Thx R87 - it is clear that IB's charts lack some very basic stuff, like the right info - they really should get their stuff in order, but nuff bout them, they are what they are and they never listen to anyone. I originally thought that futures spread trading might offer some low risk trades, but the more I look into it the less I am thinking that way, as you rightly say, those with access to the "best" systems have the arb opps snapped up in a microsecond, and us plebs are left sitting in the dark, as usual! I will give it a bit more looking, but on FTSE MIB spreads as opposed to US markets - as I will be doing some MIB options and futures trading shortly - hard to beat the big boys at this game, but very few of them know how to read a chart, which is the only thing us plebs can beat them on - once we learn it the correct way, of course! J_S
If anyone trading MIB futures,or thinking of, feel free to join in. Need to check IB's crap charts, but the large moves are plain to see, as this market is super volatile! J_S
My advice is try out either TT autospreader function or CTS T4. IB is not the best platform for spread traders
Thx, will check it out. You don't have to be a genius to see that TWS is crap for spreads - how can you trade anything effectively with misleading information! J_S
Hey. Index futures spreads are showing you the relationship between interest rates and dividends ONLY. That's the finance part. The trading part is getting filled buying the bid, and selling the ask -- which you wont. There are a -lot- of prop firms with algos setup to beat the queue on the open in this stuff. One liner for a retail trader - stay away. (I used to do this for a bank)
I think you might be right - why even bother if the odds are stacked against you - sure only a fool would do that! Thx. J_S
Wait. If you have some portfolio of stock With a beta of about 1 And you want to lay off some exposure By selling index futures (while keeping your divideds) And you're coming up to expiry - Then rolling your futures can make sense.
I was talking bout outright speculative trades on the index spread only - not worth the time and effort! J_S