okay, I've asked like 4 different branches of my broker...they all say it is just too much work to generate the SPAN required for each of my "possible" trades(selling futures options)...but...I just need to get a feel of what a SPAN margin would be per a trade before I do a real trade...can anyone help with some sort of manual calculation that can get a "ballpark" amount of what it would be...I"m quite frustrated with this and any help would be greatly appreciated...do not want to leave my broker just need to find an answer before I get a trade all ready and then told the SPAN will be like $$$thousands beyond what I have in my account...please help in any fashion..thanks in advance...
oh yea, not going to leave my broker...and not going to buy the $500.00 SPAN platform to do it by myself...it is weird...the web can offer anything...but...not SPAN"ballpark" margin requirements...
Well since you don't want to leave your broker and they don't seem to want to offer the tools you need.... then why not just open a demo account with a better broker and use the numbers their platform computes for you (cough, IB, TOS, etc). Hell maybe you'll find you like a broker that offers tools you need and end up switching eventually.
Sorry, in english I'm saying your broker isn't offering you what you need, CHANGE BROKERS or change what you need. Both IB and TOS will tell you your margin requirements prior to executing a trade (including futures options) and both support this on their demo platforms.
Increasenow; Provide an example "trade" and exisiting positions in the same portfolio at the time the "trade" is expected to be executed. I personally don't think you know what SPAN margin is... it is based on multiple positions in a portfolio, not a single trade. 2 weeks ago you were making single contract intraday trades in ES, YM, and CL. Now you are HOLDING positions and using option strategies against those positions. Maybe I just continue to underestimate your trading skills. Prove me wrong. Osorico EDIT: Just for general knowledge, IB offers "portfolio Margin" to accounts with 100K of NET liquidation value only. Brokers in general are not required to provide portfolio margining. Here's the link to IB's policy... http://individuals.interactivebrokers.com/en/trading/marginRequirements/margin.php?ib_entity=llc Click the "PMargin" tab