IB has been my broker, but I want lower intraday margins on index futures. I have been leaning towards AMP. Contrary to many, I really like the classic TWS. In particular, I like to have the instruments I am trading on one page/tab and have pre-sets for my usual trade size, order type, etc. Then I can use the keyboard only (no mouse) to move from one instrument to the other, enter a trade, modify the trade if needed, and finally execute the trade without using a mouse. Is that possible with any of AMP's platforms? The guy I was chatting with at AMP didn't think so, but he didn't sound too confident. Thanks for any help.
Thanks! Gave you one back. We didn't have those when I was a little more active here. A lot has changed... I see you're an old timer too.
That’s right. I joined ET two days before you...what a trip! I was active on Silicon Investor before that. We’re you over there? Your name is familiar. A lot has changed on ET, but a lot is still the same. I like the IB hot keys too, although I still think TWS is the weirdest software out there, and sometimes I wish they would blow the whole thing up and start over! IB margin is restrictive...it is really a pain trading in my IRA account.
I had forgotten about Silicone Investor LOL. I think I had a handle over there, but wasn't really active. TWS does kind of feel like DOS meets GUI, but I got used to it, and was really fast when I was actively trading years ago. Looking at getting active again, and don't really need the fancy stuff, just a good solid system that I can use. I tend to modify my orders right before I send them if I can benefit from a spike. I usually trade in pairs, so I am modifying two orders at once. Maybe I'll have to change my technique a bit.
AMP offers a LOT of platforms. I'm sure you'll have your pick, I can't imagine trading software that doesn't allow hotkeys. I don't know how you can stand tws, the first thing that I did with IB was pay for different front end software. I'm using an antiquated direct access version of ninjatrader with AMP.. and even that allows hotkeys, but I don't think they offer it anymore to new subscribers.
That's what I thought too, and you may be correct. However, I can't find a way to do this in Multi Charts which seems to be their preferred platform, and the person at AMP I chatted with couldn't find anything other than a hot key to make a new window. I guess I will look at some of the other platforms. Or, maybe I will need to use Ninja Trader. Their Margins and commissions are a little higher than AMP's, but still low... I was hoping that someone else would like hot keys instead of mouse clicks and might be able to point me in the right direction.
Never used multicharts but from a brief internet search, seems like you should be able to program them pretty easily. They're called 'keyboard shortcuts'. https://www.multicharts.com/trading-software/index.php/Keyboard_Shortcuts If that doesn't work, then I don't know. I tried a demo of Scalptool with AMP, that was really good for my style of trading, but you have to pay for the software.
Quite a task at your hand Eldredge. Do let us know if that link worked for you. And if you got any other option? BTW, has anyone prepared/ put out any table comparing commission and margins of some key brokers?