What's happening at Eurex? [Edit: Eurex is trading again]

Jura · October 11th, 2011, 07:16 AM

Does someone know what's wrong with Eurex? The Zen-Fire Eurex data stopped updating at 11:50 am UTC + 1 (Europe) time. According to a NinjaTrader thread, there are technical problems. However, what worries me even more is that I get an network error when accessing EurexChange - it looks like their whole system including the website is down. (Am I paranoid in thinking of some kind of hackers attack?)

Not very reassuring.

Jura · October 11th, 2011, 07:22 AM

Ah the website is back up!

Trading recommences at 14:00 CET earliest:

Quoting

Eurex will be restarted at 13:30 CET.

11.10.2011 12:44:01

Eurex will be restarted at 13:30 CET. At 13:30 CET all Eurex products will be set to Pre-Trading. Afterwards order entries are possible. At 13:50 CET Pre-Opening will start. Netting of each product starts immediately after the Pre-Opening, earliest at 14:00 CET. Please check Your non-persistent orders. If you may have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the functional helpdesk.

Eurex - Eurex� System

October 11th, 2011, 07:24 AM

Jura

Ah the website is back up!

Trading recommences at 13:30 CET:

Eurex - Eurex� System

That page is not loading for me (just hanging).

What was the reason for the down time?

Mike

Jura · October 11th, 2011, 07:26 AM

Big Mike

That page is not loading for me (just hanging).

What was the reason for the down time?

Mike

No idea. Their earlier message (before the message that trading will be restarted at 13:30) said (bold added):

Quoting

11.10.2011 11:58:01

"Interruption of Exchange trading. In order to avoid any threat to the functioning of Exchange trading, Exchange trading in Eurex has been interrupted until further notice. We are investigating and will keep you informed. Information is also available on Eurex - Europe's Global Financial Marketplace.

October 11th, 2011, 07:29 AM

Jura

No idea. Their earlier message (before the message that trading will be restarted at 13:30) said (bold added):

Hmmmk. That raises more questions than it answers.

Mike

Jura · October 11th, 2011, 08:01 AM

Trading has restarted, and all futures have reopened.

Good trading all!

October 11th, 2011, 11:07 AM

Gents,

Here is what Eurex sent us. So far we do not know exactly what happened -

Eurex - Eurex� System

Best regards,

October 11th, 2011, 11:20 AM

Based on how slow their website is, and the recent "Anonymous" threats, I am guessing a denial of service attack.

Mike

Jura · October 11th, 2011, 11:39 AM

Big Mike

Based on how slow their website is, and the recent "Anonymous" threats, I am guessing a denial of service attack.

I think you might be right; according to Reuters Deutschland they had a server host crash, and not a little one, since even their backup didn't kick in completely. And the markets where not that volatile today that you'd expect a server crash due to order flow.

Google Translate, bold added

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Problems with a mainframe computer on Tuesday have brought on the derivatives exchange Eurex trading temporarily to a halt.

"We had a host crash," said an employee upon request of Eurex. During startup of a back-up had been decided to temporarily suspend trading. "Eurex has apparently had a hardware problem," said a broker. From 11:48 until about 14:00 clock could not, among other things, the Dax-nor the Bund futures are traded. The German exchange Eurex mother spoke first not the cause.

The bond market was almost completely paralyzed, because of the euro-zone trend-Bund Future According to traders could no longer be traded. "Nobody could ask any price, because only helped to keep calm and wait. But maybe that is indeed the investors brought a little pause," said one trader.

In the morning, yet the uncertainty had caused on the parliamentary decision in Slovakia over the expansion of EFSF bailout for nervousness. Although lay until the afternoon before any decision from Bratislava. But trading remained relatively quiet. The Bund future was with 134.75 at eleven ticks in the plus. The Dax-Future, which had lost up in the morning to 70 points listed, only slightly negative.

Translated with Google Translate from German. Original article here: Technisches Problem l�hmt Eurex-Handel zeitweise | M�rkte | Reuters

Edit: But if it where truly hackers, I'm wondering why no one have claimed responsibility for it (couldn't find anything on twitter or Anonymous' sites/blogs). Anonymous was quite vocal in wanting to attack the NYSE website, and when that site slowed down they claimed it was caused by them. Why not then even claim a bigger feat such as halting capitalist trading for two hours at Europe's biggest derivates exchange?

What's happening at Eurex? [Edit: Eurex is trading again]

Discussion in Brokers

What's happening at Eurex? [Edit: Eurex is trading again]