I want to know if liquidity is low or if it is worth looking into trading them. Anyone been trading them and what is your experience with them?
I tried. Leverage is wonderful and you can short in downtick. But I found some deficiencies; 1. Bid and Ask spread is is about 6cents. 3. Price movement is bit slower compared to stock. 4. Execution was very slow in One Chicago (I have not tried Nasdaq Liffe). Hope, they will be improved in due course of time as more traders move to SSFs.
C1 uses traders in pits. LF is electronic. That's what I heard. IMO, they have long way to go with issues like liquidity. It is too risky to play for traders with small accounts.
ssf were first conceived back in the "good old days". Times have changed, and changed a lot. In my opinion, they missed the boat. There is no pressing need for them, so they will slowly die.
SSF are completely electronic. Certainly nothing is traded in the pits. All quotes are firm and executable. Both exchanges have a number of market makers that provide an orderly market on both sides. On most of the stock futures, I've been seeing a 5-6 cent market with 20 size up. Biggest problem is liquidty. Aside from the market markers, no one is posting any size at all.
The wheel was concieved in the "good old days". Times have changed, and it's more popular than ever. >In my opinion, they missed the boat. There is no pressing need for them, so they will slowly die. Actually, SSF are right on the spot; and there is a pressing need for them for those traders that are prohibited from daytrading stocks and options by the daytrading rules, and all traders that want to short on a downtick, but are not able to do that with stocks. SSF are here to stay and grow in popularity and volume.
and when they do start effecting liquidity maybe we can terminate the uptick rule and save thousands a month in bullet cost!!!!
Fohat said I agree fully and can't wait for more liquidity. It will take a while. Leverage is great though, as you say, if you know what you're doing. Of course, if you don't know what you're doing, God help you.