&gt; personally I&#x27;m very in favor of slowing down trading...<p>As a retail trader, no.<p>As an example, yesterday I placed a sell order on $90,000HK worth of a stock.  Once I hit &#x27;send&#x27;, my order was fulfilled before my browser could load the confirmation page, and at the market price I was quoted seconds before.<p>This is, in large part, thanks to market makers who use HFT.  Before this, the broker&#x2F;market maker might take a spread worth half a percent or more (and being a retail investor, you probably wouldn&#x27;t get the &#x27;market&#x27; price), now it&#x27;s pennies or less, and at the market price.<p>Thanks to HFT, spreads are smaller, execution quicker, and it definitely &#x27;levels&#x27; the playing field.