With every broker I've used, the software just can't handle times like today when there's a fed meeting. Does everyone have this problem? I don't know if this is a problem with the broker, the software, my computer... I'm using a Dell 750MHz 512 MB RAM, with a cable modem, so I don't think it's my computer. Those of you who don't have your screen freeze on you when there's a big volume spike... who is your broker?
I just made a trade right after the announcement today with no problem, with IB. I'm running a DSL connection at 1.4 Mbit down and 256K up. I didn't experience any freezes of my quotes or execution.
I have same problem, I think they turned off the "Matching" for about 30 sec. I tried to hit one of the ask on Island (JNPR), no luck at all even there were lots of shares available... anyway, played short on the way down
I've got a Dell with less Mhz /ram using Windows NT with cable and didn't have any trouble with freeze up( plenty of alerts of data backup though)- sometimes my screens will blink and flash like a summer lightning storm with big volume. I did miss 2 trades on the way up after the announcement- too fast for an old guy. Not being a computer whiz, sometimes I think it helps if I limit the number of stocks that I have in my market minders (RTIII) when there is a lot of action-what ever that might mean
Zboy, Are your quotes from IB slow? I notice a delays of approx. a second b/w their quotes and Datek. It's so bad I may have to leave IB for another broker if I can't find a solution. Way too slow on my machine and I'm running a cable connection to a 1.2 gig athlon with 512 ram. tradeRX
I don't think there is any problem with the timeliness of my quotes from IB, as they routinely match up with my feed from Realtick (which I use for my charting and main data feed). I must admit that I haven't done any extensive side by side checking, other than if I'm watching a stock in IB on one monitor, by the time I look over to the other monitor at Realtick the price is the same. Also, if my quotes in IB are behind at all, it hasn't affected my executions, which are right on.
MJT; I use pcquote RT3. Dell 500mhz, 128meg ram, and a 33600 DIALUP connection. Didn't notice any slowdown and for sure no freezup. I'm running NT4sp5. What's your operating system?