Good option platform?

1245 · Mar 11, 2013

Quote from optionbull:

What's the general opinion of IB options trading general platform they offer?

Ok for single leg orders, bad for complex orders.

FSU · Mar 11, 2013

Quote from silexx:

As fyi to the op, Silexx Obsidian is now available at IB, so you can trade your account at IB and utilize IB's order routing for both IB's internal spread book (guaranteed spreads) and exchange native spread books.

Disclaimer: As you can probably judge by my handle, I do work for Silexx

Silexx, Last time I demo'd Obsidian (about a year ago) I liked it. The main problem for me was not being able to see the exchanges spread books. Are you able to see them now?

1245 · Mar 12, 2013

Quote from FSU:

Silexx, Last time I demo'd Obsidian (about a year ago) I liked it. The main problem for me was not being able to see the exchanges spread books. Are you able to see them now?

Nope. As far as I know WEX and possibly one of the Convergex platforms are the only ones that do.

1245

optionbull · Mar 12, 2013

Quote from 1245:

Ok for single leg orders, bad for complex orders.

Can you give an example ?

IB does combos and spreads ae decent, so what would be the issue ?

How complex are you talking ?

1245 · Mar 12, 2013

Quote from optionbull:

Can you give an example ?

IB does combos and spreads ae decent, so what would be the issue ?

How complex are you talking ?

I have discussed this before, then a sponsor from IB comes in and tells me I'm wrong. I had an IB account. When you enter a single leg order with smart routing, it goes to an option floor that IB has a relationship with so they get first look at the order then is represented to the public on the order book of one of those exchanges. I have no issue with that process. If you enter a complex order with smart routing, your order is NOT accessible for the world on the exchange COB until IB believes that order is marketable on one or both sides. It only resides in their system. That means you can never buy a spread on the NBBO bid or sell on the offer, unless another customer at IB trades with you. If you want to enter an order directly to the COB on the CBOE or ISE, with each leg there is a warning, are you sure? Then your order is billed at $1.00 per contract rather than your smart route fee. I have no problem with that fee too, as long as they tell you that is what it will cost.

I trade a lot of AAPL spreads that the NBBO is often $0.50 wide or more. If the NBBO is 5.50/6.00, I want to bid 5.60 and have it out there. IB will keep my order in their system until it lines up that it is close to executable.

1245

optionbull · Mar 12, 2013

Quote from 1245:

I have discussed this before, then a sponsor from IB comes in and tells me I'm wrong. I had an IB account. When you enter a single leg order with smart routing, it goes to an option floor that IB has a relationship with so they get first look at the order then is represented to the public on the order book of one of those exchanges. I have no issue with that process. If you enter a complex order with smart routing, your order is NOT accessible for the world on the exchange COB until IB believes that order is marketable on one or both sides. It only resides in their system. That means you can never buy a spread on the NBBO bid or sell on the offer, unless another customer at IB trades with you. If you want to enter an order directly to the COB on the CBOE or ISE, with each leg there is a warning, are you sure? Then your order is billed at $1.00 per contract rather than your smart route fee. I have no problem with that fee too, as long as they tell you that is what it will cost.

I trade a lot of AAPL spreads that the NBBO is often $0.50 wide or more. If the NBBO is 5.50/6.00, I want to bid 5.60 and have it out there. IB will keep my order in their system until it lines up that it is close to executable.

1245

Thanks

whats the work around for this "holding" orders if you use IB ?

ellevers · Mar 12, 2013

Sterling 8.0 now offers spreads.

I use TOPS for spread entry. It is ok has some nice features.

surfer25 · Mar 12, 2013

Quote from silexx:

As fyi to the op, Silexx Obsidian is now available at IB, so you can trade your account at IB and utilize IB's order routing for both IB's internal spread book (guaranteed spreads) and exchange native spread books.

Disclaimer: As you can probably judge by my handle, I do work for Silexx

When you say it is available at IB, what do you mean?

comintel · Mar 12, 2013

Quote from optionbull:

Thanks

whats the work around for this "holding" orders if you use IB ?

Use directed orders, not smart routing.

trader198 · Mar 12, 2013

recently I open another account with TD to use THINKorswim, for 2months free trading. for options, they still charge $0.75 per contract.

thinkorswim is great in news/economic indicators/events. all things are printed or marked on the chart, that made me easy, I just need click on live news, I can read all news, and do not need go outside of the trading platform to read and figure out what is going on. also remind me earning time, that is great, since sometime I forget those events, enter positions before earning (I prefer to avoid that).

thinkorswim also has some option price caculation features, that makes me gauge the premium easier.

plus I like their charts. I can easily see several days or even play back bar to bar by clicking, help me undestand the market better. IB chart does not has this feature.

overrall, I prefer thinkorswim over IB tws in options/charts. but I do not like thinkorswim 's execution, they do not have CAP features like IB, if enter wrong order like size/type, they just execute it. that is very bad! particularly wrong price, or limit or stop order, execute it without any reminder!