They did that because the ICE has this: https://www.theice.com/products/66380320/NYSE-FANG-Index-Future
Because of their fees. https://www.theice.com/publicdocs/data/Market_Data_Subscriber_Fees.pdf Come on guys, ~$120 per month for each different regional feed? That seems scummy to me.
It is tough when they have no non-pro MD fee, but a silly reason not to trade if you can make money there with symbols not on the CME.
You are absolutely correct there, OMM. I have been biased against them ever since they bought the TF away from CME some years ago. So I would have had to pay an extra $117 per month just to trade that one instrument. When it came back to CME, it was a shell of what it once was. (lol). And I used to say to myself...What is the big deal of $117 per month? If I can make $500 per month in it, isn't it worth it? Alas, I never got back into following the Russell, I gravitated to other CME instruments. But still, the fees they charge...Ugggg!
I think it better not to invest time with their products as they have a history of price gauging. Didn't ICE/NYSE shakedown your firm/your clients for exorbitant non display fees a few years back? I switched from FTSE futures to DAX futures after ICE bought LIFFE and raised fees. Best to avoid ICE if possible.
The Non-display fees where not just targeting Lightspeed but we were forced to be compliant before other APIs that provide data. There are now exemptions for some individuals and we have a process to turn off MD to the display. On the future’s side, the CME also has non-display fees. Fun, fun. The reality is that if you have a small account and trade very little, the ICE is material. If you are active, and find alpha from their symbols, it is the cost of doing business.