Reuters Limited

Clifford A Mackenzie

Christopher J Ordish

John M Richards

An improved matching system for trading instruments in which the occurrence of automatically confirmed trades is dependent on receipt of match acknowledgement messages by the host computer (200) from all counterparties (KS A, KS B) to the matching trade. The host computer (200) matches like bids and offers provided thereto by the various keystations (KS A, KS B) in accordance with a predetermined matching criteria. Each of the keystations (KS A, KS B) includes a trade status timer (300, 302) and a display (310, 312) for timing receipt of a confirmed trade and/or ticket generation message from the host (200) after the keystation (KS A, KS B) has sent a match acknowledgement message and for displaying an 'unconfirmed trade' status message awaiting receipt of the 'confirmed trade' indication from the host (200). An alarm and a display message is provided at the keystation (KS A, KS B) when the 'confirmed trade' indication is not timely received. The host (200) receives match acknowledgement messages from all of the counterparties (KS A, KS B) to the match before confirming a trade. A ticket is not generated at the keystation (KS A, KS B) until the trade has been confirmed by the host (200).

Growing community of inventors

Dix Hills, NY, United States of America

Clifford A Mackenzie