Night trading Futures on ThinkorSwim

Discussion in 'Retail Brokers' started by TimtheEnchanter, Aug 28, 2020.

  1. I am in California using ToS and sometimes trade Gold at night. Is there a way to display time to close on futures charts? It is confusing when there is a break or session end and showing time remains would be helpful. I always use stops but I am afraid to get stuck in a position when trading stops. No need for a bell-like stock trading but something similar?
     
  2. AbbotAle

    AbbotAle

    Rule number 1 in trading.

    Make sure you understand when a market opens and when it closes BEFORE you even think about trading.

    As for getting confused when the market closes. If you take the time to find out when it closes you a) won't be confused, and b) will know how long you've got before it closes via looking at a clock.
     
  3. Bugsy

    Bugsy

    What about Rule #5.

    [​IMG]
     
    TimtheEnchanter likes this.
  4. Well, wise words...in fact we live in 24-hour trading times (at least for some instruments), that is why some brokers specifically tell you when the close is) I guess Ninja does it. The trailing stops work into the next session, Sunday being an exception.
     
  5. Zor_Champ

    Zor_Champ

    Download the free version of Quantower and open the Exchange Times tab
    Pretty nifty feature.

    [​IMG]
     
    TimtheEnchanter likes this.
  6. Thanks a lot! Great idea. I have downloaded the free version, but I do not see the Exchange Times tab.
     
  7. Overnight

    Overnight

    Yer best bet is simply to write them down on a sticky-note and paste them to a monitor. Or better yet, memorize the trading times of the markets you are trading.
     
  8. Big AAPL

    Big AAPL

    Can't you simply place a brightly colored vertical line say 10 minutes before the close of the contract you are trading? It's the simplest method without doing any coding and every platform has that as a canned indicator.
     
  9. Do you mean with thinkscript? I am concerned about trading on Fridays, as most other times it is a 24-hour market. There may be a thinkscript indicator for Friday's close.
     
    Last edited: Aug 28, 2020
  10. Big AAPL

    Big AAPL

    I am not familiar with thinkscript. Virtually every platform I have ever used had horizontal and vertical bars as canned indicators. So, if your contract is GC, for example, which is active from 1700 to 1600 CT according to CME's website, place a vertical line at the appropriate time that you need to be alerted before the close. At least it gives you a visual alert that you are approaching the time to close. It won't give you a countdown but it is the easiest method WITHOUT resorting to programming.
     
    #10     Aug 28, 2020
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