IB - need to be long and short a stock at the same time

Does anyone know if it's possible for me to be long and short a stock at the same time using only one account at IB?

I don't want to do any synthetic longs or shorts, just the normal way.

Thanks for any ideas.

jammy

 

The last one that tried to do that in one account was found dead the next day.

 

Flat + commissions. Sound's like a great trading plan.

 

It's the "Broker's Kids In Private School" plan.

 

jammy page,

Here you go:

http://www.interactivebrokers.com/p...#Making_Trades/Create_Order_Types/bracket.htm


http://individuals.interactivebrokers.com/en/trading/orders/bracket.php?ib_entity=llc

I hope this helps.

Tom

 

Thanks Tom. Actually, I'm already using bracket orders almost all the time.

What I would want is to have a long bracket position and a short bracket position on simultaneously.

 

Why would you still want to have a long bracket position and a short bracket position on simultaneously in the same IB account?

 

That's genius. You'll be perfectly hedged against adverse market moves.

 

Various, trading strategies need such a feature.
For instance: if you have a long-term vision on the ES-future, and want to daytrade (scalp) as well. Then you like to enter a long-term (long or short) bracket-trade, and keep the Target en Stop-orders untouched (as well as P&L, position management). And at the same time you day-trade ES-futures in Long and Short directions (with another set of Orders and P&L, Position management).

You can do this with two separated accounts, but Yes it is much better to do this in the same account! For two reasons:
a) it gives less Commission (do the calcs yourself).
b) it is legal (as the two account version will be noted as a possible white-wash activity).

All above is the reason that ButtonTrader offers this feature, to trade Strategies in both direction on the same instrument. So if you have an IB-account, you can do all the above in one Account when using this tool. (search/try the third-party API IB-tools: I think other tools than ButtonTrader might have this feature as well).

 

Thanks Hoi for the info. I've looked at button trader before but it kind of scared me. I'll have to look at it again.

As Hoi mentioned, one reason to be simultaneously long and short a stock at the same time is trading in multiple time frames.

Otherwise guys, thanks for the chuckles...