Are Trading Roles Insulated From the Current Economic Climate?

October 17, 2022

Have you seen the recent headlines?
They’ve revealed that recession is no longer speculation… it’s a certainty.

These are just three examples of powerful statements making waves in the trading industry.

Are you prepared?

The impact of the worldwide economy on trading

Put simply, the global shortage of finite resources is augmenting prices at an unsustainable rate.

This is having three main impacts on trading companies and the staff in their market:

  1. Standard operations are changing on a day-by-day basis.
  2. Market uncertainty is making engineers consider a career change.
  3. The cost of living crisis is doing long-lasting damage to consumer confidence.

​(Source: FAO)

But, there’s good news on the horizon.

The current price inflation of certain industries (examples below) could mean that some trading businesses report a more profitable year than ever:

Investopedia advises that “investors will react quickly to any hint of news - either good or bad - and the flight to safety can cause some investors to pull their money out of the stock market entirely.”

Are trading roles insulated from the current economic climate?

Yes, they are. It’s a business necessity.

The last thing a trading company facing uncertainty should do is let go of valuable, rare employees that could have helped them.

If you’ve been considering shrinking your team, ask yourself:

This should give you a clearer picture of the direction you have to take.

You might find that, despite the fear-mongering, you have a strong enough product or trading portfolio that you don’t have to worry about a shift in the market.

At TardeTech FX in Europe, Alan Schwarz (CEO of FXSpotStream) even proposed that volatility could be good for some financial organisations - including his.

“Fortunately, volatility is good for us.” He states, explaining that it’s driven people to trade more. “We’re having another record year. Activity is up 28%.”

The security of trading roles in unstable economic climates

Until now, consumer activity has always signified buoyancy in trading spaces. As of recently, this is no longer the case.

Even though we’ve seen a decrease in international buying and selling levels, we can’t necessarily expect the same to occur in the FX and HFT industries.

Especially not when many companies in these spaces are still highly positive about their future. Organisations in our industry have proven to be extremely buoyant, especially when supported by world-leading talent.

“It’s been an amazing year. Not in terms of performance, but the fact that we’re all still here.” Quoted Toby Baker in an interview with The Trade. “We’re now in an environment where people have to be proactive – you can’t just sit back and wait for people to help you”

It seems that, by keeping your employees close to your side, you’ll be better positioned to adapt to the market and seize hold of the unique opportunities coming your way.

Should you still look for jobs in FX or HFT?

Are you an employee already in the FX or HFT? Or someone wondering whether it would be worth seeking a career in this space?
If so, have confidence.

Both of these industries are reporting an increase in growth and opportunities right now, creating high career potential for everyone. Average salaries continue to rise, making it worth staying (or joining) the industry.

(Source: Alphaex Capital)

Key takeaways from “are trading roles insulated?”

Despite wider economic concerns, the future of trading is looking strong.

Businesses are taking advantage of the potential offered by extreme market volatility and increasing their headcount accordingly.

Crypto firms are also confident they’ll soon “bounce back” (Source: Trade News).

Employees have always been an organisation's best assets, even if:

  1. Leads go dry.
  2. Costs increase.
  3. Changes have to be made.
  4. Stock prices decrease.
  5. ROI is non-existent.

By prioritising the needs of your employees, know this. You'll be able to respond to anything.

In the months ahead, look to save money where you can. Then, if you have a series of difficult circumstances ahead, you’ll have a team by your side to support you.

Even in our current economic climate, always encourage your team to contribute problem-solving and provide them with the resources (ie. data) to guide your business… not sink it.

Finally, no matter what, don’t shy away from difficult conversations. These will provide you with the intelligence required to make the best choices for your company.

Recruiting with Source Control

We are the global experts in the placement services of technical professionals from low-latency and distributed systems engineering backgrounds into traditional and decentralized finance roles.

We place top-tier talent at all skill levels from junior to executive hires on a permanent, contract, contingent or retained basis. If you’ve been looking to advance your company, contact our specialist consultants today.


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