Knight Capital Expands NYSE Floor Presence In Kellogg Deal
October 28 2010 - 6:12PM
Dow Jones News
Knight Capital Group Inc. (KCG) agreed Thursday to buy the
market-making units of Kellogg Capital Markets at the New York
Stock Exchange, broadly expanding Knight's participation at the Big
Board.
The deal, which will see Knight responsible for making markets
in more than 1,100 stocks and exchange-traded funds listed on NYSE
Euronext (NYX) markets, is the second major effort this year by an
electronic trading firm to expand its role at the exchange.
Chicago-based electronic trading firm Getco LLC in February
moved to take on a key role on the floor of the NYSE following the
exit of LaBranche & Co. Inc. (LAB), once among the biggest
market makers on Wall Street.
Market makers are central to exchange trading, serving as the
buyers to investors seeking to sell stock and sellers to those who
want to buy. Knight is among the biggest electronic market makers
in U.S. stocks, and in June initiated a role at the NYSE making
markets in 207 Nasdaq-listed stocks now trading on NYSE Euronext's
Amex platform.
Thursday's deal will see Knight take over responsibility for
trading in about 800 NYSE and NYSE Amex-listed securities, as well
as 322 exchange-traded funds listed on NYSE Euronext's electronic
Arca exchange.
"The Kellogg acquisition is a natural extension of two of our
already successful businesses: electronic market making and ETF
trading," said Thomas Joyce, chief executive of Knight, which
earlier this year shifted its listing to NYSE Euronext from Nasdaq
OMX Group Inc. (NDAQ).
The move also represents Kellog's exit from its market-making
roles at NYSE Euronext, said Kirk Kellogg, chief executive of the
broker-dealer, speaking in a statement.
Knight's effort to expand its market-making presence comes as
regulators scrutinize rules for firms that provide liquidity to
U.S. markets in the wake of the May 6 "flash crash." Some of that
afternoon's price volatility was attributed to the exit of major
trading firms, which was seen reducing the number of participants
able to buy and sell shares.
-By Jacob Bunge, Dow Jones Newswires; 312-750-4117;
jacob.bunge@dowjones.com
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