The Options Clearing Corporation announced that in 2008, equity options volume reached more than three billion contracts - a more than 26 percent increase over 2007. With options contract volumes growing enormously year-over-year, Ballista understood that it needed a partner to manage and deliver quick, reliable data to drive options trading fully into the electronic age. As the options market continues to evolve electronically, every millisecond counts, and gives traders the competitive edge they need in today's volatile and fast-moving market.



"With ACTIV's unparalleled options market data expertise, we know we have a partner on the front lines of electronic options trading," said Dr. Daniel Marques, CTO of Ballista Securities. "Using ACTIV as our market data provider ensures that the Ballista ATS users do not have to worry about data latency as they attempt to capitalize on market conditions. Employing ACTIV's market data solutions allow us to focus on our main objective: to create the most efficient trading experience possible for block equity options trading."



To aggregate orders and speed block trading, Ballista leverages ACTIV's data for all North American equity and options listings, including International Stock Exchange (ISE) and Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), providing the company a holistic view of the market landscape to enable clients to best capitalize on trading options blocks. Using ACTIV's hosted solution running on dedicated hardware, Ballista relies on ACTIV's expertise to manage the tick-by-tick data powering block options trading.



"With more than half of our customers in the options realm, ACTIV is the de facto standard providing critical information and technologies to the options market," adds Frank Piasecki, president and co-founder of ACTIV Financial. "Being chosen by Ballista to support the company's trading platform demonstrates our dominance in options and beyond."



ACTIV's consolidated data feeds afeeds and technologies provide its roster of more than 300 customers, including market makers, prime brokers, hedge funds and trading platforms, the critical data they need to access, understand and make money in the financial markets. With ticker plants storing tick-by-tick data updates in major financial markets around the world, ACTIV has the right combination of technology, market expertise and ongoing support traders need.