We compare the optimal trading strategy of an informed speculator when he can trade ahead of incoming news (is "fast"), versus when he cannot (is "slow"). We find that speed matters: the fast speculator's trades account for a larger fraction of trading volume, and are more correlated with...

Using CFTC’s COT data, this letter analysed whether large hedgers and large speculators were influenced by major economic events of the 1990s. Eight major economics events are looked at over 10-year period, and findings support that these informed players were hardly affected by major events....