Don, A good basic insight to Dark Pools, but I'm still looking for an answer to this question if anyone feels like jumping in to help. Is the traded volume from Dark pools reflected in regular chart volume? Or is there some extra data feed required to see the volume from Dark pool activity? Also are the mid points calculated based on the bid/ask of the dark pool itself? Thanks
http://www.tradersmagazine.com/news/dark-pool-reporting-103943-1.html "...the SEC recently made noises about wanting more information about how much volume is occurring in dark pools and where that volume is executing. Dark pools are not required to publish this information publicly, although they must print their trades to trade reporting facilities. There is no standard for how dark pools calculate this off-board volume when they issue volume figures." Kiss what little remains of the so called 'free' market goodbye. You're playing in a casino where every deck is rigged against you. And don't expect the SEC to do anything about it either. Goldman can pull all the strings they want at the SEC and make the government dance like a marionette to whatever tune they choose. Hell, Goldman IS the government in most cases.
Bit off topic but... http://www.zerohedge.com A good site if you want to get some insight into what's actually happening in the institutional arena. A lot of it refers to markets that aren't retail traded but it'll help keep you up to date with what's going on. Check out http://www.zerohedge.com/node/943. Gives you a good idea of why I and many others despise Goldman so much. These two posts might also be of interest to you. http://www.zerohedge.com/node/11219 http://www.zerohedge.com/node/11243 As Tyler says..."What do you get when you cross Atlantic City with E-Bay? That's right - U.S. equity capital markets." What a fucking joke. I mean, really. It's even worse here in the UK where good old Crash Gordon managed to do such a great job deregulating The City when he was Chancellor that we may as well be paying our taxes directly to Goldman and their like.
Why is it called dark? While volume can and is hidden the price of the traded instrument must always be posted. If you want to look into a black hole then go ahead but do not be a bit surprised if you do not see anything.
this regulation will shed some light on dark pools http://www.sec.gov/rules/proposed/2009/34-60997fr.pdf