Electronic Spread Trading Tool

Abstract

A versatile and efficient electronic spread trading tool to be used when buying and selling comparable commodities either simultaneously or in conjunction with one another. The spread trading tool involves a method of displaying, on an electronic display device, the market depth of a plurality of commodities including an anchor commodity and a non-anchor commodity, where the method includes dynamically displaying a plurality of bids and asks in the market for the commodities, statically displaying prices corresponding to those plurality of bids and asks, where the bids and asks are displayed in alignment with the prices corresponding thereto, displaying an anchor visual indicator corresponding to and in alignment with a desired price level of the anchor commodity, displaying a price level indicator corresponding to and in alignment with a price level of the non-anchor commodity. Based on an unhedged position, and taking into account the parameters and spread price point values, as determined by the trader, price level indicators are calculated and displayed, which provide a visual representation of where the trader should buy and sell the applicable commodities. The price level for the price level indicator in the non-anchor commodity is determined based upon said desired price level of the anchor commodity. The price level indicator also includes a first visual indicator corresponding to and in alignment with a first price level of the non-anchor commodity and a second visual indicator corresponding to and in alignment with a second price level of the non-anchor commodity.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A system including:
 a computing device,   wherein the computing device is configured to receive a trading strategy configuration from a user, wherein the trading strategy configuration represents a trading strategy including a first commodity and a second commodity;   wherein the computing device is configured to receive market data for the first commodity, wherein the market data for the first commodity includes a plurality of levels of market depth for the first commodity, wherein the plurality of levels of market depth for the first commodity includes an inside market for the first commodity including a best bid price, a best ask price, a best bid quantity, and a best ask quantity;   wherein the computing device is configured to receive market data for the second commodity, wherein the market data for the second commodity includes a plurality of levels of market depth for the second commodity, wherein the plurality of levels of market depth for the second commodity includes an inside market for the second commodity including a best bid price, a best ask price, a best bid quantity, and a best ask quantity;   wherein the computing device is configured to determine a plurality of trading strategy prices, a plurality of trading strategy bid quantities, and a plurality of trading strategy ask quantities based on the market data for the first commodity and the market data for the second commodity by iteratively calculating a trading strategy price and a corresponding trading strategy bid quantity and a trading strategy ask quantity based on each level of market depth of the first commodity and the second commodity, wherein the iterative calculation begins with the inside market for the first commodity and the inside market for the second commodity and continues for the remaining market depth of the first commodity and the second commodity, wherein the plurality of trading strategy bid quantities includes a trading strategy best bid quantity at an associated trading strategy best bid price in the plurality of trading strategy prices, wherein the plurality of trading strategy ask quantities includes a trading strategy best ask quantity at an associated trading strategy best ask price in the plurality of trading strategy prices;   wherein the computing device is configured to display a trading strategy price axis based on the plurality of trading strategy prices;   wherein the computing device is configured to dynamically display a best bid indicator at a location aligned with the trading strategy price axis corresponding to the calculated trading strategy best bid price, wherein the best bid indicator moves relative to the trading strategy price axis to a new location aligned with the trading strategy axis corresponding to a new calculated trading strategy best bid price according to a change in the market data for the first commodity and the second commodity; and   wherein the computing device is configured to dynamically display a best ask indicator at a location aligned with the trading strategy price axis corresponding to the calculated trading strategy best ask price, wherein the best ask indicator moves relative to the trading strategy price axis to a new location aligned with the trading strategy axis corresponding to a new calculated trading strategy best ask price according to the change in the market data for the first commodity and the second commodity.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the market data for the first commodity is received from a first exchange, wherein the market data for the second commodity is received from the first exchange. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the market data for the first commodity is received from a first exchange, wherein the market data for the second commodity is received from a second exchange, wherein the first exchange is different than the second exchange. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the iterative calculation includes zeroing out the appropriate quantity in the market data for the first commodity and the market data for the second commodity with each iteration. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the computing device is configured to display a trading strategy price along the trading strategy price axis at a location corresponding to the trading strategy price.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the computing device is configured to display each trading strategy price of the plurality of trading strategy prices along the trading strategy price axis at a location corresponding to the trading strategy price.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the best bid indicator represents the trading strategy best bid quantity. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the best ask indicator represents the trading strategy best ask quantity. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the computing device is configured to receive a command to place an order for the first commodity.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the computing device is configured to receive a command to place an order for the second commodity.