God bless IB, but you won't get rich with IB

by choosing to stay with IB, and with margin for ES the way it is

it will take me 5 months to double my portfolio by grinding daily several times

if it was 500 bucks per ES car like for example with Mirus futures

I could double portfolio in 3 months tops


I'll stay with IB, but I am just sayin

I am calling horse a horse that's all

 

Let's put it this way: With IB's margin requirements it will take you 6 months instead of 1 month before you blow up.

 

stop living in the past

I have a feeling 13th time is the charm

 

That's funny but so true at the same time

 

Similar to my money that has been frozen in a Reserve MM fund for several months. I should thank them, since I haven't been able to use it for investing/trading, I have probably saved 30% or more. Supposed to get it next month (guaranteed under the TARP), so I can turn it into some real money then!!! Stosh

 

Though we've had the highest volatility on record, the $500 ES Margin brokers lasted. Quite possibly proves that IB's suspension of intraday margins was unnecessary.

And most of the other brokers do not have as sophisticated margin monitoring systems in place as IB does.

 

Dman,

You are correct that this months activities proved that "this time" IB's suspension of intraday margins was unnecessary.

But.

That is the trap that the bankers (feel free to substitute overpayed wankers) fell into with their subprime, alt a, and leverage games. Just because the black swan didn't come in 2006 they assumed it wouldn't come in 2007 or 2008. And the world's publics and taxpayers now pay for their arrogance.

So, IB, thank you for your caution. I hope you all (eters and ibers) had a merry xmas and I wish you an interesting and perhaps prosperous new year.




(The 388 point opening bar on the aussie spi this morning does suggest that 2009 might not be boring - please, don't let it be boring For those who don't trade spi, it jumped nearly 12% from the Xmas eve close before retracing most of it.)

 

I want to open an account with Mirus but 500/ margins would be a real test of self control.

 

If you can trade futures successfully it is absolutely pointless to trade them thru IB.

 

Exactly

Let me make sure I am getting this right:

Option A
These guys are constantly complaining about IB's high margins (anti-hurst being the lead whiner), but they don't want to go to another brokerage (could name tons, but won't bother) because they are afraid that they won't have the discipline to trade with the low margin requirements.

Option B
These guys are afraid that another brokerage may go under because of their low margin requirements, so they stay with IB and either (i) bitch and moan about their margin requirement policies or (ii) congratulate IB on having steep, over-protective margin requirements.

LMAO, you guys are a bunch of morons.

Sorry, but it's true.

Edit: Hey, I take it back, you aren't morons. But your reasons for doing something (in this case staying with a brokerage that isn't meeting your needs), is just moronic.

Once you're done being pissed at me, think about it ... or not. Nobody cares, but you already know that.