Orc Software, the trading and risk management software developer, has opened a sales and support office in Chicago, the stronghold of the world's options and futures trading.

The Swedish company, which is partly owned by OMHex, the Swedish and Finnish stock exchange, is hoping that on-the-spot presence will help take advantage of the Chicago exchanges' general shift towards electronic trading. This week the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) started trading some of its products on eCBOT, its new electronic trading system. The move reflects the push away from the floor which is placing a greater emphasis on the more efficient electronic trading.