Is Ib Still The Best Deal????

Quote from nitro:

Not even close for retail traders - Genesis.

However, I am not sure that the rates they advertised a while back on ET are still being offered today. You have to negotiate with Serge.

Being able to get .005 per share for all shares today should be the norm for a competitive firm even for small volume. If you get licensed and go to a pro firm and do decent volume, getting down to .004 or even .002 per share is not unheard of.


IB's $1.00 for all shares up to 500 is well below average now. The .005 for shares after 500 is a little above average. In short, IB is at best average today in stock comissions, and well below average in US SIFs comissions, and smart firms are taking market share away from them slowly.

nitro

Commission wise they may be better ...I actually looked into genesis but they had a small short list compared to IB... I listed is on another thread here on ET...

I need a large short list because I basket trade shorts ... All the other brokers seem to have a smaller list...

Nick
 
Quote from NKNY:

Commission wise they may be better ...I actually looked into genesis but they had a small short list compared to IB... I listed is on another thread here on ET...

I need a large short list because I basket trade shorts ... All the other brokers seem to have a smaller list...

Nick
Even with the new stocks added to the no uptick rule?

nitro
 
Quote from nitro:

Hi hoodooman,

That is strange. While I agree that Genesis employess seem to be out smoking a large percentage of their day, I have always been able to reach an operator. Don't thake this to mean that I don't believe what happened to you - I do.

Here is what I recommend. Talk to Ross Siegel at

http://www.avidustrading.com/

These guys are somehow tied to Genesis and will honor any rates that Genesis may offer. Their retail side is also SIPC, but always do your diligent homework. They seem legit and are local to me.

I do know that the level of service you get is very tied to the comission you pay. If you want rock bottom comission, you get little or no service. If you want a human being on call, you have to pay a higher comission.

A great compromise between those two extremes exist, and IB used to be it. Now firms like RedSky Securities http://www.redskysecurities.com (talk to Stefano Durdic) sit somewhere between IB and Genesis in the spectrum of service vs comissions. And others are popping up all the time.

nitro

Redsky is supposed to be ok with shorts as well...so Ive heard...They clear through SWS or if you deposit 30,000 or more you could have your account clear through ML...

I was going to try them but they do not have basket capability built in to their software yet....And I Cant see my self entering all my symbols one by one when I need to get in...lol

Nick
 
Quote from nitro:

Even with the new stocks added to the no uptick rule?

nitro

Here is the published short list for genesis... http://www.gndt.com/support/shortlist.htm

I counted 3997 shorts.... IB was at 5904


Check out the thread http://www.elitetrader.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&postid=775517&highlight=shorting#post775517

EDIT..I like more shorts because I come up with some smaller issues to short when I run my screens... people who stick with larger issues may not have a problem...

It all depends how you trade and what your needs are...


Nick
 
Quote from hoodooman:

Hi Nitro

I had to close my IB account because I got locked out of the TWS and couldn't get back in until I upgraded my operating system.


Yes, Windows 95 is a bit long in the tooth.
 
Quote from NKNY:

Redsky is supposed to be ok with shorts as well...so Ive heard...They clear through SWS or if you deposit 30,000 or more you could have your account clear through ML...

I was going to try them but they do not have basket capability built in to their software yet....And I Cant see my self entering all my symbols one by one when I need to get in...lol

Nick
Writing a custom basket program to interface to their API would take me a day of programming work. Don't let things like that stop you from using a good broker.

nitro
 
Quote from NKNY:

Here is the published short list for genesis... http://www.gndt.com/support/shortlist.htm

I counted 3997 shorts.... IB was at 5904


Check out the thread http://www.elitetrader.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&postid=775517&highlight=shorting#post775517

EDIT..I like more shorts because I come up with some smaller issues to short when I run my screens... people who stick with larger issues may not have a problem...

It all depends how you trade and what your needs are...


Nick

IC.

nitro
 
All this talk about RedSky has piqued my curiosity about them, especially when thinking about an IB replacement.

1). No platform fees.
2). API.
3). Insured Futures accounts (I thought IB was the only one able to offer this until now. A biggie for those with larger than the bog standard $5K Futures accounts).
4). In a thread a little while back, RedSkyS (one of the firm's principals if memory serves) impressed me with his conduct.
5). They are not self-clearing (believe it or not, in my book this is a good thing). Hence it looks like you have a choice to go with some of the big name firms (Goldman. Morgan Stanley, ML, Bear Stearns, CSFB, etc) for clearing - again a big issue if you have a decent size account.

Might have to check them out me thinks...

Thanks for the heads up on RedSky Nitro.

BTW, I'm curious as to why there are no reviews for RedSky. Is it because the majority of people here aren't able to meet their minimum requirements to open a Futures (or Stocks/Options) account? Does anyone know what these are (if I was to check them out, I'll open a small account at first)?

Cheers EQ.
 
Quote from nitro:

Depends on what you trade...

nitro

and how many shares at a time

if you trade 100 shares of stock = $1
if you trade 10k shares of stock = $52.50
if you trade 30k shares of stock = $152.50

so it depends:)
 
i've been with ib many years and now i really only trade a few futures and the rest options with them. there option rates and fills and are second to none. there futures rates are ok but a heavy vol futures trader can find much better rates but of course your money won't be insured. but with many other futures vendors the margins are much lower at $500 a contract so 10k can control 20 contracts which is enough for most trader. there stock commissions are back in the stone ages. i eman $1 per hundred is terrible and it's what many brojers charged 5 years ago. i mean huge stodgey cybertrader is .006 a share. he only reason i can see anyone would use ib for stocks is at times there smart order fills fast but many times they now hold the market orders. also i find ib's order entry system for stocks very cumbersome. jsut as any other broker ib is good in some area's and not so good in others thats why most people have sveral accounts
 
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