The TRADE 67 - Q1 2021 | Page 82

5.85 Highest score
5.22 Lowest score ( execution consulting )
0.49 Most improved ( customer support )
-0.45
[ A L G O R I T H M I C T R A D I N G S U R V E Y ]

Citi

Citi achieved a small increase of 5 basis points in this year ’ s survey , raising its average score for long-only responses from 5.42 in 2020 up to 5.48 . In 2021 we see signs of improvement for the US bank , with year-onyear increases recorded across 10 categories , the most significant being for customer support and services (+ 0.49 ), increased trader productivity (+ 0.35 ) and flexibility and sophistication of smart order routing (+ 0.18 ). Citi ’ s highest scoring category this year was ease of use , which came in at 5.85 . Long-only respondents that use Citi reported to using VWAP TCA , implementation shortfall TCA , mean reversion and liquidity shortfall to measure algo performance . In January 2021 , the firm rolled out a new trading platform with a suite of execution algorithms for global futures markets and will be available to Citi clients on major exchanges throughout North America , Europe and Asia . Despite improvements observed in the majority of service areas and the positive direction of travel , Citi ’ s overall average score falls 0.33 points short of the survey average . In addition , the firm recorded scores lower than the category average in all 15 service areas under review . Most significantly , Citi ’ s score for anonymity ( 5.40 ) and access to dark pools ( 5.48 ) were recorded at -0.49 and -0.44 below the category average respectively . The firm ’ s lowest scoring categories were customisation ( 5.24 ) and execution consulting ( 5.22 ). Nonetheless , scores across all aspects of service for Citi fall comfortably within the Good range ( 5.00-5.99 ). Respondents commented that they would like to see better monitoring tools and more customisation opportunities through bespoke algos . Over half ( 55 %) of long-only respondents trade at least half of their portfolio using algorithms . A similar proportion ( 56 %) of respondents represent managers with US $ 50 billion or more in AUM . Long-only clients of Citi that responded to this year ’ s survey were based mainly within the major markets of Europe .

CITI RATINGS FOR ALGORITHMIC PERFORMANCE
Increased trader productivity
Reduced market impact
Execution consistency
Cost Speed Anonymity Price improvement Customisation
5.62 5.40 5.47 5.63 5.55 5.40 5.37 5.24
Ease of use
Order routing logic / analysis
Customer support
Execution consulting
Dark pool access
Flexibility and sophistication of SOR
Algo monitoring
Average score
5.85 5.35 5.61 5.22 5.48 5.47 5.46 5.48
KEY STATS

5.85 Highest score

( ease of use )

5.22 Lowest score ( execution consulting )

0.49 Most improved ( customer support )

-0.45

Least improved ( execution consulting )
82 // TheTRADE // Spring 2021