Traders pay for level 2 etc the data or information that i would like to pay or know is who is the buyer or seller of the last contract was it a indivdual trader manually entering trades, computer or blackbox trader machine. hedge fund , or who is trading the exchange knows or has this information yet won't sell it or release the information. it's important that you know who is buying or selling. and get picture of the 'market' was the trade a short covering or long position or hedging position? or real buyer who takes delivery of the commodity etc. my guess is that it's mostly blackbox traders in the market but that information should be available to market participants. I don't like trading machines, it's like video game and boring. trading NQ and ES is like video game. with that kind of volume more than regular hours. you cannot make an inform trading or investment decision without information. the ES and NQ futures didn't use to have afterhours trading. because it can be manipulated and is pretty illiquid. I don't know who is trading those futures it's more active than regular hours.
It's not about what you like. It's about what it is. I have no clue about how stock quotes go at the moment, but AFAIK the individual trade counterparty data just isn't available for futures
The exhanges has the information. they just don't want to release it. how you think insider trading is found. they have computers that scan usually profitable trades and the market maker complains that the profit was 'unusual' the brokerages and exchanges collect the information and they know what is going on. like amazon and ebay, or any company they know who is participating in their exchange. you waive your privacy when you sign up or join the exchange.
Knowing which way the 3rd leaf on the second cusp of the fifth cuplet of the 12th sub-sub-sub-sub-sub-sub-branch of the 4th sub-sub-sub-sub-sub-branch of the 1st sub-sub-sub-sub-branch from the 2nd sub-sub-sub-branch of the 2nd sub-sub-branch of the 1st sub-branch of the 3rd branch (due-North orientation) is blowing on that maple tree outside, will not tell you the weather.
The weather is predictable. you want to regulate the market and make rules you need to know who is buying and selling. or the market is just 'bucket shop' no real shares or anything commodity is delivered. or traded these stocks or futures instruments are just derivatives or contracts even the shares traded is not real shares.
Analyst of the market. market analyst. or stock analyst, you know everything about the market or company you are analyzing. without inforamation and datat , you cannot analyze why traders pay for fake BS level 2 data,, is crazy. clients pay for information and research.and time .