by Stockwatch Business Reporter
Pure Trading was the fourth most active alternative trading system in Canada during the week ended Aug. 17, 2012. Alpha Exchange remained in the lead with an average of 108 million shares a day or 17.6 per cent of volume. Chi-X Canada handled 54 million shares a day or 8.8 per cent of volume. Then came dark pool Match Now with 16.2 million shares a day or 2.6 per cent. Pure followed with 14.7 million shares a day or 2.4 per cent. Omega ATS handled 7.5 million shares or 1.2 per cent, and TMX Select handled 7.2 million shares or 1.1 per cent. Together, the ATSs captured 34 per cent of Canadian trading volume, leaving 66 per cent to the Toronto Stock Exchange and the TSX Venture Exchange.
Looking at stocks listed only on the TSX, Alpha captured 20.5 per cent of volume. Chi-X handled 10.4 per cent and the other ATSs handled 9.2 per cent, leaving 59.4 to the TSX.
Chi-X is celebrating a new volume record. On Aug. 16, the ATS handled 75 million shares, or 15.6 per cent of trading in TSX-listed stocks. The ATS has more news: it plans to launch a second ATS, CX2, in the first quarter of 2013. Chief executive officer Dan Kessous says, "With CX2, we hope to satisfy the trading community's demand for healthy competition," noting that Canada's equity landscape is about to change dramatically. Chi-X will release more information about pricing and technology over the next few months.