Quote from dj8899:
In relation to this point, I as the following question:
When you trade an EFP with IB, is the EFP it's own contract? In other words do you actually buy stock and sell the SSF, or do you just buy and sell the EFP only.
If you sell (buy) an EFP, you buy (sell) stock and sell (buy) an SSF. EFP means that you do both at the same time, as part of the same "combination order", and that you and your counter-party simultaneously agree on one price to cover both legs of the transaction at the same time. You do this because it is far less expensive and far less risky than trying to execute the two legs separately.