Determination of banding start price for order evaluation

1. A computer system comprising:

a user computer system, communicatively coupled to a network, the user computer system in communication with an exchange computer system,

at least one computer processor; and

at least one non-transitory computer memory, wherein the at least one non-transitory computer memory stores instructions that, when executed, cause the exchange computer system to perform steps comprising:

receiving, via the network from the user computer system, an offer for a subject financial product, wherein the offer comprises one of a bid price or an ask price;

identifying, by the computer processor, a product type of the subject financial product;

calculating, by the computer processor, a start identifier and an end identifier that collectively define a predefined range based on the product type;

storing, by the computer processor, into a database, the start identifier and the end identifier that collectively define the predefined range;

updating the predefined range when a new offer is received, via the network from the user computer system, that does not have the product type;

selecting one from a plurality of subroutines stored in the at least one non-transitory computer memory based on satisfying a calendar spread criteria, wherein the selected one is a highest-ranked subroutine based on how closely it indicates a fair market value;

blocking, by the processor, execution of all but the selected one subroutine, wherein each of the plurality of subroutines is programmed with a different algorithm;

generating a band start price (BSP) using the selected one subroutine;

determining, as a result of determining a difference between bid and ask prices for subject financial products of a subject financial product type is not within the predefined range, if there is a calendar spread type satisfying calendar spread criteria, wherein the calendar spread criteria require that a calendar spread type satisfying the criteria include the subject financial product type as one leg;

generating, as a result of determining there is a calendar spread type satisfying the calendar spread criteria, a banding start price for the subject financial product type by calculating a value for the subject financial product type based on a difference between bid and ask prices for calendar spreads of the satisfying calendar spread type, and on a price value of a different financial product type forming an other leg of the satisfying calendar spread type; and

processing orders for subject financial products of the subject financial product type based on whether prices of the orders are within a predefined range of the banding start price.

2. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the stored instructions further comprise instructions that, when executed, cause the computer system to perform operations that include:

determining, as a result of determining there is no calendar spread type satisfying the calendar spread criteria, if there is a related product type pair satisfying related pair criteria, wherein the related pair criteria require a related product type pair satisfying the related pair criteria to include

a first financial product type having an underlying that is the same as a subject underlying of the subject financial product type and corresponding to a first time preceding a subject time corresponding to the subject financial product type, and

a second financial product type having an underlying that is the same as the subject underlying and corresponding to a second time following the subject time, and

generating, as a result of determining there is a related product type pair satisfying the related pair criteria, a banding start price of the subject financial product type by calculating a price value for the subject financial product type based on the subject time and based on the following for the satisfying related product type pair: a first price value for the first financial product type, a second price value for the second financial product type, the first time and the second time.

3. The computer system of claim 2 , wherein the stored instructions further comprise instructions that, when executed, cause the computer system to perform operations that include:

determining, as a result of determining there is no related product type pair satisfying the related pair criteria, if there is a similar financial product type satisfying similar product criteria, wherein the similar product criteria require a similar product type satisfying the similar product criteria to

have an underlying that is the same as the subject underlying, and

have pricing data associated with a current period, and

generating, as a result of determining there is a similar financial product type satisfying the similar product criteria, a banding start price of the subject financial product type by calculating a value for the subject financial product type based on a current price value of the satisfying similar financial product type and settlement prices for the satisfying similar financial product type and the subject financial product type during a period preceding the current period.

4. The computer system of claim 3 , wherein the stored instructions further comprise instructions that, when executed, cause the computer system to perform operations that include:

determining, as a result of determining there is no similar financial product type satisfying the similar product criteria, if there is a price value for the subject financial product type satisfying market-bettering criteria, and

assigning, as a result of determining there is a price value for the subject financial product type satisfying market-bettering criteria that price value as a banding start price for the subject financial product type.

5. The computer system of claim 4 , wherein the market-bettering criteria require that a price value satisfying market-bettering criteria be associated with an order for a subject financial product received subsequent to determination of a most recent settlement value for the subject financial product type and reflect at least one of

a bid price higher than the most recent settlement value,

an ask price lower than the most recent settlement value,

a bid price higher than another price previously satisfying the market-bettering criteria, and

an ask price lower than another price previously satisfying the market-bettering criteria.

6. The computer system of claim 4 , wherein the stored instructions further comprise instructions that, when executed, cause the computer system to perform operations that include:

assigning, as a result of determining there is no price value for the subject financial product type satisfying market-bettering criteria, the most recent settlement value for the subject financial product type as a banding start price for the subject financial product type.

7. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the calendar spread criteria further require that

a calendar spread bid/ask difference be within a predefined range, the calendar spread bid/ask difference representing a difference between bid and ask prices for calendar spreads of a calendar spread type satisfying the calendar spread criteria, and

an other leg bid/ask difference be within a predefined range, the other leg bid/ask difference representing a difference between bid and ask prices for different financial products of a different financial product type of a calendar spread type satisfying the calendar spread criteria.

8. The computer system of claim 7 , wherein

determining if there is a calendar spread type satisfying calendar spread criteria comprises identifying multiple calendar spread types satisfying the calendar spread criteria, each of the multiple calendar spread types having a corresponding calendar spread bid/ask difference,

determining if there is a calendar spread type satisfying calendar spread criteria further comprises determining which of the multiple calendar spread types has the smallest corresponding calendar spread bid/ask difference,

determining if there is a calendar spread type satisfying calendar spread criteria further comprises designating the calendar spread type having the smallest corresponding calendar spread bid/ask difference, and

calculating a value for the subject financial product type comprises calculating a value for the subject financial product type based on the calendar spread bid/ask difference for the designated calendar spread type and a price value of the different financial product type forming an other leg of the designated calendar spread type.

9. The computer system of claim 2 , wherein the related pair criteria further require that

a first bid/ask difference be within a predefined range, the first bid/ask difference representing a difference between bid and ask prices for first financial products of a first financial product type of a related product pair satisfying the related pair criteria, and

a second bid/ask difference be within a predefined range, the second bid/ask difference representing a difference between bid and ask prices for second financial products of a second financial product type of a related product pair satisfying the related pair criteria.

10. The computer system of claim 3 , wherein the similar product criteria further require that the current period pricing data associated with the similar financial product type satisfying the similar product criteria represent a difference between bid and ask prices for similar financial products of that similar financial product type and be within a predefined range.

11. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the subject financial product type comprises a type of futures contract or a type of futures option contract.