I'm looking for a direct-access futures options broker who has reasonable commissions, a good trading platform, and trades ALL markets (electronic and pit). Any suggestions? I've looked into: Interactive Brokers PFG ManFutures Dorman Trading Farr Financial ProActive Futures SuperFutures ...and a few more I can't remember. So far they all fall down in one area or another. IB doesn't offer pit-trading. Most of the others only offer web-based platforms for options (e.g. RANOrder and FarrOnline) which I don't like. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
IB will offer CME pits in 1-2 weeks. CBOT within a month. NYMEX somewhere around 4-6 weeks, maybe sooner. NYBOT after everything else is working. But pits are horrible places to trade unless you are the local or are taking positons for some reasonable time. The fills, both in speed and price quality, will make you run back to the electronic markets. Fortunately NYMEX got scared by IPE and will move electronic within a few months.