[IB] web-crawling in IB webtrader

[jk90029]

Speaking from experience, it's much harder to try and communicate with brokers (or indeed any organisation) through web interfaces than through provided API's.

So for example to scrape the positions from IB activity reports is much more involved than making a single API call. Also it's not a supported method. If a broker makes a slight change to their web interface you are screwed. I speak from bitter experience of writing data scrapers - days writing ugly code that worked for about a month before a website upgrade killed it. If they make a slight change to their API they will ensure it's kept backwardly compatible.

Trying to submit orders via the webtrader will be even harder. Quite apart from the fact that IB don't want you to do this, they want you to use the API, and will make it very very hard to do it any other way.

If you change brokers, it will be a lot quicker to write new API code (assuming it's properly isolated) than to write new web scrapers and order submitters.

Seriously, this is insane.

GAT

My friend already use web scraping of well-known yahoo/finance webpage, to feed current prices of 200 watchlist. (although yahoo's data is NOT realtime)
Since it is done already, hope the crucial 5 data in the original OP can be downloaded.

PLEASE note that I have to trade many broker in many country, unlike most traders here involved in SINGLE IB.
If a broker cannot give me easy/satisfactory guide, then I run away, to possibly several alternative brokers.
At least I am NOT addicted and never ever even in other brokers than IB, as well as IB.

 

[globalarbtrader]

My friend already use web scraping of well-known yahoo/finance webpage, to feed current prices of 200 watchlist. (although yahoo's data is NOT realtime)
Since it is done already, hope the crucial 5 data in the original OP can be downloaded.

PLEASE note that I have to trade many broker in many country, unlike most traders here involved in SINGLE IB.
If a broker cannot give me easy/satisfactory guide, then I run away, to possibly several alternative brokers.
At least I am NOT addicted and never ever even in other brokers than IB, as well as IB.

Sigh.

I don't understand why you use multiple brokers given that IB has the best multi country coverage of any retail broker I know (no connection, just a [mostly] satisfied customer). You seem to be intent on making your life as complicated as possible.

I'm going to stop following this thread, since you're clearly intent on ignoring my advice and I don't have time to convince you otherwise.

GAT

 

[jk90029]

Sigh.

I don't understand why you use multiple brokers given that IB has the best multi country coverage of any retail broker I know (no connection, just a [mostly] satisfied customer). You seem to be intent on making your life as complicated as possible.

I'm going to stop following this thread, since you're clearly intent on ignoring my advice and I don't have time to convince you otherwise.

GAT

In addition to commission for each brokers in many countries, there are different tax bracket.
That is another reason to possibly fly out of US.
Highest bracket in 1040 in 2015 is 39.6% as shown in https://www.irs.com/articles/2015-federal-tax-rates-personal-exemptions-and-standard-deductions , and > 10% of CA state tax in https://www.ftb.ca.gov/forms/2015_California_Tax_Rates_and_Exemptions.shtml

There are lots of things to consider, to choose country and brokers.
How can they survive after paying almost 50%(=40+10) for CA traders?

Of course, there are some states with zero state income tax, like NV, TX and WA.

 

[globalarbtrader]

In addition to commission for each brokers in many countries, there are different tax bracket.
That is another reason to possibly fly out of US.
Highest bracket in 1040 in 2015 is 39.6% as shown in https://www.irs.com/articles/2015-federal-tax-rates-personal-exemptions-and-standard-deductions , and > 10% of CA state tax in https://www.ftb.ca.gov/forms/2015_California_Tax_Rates_and_Exemptions.shtml

There are lots of things to consider, to choose country and brokers.
How can they survive after paying almost 50%(=40+10) for CA traders?

You can't (legally) avoid taxes by choosing a different broker! Your tax take is determined by where you are based, and where the asset you are trading is based.

So I live in the UK. I pay UK taxes on my worldwide earnings. Perhaps I might eventually trade in a country that doesn't have a taxation treaty with the UK, and I need to pay tax there. But where my broker's parent company is based is irrelevant, although FWIW it's the UK IB legal entity I signed an agreement with.

GAT

 

[jk90029]

You can't (legally) avoid taxes by choosing a different broker! Your tax take is determined by where you are based, and where the asset you are trading is based.

So I live in the UK. I pay UK taxes on my worldwide earnings. Perhaps I might eventually trade in a country that doesn't have a taxation treaty with the UK, and I need to pay tax there. But where my broker's parent company is based is irrelevant, although FWIW it's the UK IB legal entity I signed an agreement with.

GAT

Good to here. Probably >90% of ETers are in US based, in my estimate.
That is why I regarded you as US tax payer. Sorry for misunderstanding.

PS) Could you show me link to explain annual income tax bracket in UK?

 

[globalarbtrader]

Good to here. Probably >90% of ETers are in US based, in my estimate.
That is why I regarded you as US tax payer. Sorry for misunderstanding.

PS) Could you show me link to explain annual income tax bracket in UK?

income https://www.gov.uk/income-tax-rates/current-rates-and-allowances
capital gains (what I pay) https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...ains-tax-rates-and-annual-tax-free-allowances

Are you UK based? Or planning to move here? To reiterate, you can't take advantage of UK tax just by using a UK broker.

GAT

 

[jk90029]

[Global] BTW, let me ask one.

I heard UK is one of the few countries, that charges transaction tax for trading.

If I heard correctly, HK, China and Korea charges 0.3% for the amount of trading.
What percentage in UK (so called stampt duty?)

 

[globalarbtrader]

[Global] BTW, let me ask one.

I heard UK is one of the few countries, that charges transaction tax for trading.

If I heard correctly, HK, China and Korea charges 0.3% for the amount of trading.
What percentage in UK (so called stampt duty?)

0.5% on equities trading. One reason I trade futures.

That tax, of course, is payable regardless of where you or your broker is based.

GAT

 

[jk90029]

income https://www.gov.uk/income-tax-rates/current-rates-and-allowances
capital gains (what I pay) https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...ains-tax-rates-and-annual-tax-free-allowances

Are you UK based? Or planning to move here? To reiterate, you can't take advantage of UK tax just by using a UK broker.

GAT

Thanks for the link. Hope to avoid any county with >40% for income.

Someone compare tax rate of each countries and recommended Latvia and others (tax-wise) in some other posting many years ago.

 

[jk90029]

0.5% on equities trading. One reason I trade futures.

That tax, of course, is payable regardless of where you or your broker is based.

GAT

0.5% in UK might be the highest so far. (China 0.1% and HK and Korea 0.3% if I heard correctly)


For example, if you trade any UK equity (no matter where you lives and no matter which broker you use), say roughly everyday buy/sell with initial seed. then it takes less than a year to accumulate tax amount bigger than initial seed. (0.5*200=100) Probably there exists some suckers in UK, who pay 0.5% and 45%.