Waw,
There is nothing wrong with market orders trading spoos when you are going for a decent move. However, when scalping, that is a bad mistake. Even though the slippage is often "less" with a market order as opposed to a limit order, remember that will only be the case when the momentum is going against you and your order happens to go in at the moment the spoos step down (in the case where you want to buy.) When the bid/ask are just sitting there, you will pay the spread. So even though it may seem like sometimes you are getting a better price, you are, but only at the OTHER price of having them go against you. I don't know about you, but I would rather pay 981.25, and have the bid step up to 981.25, then to pay 981.00 and have the offer step down to 981.00.
Market orders are not the way to go when "scalping." In fact, it is nearly impossible to "scalp" spoos without:
a) getting to the FIFO list early - that means anticipating where you want to get in _early_ This is nearly impossible to do without software that is constantly helping you do this.
b) having your comissions be so compressed that the cost of getting in and out is negligeble.
As the E-MINIS mature and the MERC and others fight for the volume of traders, b) will start to come down. THEN it will be heaven, assuming the ranges are like they are today and there is movement.
nitro
There is nothing wrong with market orders trading spoos when you are going for a decent move. However, when scalping, that is a bad mistake. Even though the slippage is often "less" with a market order as opposed to a limit order, remember that will only be the case when the momentum is going against you and your order happens to go in at the moment the spoos step down (in the case where you want to buy.) When the bid/ask are just sitting there, you will pay the spread. So even though it may seem like sometimes you are getting a better price, you are, but only at the OTHER price of having them go against you. I don't know about you, but I would rather pay 981.25, and have the bid step up to 981.25, then to pay 981.00 and have the offer step down to 981.00.
Market orders are not the way to go when "scalping." In fact, it is nearly impossible to "scalp" spoos without:
a) getting to the FIFO list early - that means anticipating where you want to get in _early_ This is nearly impossible to do without software that is constantly helping you do this.
b) having your comissions be so compressed that the cost of getting in and out is negligeble.
As the E-MINIS mature and the MERC and others fight for the volume of traders, b) will start to come down. THEN it will be heaven, assuming the ranges are like they are today and there is movement.
nitro
Quote from DT-waw:
alfonso,
I think your method of calculating slippage (when using market orders) overestimates it. Last trade price is either at bid or ask. So, 1/2 of your trades should have zero slippage, while other half - slippage = spread. That's why my calculations assume 0.25 / round turn.
Do you think extensive processing power has something to do with trading? I'm not sure I get your metaphor "CPU which runs on BrainOS", because computers have more processing power than human brains. I'm several times confused! I wouldn't say your brain was made by GOD, Mr. Scientist
BTW: you were born in 1981?