3:45 margin cut-off . . no longer?

[ids]

We changed cut off time for US equity index products. There was no change for FX. The cut off for FX is 14:45 EST.

 

[AAAintheBeltway]

Quote from Quark:

I have an account at IB and just opened a new account at another firm to initiate an ES day trading strategy due to IB's high intraday margin requirements (1/2 the overnight).

I'd say think carefully about that. Those low intraday margins are an invitation to blowing up your account. Also, consider what happens if enough other traders manage to blow up using those low margins. Your account is potentially at risk, as the accounts are aggregated in bankruptcy.

 

[jimrockford]

Quote from AAAintheBeltway:

I'd say think carefully about that. Those low intraday margins are an invitation to blowing up your account. Also, consider what happens if enough other traders manage to blow up using those low margins. Your account is potentially at risk, as the accounts are aggregated in bankruptcy.

If you trade at a low margin firm, and you never have a single losing trade, you can still lose your entire account. You will be at elevated risk to lose your entire account, because other highroller traders, also using low margin, may have large uncovered losses in a dramatic market event, which bankrupt the broker. Your futures broker is financially responsible to cover any trading losses not covered by the customers who generate them. Your futures broker's bankruptcy can wipe away part or all of your account, which might be required to be used to cover the losses of other losing customers. I'm just trying to emphasize AAA's point as clearly as possible.

 

[Quark]

Quote from AAAintheBeltway:

I'd say think carefully about that. Those low intraday margins are an invitation to blowing up your account. Also, consider what happens if enough other traders manage to blow up using those low margins. Your account is potentially at risk, as the accounts are aggregated in bankruptcy.

Oh I agree, hence a low balance is maintained in the account. I also don't leverage all the way down to $500 (I use $1,000) which isn't available at IB.