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by Stockwatch Business Reporter

Alternative trading systems, plus Alpha Exchange, captured 29.9 per cent of Canadian trading volume during the shortened week ended April 5, leaving the Toronto Stock Exchange and the TSX Venture Exchange with 70.1 per cent of volume. Alpha handled 14.1 per cent, trading an average of 115 million shares a day. Chi-X Canada handled 8.6 per cent, an average of 70.6 million shares a day. Pure Trading regained its spot in third with 2.8 per cent or 23.4 million shares a day. Dark pool Match Now took fourth with 2.1 per cent or 17.6 million shares a day. TMX Select followed with 1.1 per cent or 9.3 million shares a day. Finally, in last place was Omega ATS with 1 per cent of volume or 8.9 million shares a day.

Looking at those stocks listed only on the TSX, Alpha grabbed 17.8 per cent of volume, Chi-X took 8.9 per cent and the other ATSs handled 17.2 per cent. The exchange was left with 56.1 per cent.

Alpha has yet to find its first listing, but it is showing traders what a test security would look like on its Alpha Main exchange. This week, Alpha's new website also received some positive feedback. Of 77 on-line poll respondents, 54 said they like Alpha's new look. The new website also comes with a special section entitled, "What Jos says!" and gives Alpha's chief executive officer a flattering new title, "the ambassador for innovating the Canadian capital markets industry." Besides offering a place where Mr. Schmitt can offer his thoughts, Alpha's website also features the company's good works. To commemorate its three-year birthday, Alpha adopted a 1,881-person village in Kenya, Kipsongol, and for the next three years the exchange plans to help the village out of poverty, documenting its fine deeds on-line. So far Alpha has raised $20,000, which paid for 106 goats, 10 trees, a latrine and some school lunches. Alpha still plans to build a new school, create a local water source and provide a mobile doctor's office.

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