Though the percentage of volume attributed to HFT has fallen in the equity markets, it has remained prevalent in the futures markets . According to a study in 2010 by Aite Group, about a quarter of major global futures volume came from professional high-frequency traders.
Read moreHow much can you make high-frequency trading?
One strategy is to serve as a market maker, where the HFT firm provides liquidity on both the buy and sell sides. By purchasing at the bid price and selling at the ask price, high-frequency traders can make profits of a penny or less per share . This translates to big profits when multiplied over millions of shares.
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