Quote from filter_sweep:
I had the same concerns before trading Hong Kong, and it's not just MHI... HSI and HHI are just as bad, if not slightly better. Here's a couple thoughts though:
- Just because the spread can be 4-5 ticks/points, doesn't mean that it always is. There are many times when, for a second or two, the spread is only a tick. Think about this: around 70% of my entries are on stop-limit orders, which I have setup to get me in with no more than 2 ticks of slippage, or not get me in at all. I'd say at least 50% of the time I get zero slippage, meaning my entry price is the same as the stop price, 30% of the time I get 1 tick of slippage, and only 20% of the time do I have 2 ticks of slippage. Only on very rare occasions do I not get filled and miss out on the trade... maybe 1-2 out of 100 trades.
- I almost always exit profitable trades with limit orders, so I experience no slippage on those orders. Many, but not most, of my losing trades are exited with limit orders as well.
- 30% of my entries are on limit orders, so I experience no slippage on those orders... doesn't really matter what the spread is when you enter and exit with limit orders
- After a while you just get comfortable with big spreads, and when looked at within the context of volatility, you realize its not a big deal. Riddle me this: what's worse... a contract that has a 50 tick intraday range with a 1-tick spread, or a contract with a 250 tick intraday range with a 3-4 tick spread, that tightens down to 1-2 ticks at times? As long as there's enough liquidity to move your desired size, I'd argue the 250-tick contract is more cost effective over the long haul, and if you do the math, I think you'd agree.