Quote from snackly:
Thanks for your detailed answer. I have a few questions however.
You say that there are no spreads on CME products? I don't understand that. So to buy and sell a EURUSD future (6E) the bid/ask is the same? I'm not following you.
I trade spot FX on IB's IDEALPRO, so I am not trading against a dealer book, but trading with ~13 banks that provide liquidity. That said I am trading against their aggregately hedged books, so your point is still sort of valid, although I would think IB's spot FX is much safer than any FCM broker which takes the opposite side of your trade.
But anyway, I get your point about double the leverage during intraday trading.
And I get your point about the fluctuations being different.
But you said FX futures leads the spot rate and tracks? It can't do both right? I'm not following you here either. I thought FX Futures prices were behind the spot rate and derived from it to some extent, no?
As far as deeper pockets, you're saying due to the greater leverage? Meaning its riskier in terms of the position depth vs. spot?
And finally is that volume above in the number of round lot contracts?
Sorry for all the questions, and thanks in advance for the great insight!