Have Questions? This Should Help.

General

Who is NewsHedge?

NewsHedge is a Chicago-based FinTech development group that provides cost-effective, high-impact software solutions for the global financial community.

NewsHedge Squawk is our first commercially available solution (patents-pending).

Does NewsHedge make other software solutions?

Yes. NewsHedge Squawk is our solution for detecting notable market events; however, our advanced financial news analytics product is still in development. We’re looking at an expected launch date for that product sometime during the fourth quarter of 2014.

We also have documented plans to release NewsHedge Squawk FX, a market scanner which tracks and reports notable trading action associated with currencies.

How does the “Get Early Access” invitation system work?

Submit your email and we’ll put you on the priority list to receive NewsHedge Squawk before it’s available to the public. In the days to come, we’ll be following up with an invitation to apply for a trial account. There is no credit card required.

Why is NewsHedge using an invitation system?

An invitation system allows us to control the rate at which new users join, and in turn, properly manage the load on our infrastructure and personnel. It’s our obligation to you, our customer, to offer robust, error-free service with outstanding support. We take this obligation very seriously.

Product

Who’s using NewsHedge Squawk?

NewsHedge Squawk is for anyone looking to make more informed trading decisions. NewsHedge Squawk supports various market narratives surrounding the US equity markets. From hedge funds, banks, and risk desks, to market makers, day-traders and active investors, professionals are discovering that NewsHedge Squawk gives them deeper insight and a new perspective into real-time market events.

Why are there no exchange fees?

NewsHedge Squawk doesn’t provide any market data, including direct or derived exchange data. It’s a reporting tool that notifies you of notable market action you can then reference. It’s similar to a traditional human squawking service or chat room.

Why is NewsHedge Squawk so reasonably priced?

We’re not big fans of high-priced, complicated software. Our mission is simple: create highly effective software that’s easy to use and make it accessible to everyone.

How accurate is NewsHedge Squawk?

NewsHedge Squawk is extremely accurate. The beating heart of NewsHedge Squawk, its algorithms, are dynamic and multi-level—meaning they make adjustments based on asset type, current market conditions, and time of day. This keeps you focused on what really matters.

How many trading days can I reference?

Currently, NewsHedge Squawk allows you to review the previous 21 trading days.

On average, how many events-per-day does NewsHedge Squawk report?

A slow, non-eventful day brings 10-15 events, while an eventful day averages 24-32 events. We posted an example of an eventful day (3/19/14) within the NewsHedge Squawk application image found on the home page. Notice how NewsHedge Squawk curbs its detection algorithms in late afternoon as the markets become too erratic and volatile to track and report.

How are volatility indicators calculated?

Tracking and detecting volatility are two different functions. NewsHedge Squawk does both.

Tracking: NewsHedge Squawk continuously tracks the VIX futures using the ETN ticker symbol VXX to report any unusual trading action as it happens. It tracks probable incoming volatility from price and volume actions while also alerting you of actual widespread volatility as it forms.

Detecting: Because volatility can come from different corners of the market, NewsHedge Squawk closely follows heavily weighted stocks, major indexes, top sectors, and influential commodities for any unusual trading activities. Once these unusual activities are detected, you’re notified.

A solid dot represents high probability while an outlined dot represents medium to low probability.

How is short interest data displayed?

CSI: Current Short Interest – represents the latest reports from the NYSE and NSADAQ exchanges.
PSI: Previous Short Interest – represents the previous CSI.
DTC: Days to Cover – measures shares currently short divided by average daily share volume.

How are liquidity measurements calculated?

Liquidity measurements represents how liquid or tradable an asset is. NewsHedge Squawk provides a quick liquidity snapshot to enhance your perspective of the underlying asset being reported. Trade volume thresholds are calculated using a 1-month average.

  • 599,999 and below = 0 dots
  • 600,000 to 1,399,999 = 1 dot
  • 1,400,000 to 3,469,999 = 2 dots
  • 3,470,000 and above = 3 dots
Will NewsHedge Squawk slow my system down?

No. We designed NewsHedge Squawk to do all the heavy lifting on the back end using best-in-class, dedicated cloud technologies. NewsHedge Squawk is considered a “web app” or “thin client” that easily runs within any browser— including your iPad or smartphone.

NewsHedge Squawk is great for Chicago S&P traders who don’t have Internet access within their respected trading pits. You can run NewsHedge Squawk on your smartphone using the CME Group’s leased, indoor cell towers.

Are NewsHedge Squawk’s detection algorithms proprietary?

Yes. To pioneer new methods and meet our strict demands, NewsHedge Squawk was built in-house from scratch.

Is NewsHedge Squawk’s service stable and redundant?

Yes. NewsHedge Squawk was built to always be available, secure, fast, and responsive. System components and data feeds are fully redundant to suppress crashes and outages. We also employed system load balancing between two separate best-in-class cloud vendors on both the East and West Coasts.

Are all detected events audibly broadcasted?

No. In times where the system detects two or more incidents at the same time, the first detected event will be audibly broadcasted while the second event will not. In this scenario, all detected events are posted visually within the event stream for immediate notification.

Does NewsHedge Squawk provide an API?

Yes. It’s coming soon. Feel free to contact us at sales@newshedge.com with any inquiries or to begin a discussion.

Billing

Which credit and debit cards do you accept?

We accept most cards, including: Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, JCB, and Diner’s Club.

Do I have to pay with a credit card?

While the most seamless process is paying online via credit card, we do offer alternative payment methods such as checking account debit. Please contact us for more information at billing@newshedge.com.

Can I pay with another currency other than USD?

Yes, gladly. We accept payments in over 130 different currencies.

When will I be billed?

Our plans are monthly recurring. You will be billed once per month based upon your signup date.

Can I cancel my account?

Yes. You can cancel your account at any time. There are no contracts or long-term commitments.

What is your refund policy?

Refunds are prorated and processed within four business days of the cancellation request.

Can I add more users to my account?

Yes. The Admin section (accessible after logging in) allows you to add additional accounts by entering email addresses (usernames) to whomever you want to include on your account. We’ll then send an introductory email that includes a temporary password. Upon logging in for the first time, new users will be prompted to change their password. Your Admin account will then be billed accordingly.

Is my information kept safe?

Yes. In fact, we’ve undergone extra steps to ensure your information is never compromised. We use 256-bit SSL encryption to safeguard you and your financial information while promising never to sell your information to third party solicitors.

Who handles your billing services?

Braintreepayments.com manages all transactions while also overseeing our PCI compliance requirements using SecurityMetrics.com.

Contact Us: (312) 532-9833 or (888) 448-6780 or info@newshedge.com
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