Bid/ASK quotes are wrong in IB?

Anyone else has the same problem? I trade stocks.
Bids are higher than asks and some stocks bid and ask are the same

 

If you are talking about demo account. Yes.

Tom

 

Yes this happens all the time especially if the market is dropping. It is a way to control the exits of shorts imo as the market is locked as they will not allow you to short and exit if the ask is lower. I have found it happens more when the market drops then runs.
I also have noticed the lag in the bid / ask being executed even when the market is not moving. Esignal lately has been showing the market move and then IB does a catch up?

Just another heads up is be careful of your realized profit and loss as many times it shows me profit when I am not and yes I realize the last price bid or ask is what is suppose to be shown but I am talking where I have been in the money crazy money.

IB over the last few upgrades has been getting worse not better.

 

Unfortunately true

 

I still consider them the best (trading only, no customer service).
API are probably still the best (among the brokers acceptable for trading).

The TWS needs some simplification. No one needs that kind of "flexibility". Just leave all the features on and remove all the disturbing "wizard" screen.

*** It will always too LATE when they get rid of that ABSURD autologoff feature. ***

If anybody at IB hearing, please REMOVE the ridiculous and harassing autologoff. It's an unbearable pain for all the people autotrading out here.

It has no reasonable justifications whatsoever. Please remove it or make it optional.


Tom

 

That is normal, as you are receiving bid, ask in sequence.
It's natural that they can cross. Also their P&L does not take into account the spread or closing commissions if any (ats instead do, usually computing a "net" P&L).

The problem with the demo (and only that) is that it actually lets you buy near or under the bid and sell near or above the ask! Also some other strange behaviors for bid/ask have been observed, in the demo.

That "problem" is not present in the paper/real trading (of course).

In brief, demo can be used just to see what TWS looks like: data and order execution are often meaningless.


Tom

 

Are you saying the market is rigged to the upside?

 

Absolutely, all you have to do is watch the bid / ask quantity when the market moves.

 

I agree, it's all rigged to the upside, all part of the party in power re election efforts.

LOOK AMERICAN PEOPLE....JUST LOOK AT THAT DOW.

 

Let me guess... Jan-Mar 09 was rigged to the downside??? I think it is too high but I don't know what too high is so just trade both sides. no sense in being a hero and getting run over by your bias.