Quote from MoneyMatthew:
I've never traded with a prop firm before so this is going to sound like an ultra newb question.
Can buying power with a prop firm be spread across multiple positions intraday as if it were your own cash?
In a regular non PDT retail margin account your 2 to 1 BP can only go towards one position essentially. Let me give you an example:
Lets say you put up the minimum $2K in a retail margin account. Now you have $4K buying power. You could not however establish 4 seperate $1K positions across 4 different stocks with your BP.
Prop firm buying power is different right? If I have $50K BP Intraday with a prop firm then I can use that to hold multiple positions across multiple stocks unlike retail BP?
The buying power restrictions from retail pdt do not apply. In our case, a trader with $20k or so, might have 20 different stocks, against an ETF or something of $20k each or similar. We just look at your equity, and try to keep you from going crazy, LOL. Sure, it's better, common sense, to have the risk spread across multiple symbols. We don't like to see too much in the way of "specific risk" (several terms for this, basically having too much risk in one symbol) of course.
Some of our guys might use several $million, with a $million in his account. We would prefer to see dozens of positions vs. the "all eggs in one basket" type of thing. But, again, that's just common sense, which, as they say, "ain't so common sometimes."
Just think of professional trading as a business, you are running it with the support of your "bank" in our case, Bright Trading and Goldman Sachs.
Don't over-think this guys, really, it's a very simple business model, and works for many. AND, "not for everyone" as with any business venture.
All the best, and btw, I'll get to the PM's soon. Emails should go to:
donbright@brighttrading.net - probably a quicker response. Mention ET if you would, thanks.
Have a good evening everyone, need to head out for a while.
edit: props and thanks to everyone for helping out with the questions here. Rob Morse, Evo, Mav, Lucias (oops, starting to sound like the Grammy's LOL).
Oh yeah, do me a favor, check out:
www.premarketinfo.com - run by one of my best guys, Dennis. Long time successful trader with us, CFA, and he keeps his hand on the pulse of the business. Tell him Don sent you, LOL. Seriously, good and helpful info.
Don