Algo-trading

Comsec, along with ETrade are Australia's leading consumer-based ASX-trading portals. From what I can see both of these web sites provide homogenous services: up-to-date prices, market depth, market aggregatges, company information, trading (at lower cost to the institutional banks like Goldman Sachs JBWere where I work), and research.

Throughout the investment banks, increasingly, the trades that are conducted on the market are driven automatically through algorithms (e.g. algo-trading). Algo-trading is extremely efficient and methodical - business / trading rules (algorithms) are defined and executed whenever satisfied - all emotion / psychology is removed. So, I was thinking today - why can't the ASX day-trader define and execute algorithmic trading?

What would this entail? well, market events need to be accessed at real time, and based on these events (and the rules that have been defined), orders executed accordingly. The aim - speed of decision, and limited risk. With such a service, day trading could indeed be automated (i.e. through the execution of algorithmic trading rules). Unfortunately, both Comsec and ETrade both don't seem to offer access to market events real time (base versions). I will conduct a mini-investigation over the weekend at the advanced versions and review.

Maybe a good business idea?

North Melbourne

As promised, here are photos of the townhouse, I (with the bank) are now a home owner of.

North Melbourne Townhouse

No surprise, I am a HUGE fan of North Melbourne and my townhouse. Some little facts:

• 187 Abbotsford Street, is in fact the storage shed of one of Melbourne's last tramhouses (the façade at the entrance is the only remaining part of the structure). Tramhouses provided the power for Melbourne's cable tram system at the turn of the 20th century.

• The median price of a house in North Melbourne is 545000; the population is just over 9000 people, 42% are aged between 18-35

• Only 10% of people living in North Melbourne are owner-occupiers (so a very transient population), 40% are professionals, and the top 10% of income earners are above the national average

• And as an aside, it also has an above average crime rate - 337 incidents per 1000 people, so I guess I have a 1-in-3 chance of being robbed!

It is an interesting little suburb, somewhere between the grunge popularity of Richmond and the industrial inner-city, but expensive South Melbourne. And Errol Street, North Melbourne is fantastic - it appears every week a new cafe is opening - to cater for the inner city urbanite. Anyway, I have only lived here now for 5 months, so I will report back once I have been here for a little longer.

Kate moved in!

Yes, a BIG day - but my better half? today moved into my little townhouse - hopefully a whole new adventure awaits!

I am a home owner!

Well life has a way of sometimes becoming v.busy and once again after an Internet hiatus I am online again at home - what this time?

Well, I finally have taken the plunge and bought into the Australian dream buying a little townhouse in North Melbourne, Melbourne (photos to follow)!

And now online!

I have finally moved into a new townhouse in North Melbourne, Melbourne. I now have Internet access again at home (after a 3-month hiatus) so should be able to write an odd post or two again now!

In Melbourne again

Well, it has now been a week back in Melbourne, Australia. What can I say?

Firstly, flying international business class (Austrian Airlines) was phenomenal! worth every cent, something I would definitely recommend to do. The food was restaurant-worthy, the air hostess service exemplary, and the little touches (e.g. chair that massages) made the difference. Never felt so good coming off a 24 hour flight in my life.

Ok, I digress, back to Melbourne. Well it feels like I have never left! Firstly, it is summer, so I have revelled in the 30+ degree days (especially, since I have been on holiday); I have been slowly catching up with friends and have just been blown away by the food - unbelievably cheap and good; and can't comprehend how there are so many people in the city (I think I am a little overwhelmed after being in little Zurich for the last year).

Anyway, I am going out today with my camera so hopefully I will take some nice photos and put them on the Internet.

Bye, bye Switzerland ... for now

Well the 7-month journey is over.

Zurichsee; from Munsterbrucke (just outside where I lived)
tourist's view; uploaded by Dreamer7112.

I will miss:

• church bells on Saturday / Sunday; quite loud, mildly annoying (when hung over), and bizarrely, cheerful (or, at the very least ironically pleasing)
• cycling for 5 minutes and being outside Zurich and in the hills / alps of Switzerland; want a thrill? - ride 70km/hour down a Swiss mountain - big fun!
  
• smell of farms; my Mum was brought up on a Swiss farm - and when I visited Switzerland when I was a child I often visited both my grandparents and eldest Aunt's farms
• travelling; especially on trains to most of Europe!
  
• Swiss chocolate (stereotype - I know; but it really is good)
  
• the friends I have made here; in particular Josh, Ivan, Adrian, Nabs (from work); Yan Yan (my only Aussie mate); Jo, Dan (poms from Zurich); and Sibs, Martijn (my housemates!)
  
• the Swiss family; in particular Aunty Hedy and my cousin Marco; while I am a single child - Marco is the closest thing to a brother I have - the favour will be repaid if they ever make it to Australia!
  

I will not miss:

• ambiguity of pedestrian crossings; typical behaviour is for vehicles to accelerate whenever pedestrian is seen; this 'playing chicken' I prefer not to face when I am ambulating through Switzerland's cities
• UBS, Opfikon cafeteria food; while not awful - there were definitely some 'lowlights'; very similar to college food at University of Melbourne, except now you had to pay for it (and it is not cheap)
  
• all beef being ridiculously expensive and in general, Swiss food is pretty average (when compared to Australia)
  

And the question will I ever live OS again? definitely!