To keep on top, Hong Kong's financial institutions will have to grasp the technological nettle even tighter than they have already, predicts Dow Jones Markets managing director William Reidy.
In trading rooms after the year 2000, computers will have to be customised to the individual expectations of dealers and be able to analyse large blocks of information more quickly than at present.
'User interfaces - the look and feel of the functionality of the screen - is becoming increasingly more important,' Mr Reidy said.
'Is it user-friendly? Does it offer easy navigation opportunities? These are the questions people increasingly want answered.' He points to Microsoft's powerful Active 1 package as a sign of the way Hong Kong's financial institutions will develop.
He believes the program will be the archetype for the next generation of technology.
Active 1 lets market participants create customised worksheets of specific market prices, news and charts, and integrate them with their own trading, position tracking and risk-management programs.
Traders can use the standardised worksheet creation tools to take advantage of rapidly changing market conditions - such as the recent wild fluctuations - before these opportunities disappear.