We're starting to read a lot more about high-frequency trading firms in the mass media. A good indication of their newsworthiness at the moment is the recent Wall Street Journal profile of Getco. Which was couched as one of the most important trading outfits that you've never heard of. Chances are we'll see profiles of other big players, like Tradebot or even Citadel's unit perhaps. Getco seems to be positioning itself to be a larger voice in the looming regulatory debate about hi-fi trading. 

The controversy was reflected in a follow-up Reuters column that criticized the WSJ for not trotting out enough critics of the practice. It also suggested that the piece skirted the main issue, the chance of rogue or faulty trades in a hi-fi context. These issues are not going away. One former SEC chairman has just weighed in with his views on proper regulation. 

The good news is that we're sponsoring a free editorial webinar on hi-fi trading, which will be a good chance to learn much more about the state of affairs. We'll feature two leading lights in the field: Kevin McPartland, of the Tabb Group, whose reports on this and related topics are really must-reads, and George Hessler, executive vice president of Lime Brokerage, a pioneering firm in this field. He'll address some of the regulatory implications. The free event will be held at 2:00 PM on Sept. 10. - Jim