Wonder what's triggered that? Little blow up maybe? Dear Valued Client: Effective tomorrow February 25, 2009, our clearing firm will no longer allow Three Times (3x) Leveraged Exchange Traded Funds to be traded on margin. Additionally, options strategies traded on the underlying leveraged exchange traded funds will be limited to the following: Long Call Long Put Covered Call Debit Spreads Below are the 16 Leveraged exchange traded funds that will be affected: BGU Large Cap Bull 3x Shares TNA Small Cap Bull 3x Shares ERX Energy Bull 3x Shares FAS Financial Bull 3x Shares DZK Developed Markets Bull 3x Shares EDC Emerging Markets Bull 3x Shares TYH Technology Bull 3x Shares MWJ Mid Cap Bull 3x Shares BGZ Large Cap Bear 3x Shares TZA Small Cap Bear 3x Shares ERY Energy Bear 3x Shares FAZ Financial Bear 3x Shares DPK Developed Markets Bear 3x Shares EDZ Emerging Markets Bear 3x Shares TYP Technology Bear 3x Shares MWN Mid Cap Bear 3x Shares If you own these funds you will need to make certain that they are fully paid for and no longer on margin. If you have any questions feel free to contact us at 866-628-3001. Thank you, MB Trading MB Trading: FINRA/SIPC Member
I used to get reduced margin on those until recently. They went from 30% to 50% last month with Questrade or Penson, whoever makes the decision. Options are looking like the best way around this..... Some fools must have held them long.
This would be the blowup in question. http://uk.reuters.com/article/governmentFilingsNews/idUKBNG31368320090205