The overnight initial margins on Interactive Brokers for ES are getting pretty high, relatively speaking -- $8000+ per contract right now Anyone switched from Interactive Brokers to TradeStation? I'm thinking about it, with TradeStation's overnight initial around $4600 per contract for ES (I know some smaller brokers offer even lower margins, but prefer to go with the more reputable / better known names) What's your roundtrip all-in cost on TradeStation? Any major differences you noticed, eg. on the DOM price ladder?
We offer Futures accounts at Wedbush Futures using exchange SPAN margin. https://www.lightspeed.com/pricing/commission/ https://www.lightspeed.com/futures/ https://www.lightspeed.com/trading-platforms/realtick-pro-and-express/realtick-platform-features/ On RT I can offer up to 25% of SPAN for day traders. RT has a DOM and starts at $125/month + Market Data.
Thanks Bob, just wondering: - The $4950 initial margin listed for ES - does that apply to overnights? - For other customers of IB who switched over to your platform, what are some of their feedback?
Yes, that is when it is calculated, at the end of the session. We offer the same for IRAs opened through a self directed IRA company like Midland IRA. I have had no negative feedback from any futures client from any other FCM/Broker. Keep in mind that RT does not have access to VX futures or options and our cost and commissions are higher on other software.
Are you being charged for the IB trading platform/charting software ? My RTs are cheap...but I don't care much for the software.
If you want free, CME Direct is free. NO platfrom fee, NO market data fee. NO extra execution fee. Free is not always the best solution. http://www.cmegroup.com/trading/cme-direct.html Bob
Personally, I don't need overnight margin, but I'm surprised to see that the intraday margin per ES contract is now at $4039. Is this correct? Surely, this is higher than the last time I was trading with IB (a few years back now). Is this due to the higher value of the underlying? I had pretty much decided on going back to IB, but this margin is slightly higher than what I had in mind.
That is correct, $4039 per ES contract right now for IB intraday Just wondering, did you find other brokers deficient in some way, in terms of switching back to IB?