Here's some time and sales data from eSignal on TFZ8:
These are transactions from this afternoon, Sept 16, 2008:
080916, 151658, 705.7, 4
080916, 151725, 706.1, 2
080916, 151805, 707.4, 1
080916, 151811, 707.5, 4
080916, 151811, 707.5, 1
080916, 151839, 707.6, 2
4 contracts traded at 15:16:48
27 secs of no transactions
2 contracts traded at 15:17:25
40 secs of no transactions
1 contract traded at 15:18:05
6 secs of no transactions
5 contracts traded at 15:18:11
28 secs of no transactions
2 contracts traded at 15:18:39
Total of 14 contracts traded in 1 min 41 secs with huge time gaps between 3 of the 6 transactions.
Between 15:16:58 and 15:18:39 on Sept 16, 2004, the CME's ER2 had 304 transactions, 574 contracts traded and the largest gap between transactions was 4 secs but I only saw one of those and several 2 and 3 sec gaps. The rest were 1 sec apart and had no slippage in price greater than 1 tick.
One last check. Look at the EMD, a very lightly traded e-mini for years in comparison to the ER2.
Between 15:16:58 and 15:18:39 on Sept 16, 2008, the EMD had 181 transactions, 220 contracts traded and the largest gap between transactions was 7 secs, but mostly a steady stream of 1 and 2 contracts being traded in 1 sec intervals.
Rawfist, you don't see a problem because you haven't been doing your homework. You haven't been constantly watching the ticks go by on the TFZ8 since the Thursday rollover because it's not been your exclusive job to trade the ER2 for 4 years.
But, don't listen to me. I don't know squat, right? Just ignore this warning and go and put YOUR money on the line trading the TFZ8. I'd like to be there when you place your trade and watch your face turn white as you stare at the last price not move for 30-45 secs with not even 1 trader coming in to move the market for you and, when he does, it's 6 ticks to the negative of your entry on only 1 contract.
These are transactions from this afternoon, Sept 16, 2008:
080916, 151658, 705.7, 4
080916, 151725, 706.1, 2
080916, 151805, 707.4, 1
080916, 151811, 707.5, 4
080916, 151811, 707.5, 1
080916, 151839, 707.6, 2
4 contracts traded at 15:16:48
27 secs of no transactions
2 contracts traded at 15:17:25
40 secs of no transactions
1 contract traded at 15:18:05
6 secs of no transactions
5 contracts traded at 15:18:11
28 secs of no transactions
2 contracts traded at 15:18:39
Total of 14 contracts traded in 1 min 41 secs with huge time gaps between 3 of the 6 transactions.
Between 15:16:58 and 15:18:39 on Sept 16, 2004, the CME's ER2 had 304 transactions, 574 contracts traded and the largest gap between transactions was 4 secs but I only saw one of those and several 2 and 3 sec gaps. The rest were 1 sec apart and had no slippage in price greater than 1 tick.
One last check. Look at the EMD, a very lightly traded e-mini for years in comparison to the ER2.
Between 15:16:58 and 15:18:39 on Sept 16, 2008, the EMD had 181 transactions, 220 contracts traded and the largest gap between transactions was 7 secs, but mostly a steady stream of 1 and 2 contracts being traded in 1 sec intervals.
Rawfist, you don't see a problem because you haven't been doing your homework. You haven't been constantly watching the ticks go by on the TFZ8 since the Thursday rollover because it's not been your exclusive job to trade the ER2 for 4 years.
But, don't listen to me. I don't know squat, right? Just ignore this warning and go and put YOUR money on the line trading the TFZ8. I'd like to be there when you place your trade and watch your face turn white as you stare at the last price not move for 30-45 secs with not even 1 trader coming in to move the market for you and, when he does, it's 6 ticks to the negative of your entry on only 1 contract.