The article suggests “flow trading,” a novel concept for financial exchanges that would do away with limit order books and enable traders to purchase and sell several assets with a single order through auctions. For big institutional investors like BlackRock, Vanguard, and Fidelity, this might simplify and lower the cost of executing strategies that call for many stock trades at the same time. These days, it’s difficult to manage thousands of orders for funds. For example, index funds need traders to make proportionate orders for each stock in the fund. By facilitating the trading of assets in baskets while regulating trading speed, flow trading, according to the researchers, may boost efficiency. It could change, if put into practice, how the biggest professional traders trade on today’s electronic marketplaces.
A Market without HFT? discusses the impact of high-frequency trading (HFT) on financial markets. Some estimates indicate that HFT firms may gain $5 billion annually at the expense of other participants. Research finds that about 20% of trading volume on the London Stock Exchange comes from HFT firms racing to execute trades first. Eliminating these races could reduce trading costs by up to a third. However, better market designs like batch auctions could prevent these races by collecting all orders and executing them together at regular intervals. Evidence from Taiwan, where batch auctions were used, supports that exchange design influences HFT activity. While continuous trading improved efficiency for some stocks when Taiwan switched, it also increased profits for fast traders and losses for individuals. Overall, the article examines how different market designs like continuous trading and batch auctions affect high-frequency trading and market outcomes.
The document criticizes how boring and unfulfilling the internet has become due to social media algorithms that promote shallow content. It argues that the internet was once revolutionary by allowing anyone to connect and share creations, but is now like a failing mall with little excitement. However, the author believes people still have a choice to use the internet as its creators intended by forming communities, supporting each other, and making meaningful art outside of mainstream popularity metrics. The document encourages finding like-minded people to band together and create bold new works of art that revitalize online culture, as previous movements in punk music and literature had done by inspiring their peers.
Google Bard, Google’s conversational agent, is improving its ability to understand YouTube videos. It can now provide a deeper analysis of video content by answering specific questions about the details within videos. For example, if a user asks about a cooking video recipe, Bard can reply with how many eggs are required. This new capability allows users to get more information from YouTube videos through natural conversations. The article notes that Bard aims to enable richer discussions about videos by understanding their visual elements. It suggests asking about specific tools shown in DIY tutorials or locations featured in travel videos as other potential uses. To access Bard’s new YouTube features, users need to ensure the YouTube extension is enabled within Bard’s web interface.
Extreme heat during 2023 damaged crops and reduced food production around the world, leading to higher prices for many holiday meals. Countries like Peru, India, Indonesia, and Morocco saw heat waves diminish blueberry, wheat, rice, and olive yields. Meanwhile, the US harvested record amounts of corn and soybeans though drought impacted some regions. Higher feed costs and heat stress on cattle also raised milk and beef prices. Climate change is extending growing seasons but also worsening heat waves, reducing crop nutrition. While technology has increased yields, weather extremes from climate change threaten global food security if emissions are not curbed. This article notes the food system’s vulnerability and how farmers work to mitigate losses, though perennial crops face lasting damage from one severe year. Continued warming may challenge humanity’s ability to maintain food production levels.
Underrated reasons to be thankful III lists 30 things the author is thankful for, many of which highlight unusual scientific facts or quirks of nature. The passage discusses how Earth’s temperature allows for life, how tectonic plates create landforms, and how the right amount of water prevents full submersion. It also notes interesting orbital mechanics, uses of oxygenated liquids, parachuting beavers, and bird respiratory systems. The text points out that canine senses of smell far surpass humans, looks at teeth in an alien light, and shows how conservation has helped species recover. It acknowledges tea, human psychology, pain relief, music, and trash cans as other things to appreciate. Overall, the list provides thought-provoking perspectives for finding gratitude in unusual aspects of the natural world and human experience.