System and method for displaying market data in an electronic trading environment

Abstract

A trading interface is provided for displaying market data related to a tradable object being traded at an electronic exchange. According to one example embodiment, market data related to a tradable object is displayed in relation to a value axis, such as a price axis. As new market data is received, the displayed market data is updated and may be repositioned so that a trader can view current market conditions in a viewable portion of the interface. The interface also includes a number of market movement indicators that assist a trader in tracking market movement. These viewable references allow a trader to navigate and immediately understand the “real” direction of the market activity despite any underlying adjustment of the viewable area of the trading interface.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A non-transitory computer readable medium having computer executable code stored thereon which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to execute acts comprising:
 receiving market data from an electronic exchange, the market data including market updates for a best bid price for a market for a tradable object;   displaying, via an output device, a price axis for the tradable object, the price axis having a first plurality of price levels derived from the market data, where the first plurality of price levels is defined by a highest price level and a lowest price level;   displaying, via the output device, a market movement indicator along the price axis at a user-selected price level;   determining that the best bid price corresponds to a price level of the first plurality of price levels outside a first range defined by a reference point of the output device;   in response to determining that the best bid price corresponds to the price level of the first plurality of price levels is outside the first range defined by the reference point, calculating a number of price levels by which to adjust the price axis to a new plurality of price levels; and   in response to calculating, adjusting the display of the price axis by the calculated number of price levels, where subsequent to adjusting the display of the price levels, the market movement indicator is moved to a new location representing movement of the market for the tradable object, and the price axis has a second plurality of price levels defined by a new highest price level and a new lowest price level.   
     
     
         3 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 2  where the acts further comprise displaying, via the output device, a point of reference marker over a second range of price levels of the price axis. 
     
     
         4 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 3  where the second range of price levels includes a user-determined price level. 
     
     
         5 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 4  where the user-determined price level comprises any of the price level of the first plurality of price levels corresponding to the best bid price and a last traded price at a time when a recentering command is received. 
     
     
         6 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 3  where the second range of price levels comprises any of the price level of the first plurality of price levels corresponding to the best bid price and a last traded price at current time. 
     
     
         7 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 2 , where the acts further comprise adjusting the display of the price axis, including the price level of the first plurality of price levels corresponding to the best bid price and the market movement indicator to a predetermined location in response to a user command. 
     
     
         8 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 7  where adjusting the display of the price axis comprises substantially centering the price axis in a region for displaying the indicators along the price axis. 
     
     
         9 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 2 , where the acts further comprise displaying, via the output device, a plurality of bid indicators for the tradable object along the price axis, each of the plurality of bid indicators being associated with at least one bid pending at the electronic exchange and being displayed at one of a plurality of price levels for a price of the associated at least one bid. 
     
     
         10 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 2 , where the acts further comprise displaying, via the output device, a plurality of ask indicators for the tradable object along the price axis, each of the plurality of ask indicators being associated with at least one ask pending at the electronic exchange and being displayed at one of a plurality of price levels for an ask price of the associated at least one ask. 
     
     
         11 . A non-transitory computer readable medium having computer executable code stored thereon which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to execute acts comprising:
 receiving market data from an electronic exchange, the market data including market updates for a best ask price for a market for a tradable object;   displaying, via an output device, a price axis for the tradable object, the price axis having a first plurality of price levels derived from the market data, where the first plurality of price levels is defined by a highest price level and a lowest price level;   displaying, via the output device, a market movement indicator along the price axis at a user-selected price level;   determining that the best ask price corresponds to a price level of the first plurality of price levels outside a first range defined by a reference point of the output device;   in response to determining that the best ask price corresponds to the price level of the first plurality of price levels is outside the first range defined by the reference point, calculating a number of price levels by which to adjust the price axis to a new plurality of price levels; and   in response to calculating, adjusting the display of the price axis by the calculated number of price levels, where subsequent to adjusting the display of the price levels, the market movement indicator is moved to a new location representing movement of the market for the tradable object, and the price axis has a second plurality of price levels defined by a new highest price level and a new lowest price level.   
     
     
         12 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 11  where the acts further comprise displaying, via the output device, a point of reference marker over a second range of price levels of the price axis. 
     
     
         13 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 12  where the second range of price levels includes a user-determined price level. 
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 13  where the user-determined price level comprises any of the price level of the first plurality of price levels corresponding to the best ask price and a last traded price at a time when a recentering command is received. 
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 12  where the second range of price levels comprises any of the price level of the first plurality of price levels corresponding to the best ask price and a last traded price at current time. 
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 11 , where the acts further comprise adjusting the display of the price axis, including the price level of the first plurality of price levels corresponding to the best ask price and the market movement indicator to a predetermined location in response to a user command. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 16  where adjusting the display of the price axis comprises substantially centering the price axis in a region for displaying the indicators along the price axis. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 11 , where the acts further comprise displaying, via the output device, a plurality of ask indicators for the tradable object along the price axis, each of the plurality of ask indicators being associated with at least one ask pending at the electronic exchange and being displayed at one of a plurality of price levels for a price of the associated at least one ask. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 11 , where the acts further comprise displaying, via the output device, a plurality of ask indicators for the tradable object along the price axis, each of the plurality of ask indicators being associated with at least one ask pending at the electronic exchange and being displayed at one of a plurality of price levels for an ask price of the associated at least one ask.