Prop shop

Prop shop (proprietary shop) is a company that uses its own capital for trade on financial markets in order to gain profits. Usually prop shops are created by individual investors who contribute their own money. They can trade themselves or employ specialists. Trading as company, not as individual gives access to greater extent of financial instruments. The risk of investment in such company is very high, however profits also can be substantial

As the prop shop is usually a small company it has limited possibility to analyze extensive data about the market. This limits the investment strategy to several products. Such a specialization can improve results on stable market, however, in case of crisis it can be to little differentiated.

Prop shop or hedge fund

Hedge funds are larger, have better access to data, employ more specialists. Therefore, they can operate in greater scale. However hedge fund gives very limited access to information how company operates. In prop shop every investor knows how it works. Hedge funds can invest in many financial instruments. In addition, these types of investments are independent of the general economic situation prevailing in the market (due to the low correlation with stock exchange indices). One of the characteristic features of hedge funds is that they generate positive interest rates.

Hedge funds are very heterogeneous and use different investment strategies Not all of them also achieve rates of return higher than the S&P500 index. The most popular hedge fund index is Credit Suisse First Boston. The funds are investments designed for periods not shorter than 3 years. This is due to the fact that in the short term they are not able to achieve attractive results.

Benefits

The advantage of this configuration is that as an entrepreneur, you have the opportunity to use the company's purchasing power for your transactions. This avoids the minimum SEC requirement on the account of $ 25,000 for daily exchange and gives you access to 10: 1 leverage in stock trading and options.

For example, you can join a store with a prop-shop with a minimum funding requirement of five thousand dollars. After depositing, you will be able to exchange your trade without any restrictions in the pattern, and you will have access to leverage worth up to fifty thousand dollars.

Another aspect of the prop-shop is that they will usually have the most modern equipment and platforms to enter orders that can be used by traders. They will also generally offer education about the stock exchange and how it trades.

Prop-stores earn in various ways, one of which comes from marginal balances and order flow. But they also earn money on tickets for merchants using their services. Sometimes, the ticket fees cover the cost of a trading station and software, but these can also be charged depending on the company.

Examples of Prop shop

• Millennium Partners: Millennium Partners is a global prop shop that was founded in 1989 and is based in New York City. They specialize in equities, futures, options and foreign exchange (FOREX). Millennium Partners has over $2 billion in assets under management and employs a team of experienced traders and analysts.
• Tower Trading: Tower Trading is a proprietary trading firm located in London. It specializes in equity, futures, options, and FOREX trading. The company has a team of experienced traders and analysts who use sophisticated algorithms and quantitative strategies to identify profitable trading opportunities. Tower Trading has over $1 billion in assets under management.
• DRW Trading: DRW Trading is a Chicago-based prop shop that was founded in 1992. It specializes in equities, futures, options and FOREX trading. DRW has over $6 billion in assets under management and employs a team of experienced traders and analysts. The company utilizes sophisticated algorithms and quantitative strategies to identify profitable trading opportunities.

Limitations of Prop shop

Prop shops come with a number of limitations. These include:

• High risk: Since prop shops are trading with their own capital, the risk of loss is high. This is due to the fact that they are not backed by any other company or organisation and so investors should be aware of the potential for high losses.
• High start-up costs: Starting a prop shop requires a significant amount of capital and resources. This can be prohibitive for many investors who do not have the necessary funds.
• Lack of liquidity: Prop shops are often illiquid and so investors may have difficulty in exiting their positions when needed.
• Limited regulation: Prop shops are often not subject to the same regulations as more established companies and so investors may be taking on additional risk.
• Limited access to markets: Prop shops may have limited access to certain markets, meaning they may not be able to take advantage of certain trading opportunities.

Other approaches related to Prop shop

• Creating a private fund: This involves setting up a fund which is made up of a pool of investors who contribute to the fund and all agree to share in the profits and losses. The fund is managed by a professional money manager and the investors can choose to invest in a variety of different asset classes.
• Creating a hedge fund: This involves setting up a fund that is similar to a private fund but with greater leverage, higher risk, and potentially higher returns. Hedge funds are typically managed by professional money managers and are open to a limited number of investors.
• Trading in futures and options: This involves trading derivatives such as futures and options contracts in order to take advantage of price movements in the underlying asset. This type of trading is highly risky and requires specialized knowledge and expertise.

In summary, a Prop shop is a company that uses its own capital for trading on financial markets in order to gain profits. Other approaches related to Prop shops include creating a private fund, creating a hedge fund, and trading in futures and options. Each of these approaches have their own set of risks and rewards and require specialized knowledge and expertise.

Footnotes

Prop shop — recommended articles

Managed forex accounts — Trading capital — Floor trader — Blind Pool — Umbrella fund — Innovative investments — Capital Commitment — Hedge fund — Primary market

References

• Brav, A., Jiang, W., Partnoy, F., & Thomas, R. (2008). Hedge fund activism, corporate governance, and firm performance. The Journal of Finance, 63(4), 1729-1775.
• Brown, S. J., Goetzmann, W. N., & Ibbotson, R. G. (1999). Offshore Hedge Funds Survival & Performance 1989-1995. New York University-Salomon Center-Leonard N. Stern School of Business.
• Strawn S. (2013)The Properties Director's Handbook Focal Press Taylor & Francis Group, p. 129

Author: Klaudia Wróbel

.