Interactive Brokers Margin
- Thread starter Kim Klaiman
- Start date
Don't rely on help tickets with IB.
Chat with them or call them. Don't rely on a ticket, in my experience.
I had IB take 3 months to respond to a ticket. It was not an urgent matter for me, so not a big deal.
But 3 MONTHS?
That is one reason you are getting discount commissions - they have relatively lower labor costs, i.e., fewer employees per customer.
P.S. I have contacted IB only 2 or 3 times over the years.
Chat with them or call them. Don't rely on a ticket, in my experience.
I had IB take 3 months to respond to a ticket. It was not an urgent matter for me, so not a big deal.
But 3 MONTHS?
That is one reason you are getting discount commissions - they have relatively lower labor costs, i.e., fewer employees per customer.
P.S. I have contacted IB only 2 or 3 times over the years.
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I do. But this is not the problem. Please see their reply. They claimed that the Apr 1300 long put breaks the 2350/2330 credit spreads, by creating 1300/2350 credit spread (which is 1050 wide).
If a broker has a max loss of $5,000, in any circumstance whatsoever including a nuclear bomb going off, and wants more than $5,000 in margin you don't see that as an issue? You think it's the customer who is at fault? I think the real question is "What part of IB do you work in?"
So you work in IB's "customer service" department I see, where the ability to form rational thoughts is apparently optional.
I suspect that it may the problem and the service person you are in contact with misunderstands the algo used to calculate the margin. I think their algo may have turned one of you verticals to a calendar when you attempted to buy the long. It doesn't have to be logicical, but if it did you will experience a massive increase in haircut.
I suspect their algo prices calendars first and the support person may not fully understand.
This was a big problem for the industry that was identified in 2014 - before then European calendars were carried at minimum and post they carried as straight nakeds. Ask them if they treating part of a vertical as being part of a calendar. It's only a concern with European options.
It changes their perceived max loss as Not being the width of the vertical,but the risk of the calendar.
I suspect their algo prices calendars first and the support person may not fully understand.
This was a big problem for the industry that was identified in 2014 - before then European calendars were carried at minimum and post they carried as straight nakeds. Ask them if they treating part of a vertical as being part of a calendar. It's only a concern with European options.
It changes their perceived max loss as Not being the width of the vertical,but the risk of the calendar.
KK, I apologize for the delay in this response: I've thought of it a few times, but have been distracted by bright, shiny objects before I can write it. ("Squirrel!")
SO: A POSSIBLE WORK-AROUND:
given your position in the market, and
given your position as an IB customer,
why not pursue what you wish to do, with an IB sub-account??
You could probably have it set-up within an hour -- and the customer service in that regard has been pretty good in my experience.
The Implacable Algo could go pound sand, and probably with IB's willful participation.
No, it does not solve the truly flippin' idiotic margin issue.
Yes, it would (I believe) require a new tranche[!!] of capital (or, reducing available margin from the subject account) BUT YOU'RE BUYING THE DAMN PUT. So, what the hey?
Might work for you.
Sorry I kept forgetting it.
Damn shame that someone from IB didn't introduce the idea.
{Hey IB: "Hint. Hint."}
SO: A POSSIBLE WORK-AROUND:
given your position in the market, and
given your position as an IB customer,
why not pursue what you wish to do, with an IB sub-account??
You could probably have it set-up within an hour -- and the customer service in that regard has been pretty good in my experience.
The Implacable Algo could go pound sand, and probably with IB's willful participation.
No, it does not solve the truly flippin' idiotic margin issue.
Yes, it would (I believe) require a new tranche[!!] of capital (or, reducing available margin from the subject account) BUT YOU'RE BUYING THE DAMN PUT. So, what the hey?
Might work for you.
Sorry I kept forgetting it.
Damn shame that someone from IB didn't introduce the idea.
{Hey IB: "Hint. Hint."}