Need Help with Futures Questions

Discussion in 'Index Futures' started by maxtrax, Mar 9, 2003.

  1. Sioux

    Sioux

    Prox,

    You are right. .. a good system should never need human intervention. but I wasn't strictly referring to system failures.

    For example, about a month ago, Feb 7th, at 3.05 CST The ES was trading 90 handles higher than the pit. As a result, the CME busted all trades above a certain level. At 3:06 we were calling our customers with an update.

    We have a large group of Prop traders trading in our room in the Merc and therefore we had the GCC( Globex Control Center ) on the phone within a few seconds of this aberration.

    Maybe getting that kind of info on a timely basis is not important to most but, for anyone who is doing VOLUME, it is.
     
    #31     Mar 10, 2003
  2. maxtrax

    maxtrax

    I knew I could come to this board and receive an overwhelming amount of help. I found my stock broker through here, but they don't do futures.

    I will checkout those 4 that were mentioned, IB, Tradestation, Fastrader, and daytrade4less.com

    Sounds like IB has a good order platform but no data support? Is this industry norm that you have to get a seperate data feed from your order screen? Stocks, DAT are usually integrated.


    Thanks,

    MaxTrax

    Lundy, thanks as well, will checkout greentree too.
     
    #32     Mar 10, 2003
  3. def

    def Sponsor

    matrax,

    IB provides real time data. It is fast and free if you trade more than 6 future round turns per month. Charting programs such as e-signal, quotetracker, sierra charts and others can use IB's API to integrate with the TWS.

    siioux,
    frankly its flattering that you and other competitors need to take cheap shots at IB at every chance you get.

    The IB platform will stand up to yours and all others. It was built for fast and accurate order entry and never claimed to be anything else. However, given our product offerings and additional things like insurance, API, etc, the platform may be more robust. The fact is there are many excellent front end systems. Yours may be one of them. Since I've never used it I won't comment on it.

    You infer that you guys are better with high volume traders. Nice marketing and nice try - IB happens to be used by many professionals, hedge funds, investment banks and ofcourse active retail traders - and that's outside one of the most successful and innovative proprietary trading firms (timber hill) on the street. Somehow, they're not all using your system.

    Mobile numbers: nice but that is forbidden in my office and I assume the US offices as well. All customer calls are recorded as required by the regulators. I also don't see how a CS rep can help you if their out on a softball field or in the mall but to each his own.

    Anyway, if it makes you feel better, keep on bashing.
     
    #33     Mar 10, 2003
  4. dbphoenix

    dbphoenix

    Apparently the problems at FFastTrade are so rampant that they have to make themselves available 24/7 :p

    And why the stutter in the name?

    --Db
     
    #34     Mar 10, 2003
  5. Considering that you have experience Intraday trading equities, IB would be well suited.

    If you're a complete newb. then go for something like PFG...
     
    #35     Mar 10, 2003