriced order auction and related market center and process are disclosed which allow posting market centers (e.g., exchanges) to schedule an auction that includes unpriced (Market) orders only. Such unpriced order auction executes at the midpoint of the NBBO, ensuring that the cross reflects the best prices in the entire marketplace, while discouraging the manipulation of the auction price on the posting market center. The disclosed auction also executes concurrently, but separately from the regular continuous matching process.

Abstract: A reprice-to-block order and related market center and process are disclosed which automatically reprice a posted limit order to the price of a block trade executed at an inferior price on a market away from the market center that posted the limit order.