BEST first direct-access broker for newbie?

Discussion in 'Professional Trading' started by bigpig41, Dec 15, 2007.

  1. Do you traders with interactive brokers experience reliability problems when market activity picks up??
     
    #11     Dec 16, 2007
  2. JBTrade

    JBTrade

    I actually looked at interactive brokers about a year and a half ago, and for some reason I had it set in my mind that I did not meet their account requirements. I was actually seeking an alternative when I first posted here in this thread, but on a second look, everything appears to be fine. Perhaps they have changed their policy since then, or maybe I just didn’t understand what I was reading at the time.

    I’ve been playing around with their demo software, and I am already comfortable with it. Their lack of extra fluff is exactly what I’ve been looking for. So far I've never read a review for anything in this business that has been free of complaints, so I guess finding the "perfect" broker is just a dream like finding the perfect trading strategy...

    I plan on opening an IB account soon. Thank you all for your responses.
     
    #12     Dec 17, 2007
  3. Yes, 6mbps is for sure enough.

    I know what you are describing. I have same problems but they occur by me IF MY internet connection is slowing down.
    It is enough few seconds of slow connection for it.

    Are you cleaning your Java files?
    When your platform freeze it helps a lot if you do it and restard computer, than it works usually fine again. Without cleaning java files the problems often continue.

    Btw, I am not experiencing as much problems like you but truth is that the platform looks to me more vulnerable during past weeks. May be is there software bug. Hoíwever I will say it as follows: I experience problems twice a day 5-10 minuteas each. I agree that it is frustrrating but because I can not change broker /nearly/ I must live with it.

    Did you tried contact support? I am nearly deaf and my understanding of New York Enlish is so limited that I did not tried it so may be it will be worth speak with some head there.
     
    #13     Dec 17, 2007
  4. I wish they would raise the commissions and fix their problems; because my impression is the total costs are less than HALF of any Direct access broker described here. The only other problem I have with them is I need to be able to trade at 7AM EST U.S. Last weekend I did a complete system restore on the computer incase the platform was "corrupted"(whatever that means) but after the Fed announcement it completely crashed. Yes, I clean the Java files regularly.

    Guys: On the interactive brokers platform, what's the deal with the charting everybody refers to? Can a trader have a one minute chart with a period of one day and have a 20 and 50 moving average on it??????????? and can you click something on it and be able to change the period to say three days or change it two a 15 minute chart........and can you have the chart linked to a watch list with say 50 stocks on it?
     
    #14     Dec 17, 2007
  5. hahaha. no.
     
    #15     Dec 17, 2007
  6. banditt77: So where do we buy the chart service from??
     
    #16     Dec 17, 2007
  7. forget stocks..totally switch to futures!
     
    #17     Dec 17, 2007
  8. I use tradestation. it has what you want. but you don't want it.
     
    #18     Dec 17, 2007
  9. ooph. at $8 a pop, that's about 20k in commissions. you got raped.

    it's ok, I use to trade at scottrade and got raped there also.
     
    #19     Dec 17, 2007
  10. about $17,200.00 this year in commissions...........what I'm trying to figure out though is how much more say Terranova would be? E-trade can't do it for the 17 thousand figure..........their system doesnt work.............but in reviewing direct acess fees with Terranova seems my total trading fees and commissions this year would have been probably double what I've paid..........IS THAT WHAT DIRECT ACCESS BROKERAGE EXPENSES RUN???????????
     
    #20     Dec 17, 2007