Thoughts on Interactive Brokers vs Tradestation?

[johnny333]

If you want a fairer, more transparent game, trade the currency futures instead.

Cheers.

I can accept the challenges of the market but not an unlevel playing field. It reminds me too much of what's going on in Spore .

I've only bought & sold shares, and done FOREX. Have to admit to blowing a few Forex accounts. It's now time to go into something safer

I'm a newbie to the options/contract market which I'm exploring to minimise my risk exposure. Also need a hobby as I don't see myself queuing for 4D or TOTO

 

[johnny333]

TDwaterhouse flat fee comm is 9 d...anadian taxes even though I live in Spore :)

 

[jimmyfallon]

Trade station is the gold standard online trading platform but they have $150 monthly fee unless you have a million in the account.

I use IB and they are great for us options. The us equity market is much more competitive and thus the pricing are better and more liquid. I would never trade with a local brokerage that mark up their commission up the ying yang. I heard asian stocks, particularly chinese stocks have very low liquidity.

 

[Charlie258]

Ah, Forex!!!!! I wanted to do Forex once, but saw all my friends and family lose their shirt, pants, underwear; and in the case of ladies, their blouse, skirt, panties and bra. Got scared and decided not to touch it!!!!!!

 

[silverfox@]

Ah, Forex!!!!! I wanted to do Forex once, but saw all my friends and family lose their shirt, pants, underwear; and in the case of ladies, their blouse, skirt, panties and bra. Got scared and decided not to touch it!!!!!!

Personally having played forex before on 3 different accounts at 3 different times, I must say it is not easy. Shares and forex, forex is the only one I never make any money out of it.

Maybe it's just me, but it does not seem as easy as what those advertisements on forex seminars are promoting. So bottomline is play what you think you can win. :o

 

[johnny333]

Ah, Forex!!!!! I wanted to do Forex once, but saw all my friends and family lose their shirt, pants, underwear; and in the case of ladies, their blouse, skirt, panties and bra. Got scared and decided not to touch it!!!!!!

Recommend people stick 4D or TOTO

You might not win anything but you're making the PAP happy. Without the revenue from 4D/TOTO the PAP will surely increase one or all their taxes

 

[silverfox@]

The us equity market is much more competitive and thus the pricing are better and more liquid.

This one I agree.

SGX counters even the big boys only move at inches of $0.02 each time is just too slow after LHL changed the rules from $0.10 down to $0.02.:(

 

[johnny333]

Trade station is the gold standard online trading platform but they have $150 monthly fee unless you have a million in the account.

I use IB and they are great for us options. The us equity market is much more competitive and thus the pricing are better and more liquid. I would never trade with a local brokerage that mark up their commission up the ying yang. I heard asian stocks, particularly chinese stocks have very low liquidity.

Low liquidity is a problem in asia. I had problems selling my Malaysian shares during the "crisis" :(

Didn't IB offer one free wiring of funds per account, per month
Made the repatriating of profits more affordable. Otherwise you'd have to pay $60 for bank charges.

Tradestation is suppose to have nice graphs but I doubt it's worth $150/month

I probably open an account with IB & was curious about following:
How easy is it to learn the IB trading platform
Do you need to maintain a minimum amount of $$$ in your account?
Are there monthly charges for a low frequency trader?

 

[chuckyworld]

Do they accept non-Canadian/American customers?

I've still got an old Canadian social security number but if I use that I'll be liable for Canadian taxes even though I live in Spore

Think TDwaterhouse does have an office in Singapore.

http://www.tdwaterhouse.ie/invest/international/singapore-market.php

Buy coal stock mine has double already, my pick's are doing quiet well.

TCK-B.TO 48.39 -0.05 -0.10% bought it at 6.50.

POT.TO 142.29 -0.14 -0.10% in at 105

CCO.TO 36.38 -0.75 -2.02% CAMECO COR Watching it for draw back'

RIM.TO 58.61 +3.15 +5.68% RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED in at 50.30

SU.TO 36.33 +0.37 +1.03% SUNCOR ENERGY INC' in at 32.30

HBM.TO 17.20 +0.35 +2.08% HUDBAY MINERALS INC in 11.60

WTN.TO 7.72 +0.04 +0.52% WESTERN COAL CORP in at 3.40

ELR.TO 1.86 +0.02 +1.09% EASTERN PLATINUM LIMITED in at 1.08

MFC.TO 15.20 -0.04 -0.26% MANULIFE FIN. in at 11.70

TLM.TO 19.98 +0.04 +0.20% in at 16.00

 

[silverfox@]

Low liquidity is a problem in asia. I had problems selling my Malaysian shares during the "crisis" :(

Tradestation is suppose to have nice graphs but I doubt it's worth $150/month

Charts I have been using chartnexus and uobkayhian has that for free for acc holders though not for the us market.

Correct me if I am wrong, I don't think online brokerages have min amount to maintain in account

During a crisis, many kinds of shares are hard to sell off. Penny stocks, companies with low fundamentals. Even holding them for long term will not see much results

 

[silverfox@]

Think TDwaterhouse does have an office in Singapore.


RIM.TO 58.61 +3.15 +5.68% RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED in at 50.30

I am keen on RIM as well, but recently from some of my friends where I have been talking to, they told me some corporate companies are intending to switch blackberry platform to apple instead in their companies.

If Apple is getting more popular than RIM in the corporate industry, that is my only cause of worry if I am thinking of buying it. Any views on this?

Nokia seems to be in the dumps after posting quarters and quarters of losses, but if they are not popular, it seems that it can be bought on the cheap. Any chance of revival?Now its about $10+, does it have a chance to go back to more than $30?

Buy when there is fear?

 

[johnny333]

Buy coal stock mine has double already, my pick's are doing quiet well.

TCK-B.TO 48.39 -0.05 -0.10% bought it at 6.50.

POT.TO 142.29 -0.14 -0.10% in at 105

.......

So if one wants to participate in the commodities bull run it's easier using a Canadian broker

However must be careful of the taxes some of these companies face in Canada. As a foreigner there might be issues.

I assume you are a non-resident of Canada. When you sell these stocks, do you face any kind of Canadian taxes?

 

[chuckyworld]

So if one wants to participate in the commodities bull run it's easier using a Canadian broker

However must be careful of the taxes some of these companies face in Canada. As a foreigner there might be issues.

I assume you are a non-resident of Canada. When you sell these stocks, do you face any kind of Canadian taxes?

Sorry to disappoint you, been living in Canada for the last 20 plus years.

get a good CA it will take care of my tax planning.

Arch coal NYSE if you are interested, Encana is also good for long haul

 

[jimmyfallon]

Low liquidity is a problem in asia. I had problems selling my Malaysian shares during the "crisis" :(

Didn't IB offer one free wiring of funds per account, per month
Made the repatriating of profits more affordable. Otherwise you'd have to pay $60 for bank charges.

Tradestation is suppose to have nice graphs but I doubt it's worth $150/month

I probably open an account with IB & was curious about following:
How easy is it to learn the IB trading platform
Do you need to maintain a minimum amount of $$$ in your account?
Are there monthly charges for a low frequency trader?

IB still have one Wire free a month. You just pay about $10 at the local bank for the incoming. I have been using IB platform for years and i still havent touched the surface of all their features. I heard its hard for beginners but I like it and it works for me. I trade about 100 option contracts a month.

U should contact them for your other questions

 

[chuckyworld]

I am keen on RIM as well, but recently from some of my friends where I have been talking to, they told me some corporate companies are intending to switch blackberry platform to apple instead in their companies.

If Apple is getting more popular than RIM in the corporate industry, that is my only cause of worry if I am thinking of buying it. Any views on this?

Nokia seems to be in the dumps after posting quarters and quarters of losses, but if they are not popular, it seems that it can be bought on the cheap. Any chance of revival?Now its about $10+, does it have a chance to go back to more than $30?

Buy when there is fear?

It is all a matter of advertising, RIM has a very secure DATA, and most Biggie's are using RIM product.

I am just waiting for the run and sell it in January 2011.

I am more into Canadian mkt.

 

[chuckyworld]

The messaging feature and lower-cost phones have boosted the popularity of Research In Motion Ltd.’s BlackBerry in the developing world, making it the top smartphone brand in Latin America this year, researcher IDC says. RIM is relying on emerging markets for revenue growth as competition from Apple and Google Inc.’s Android cut into its U.S. and European sales.

While the iPhone has won market share in the U.S., its price tag of about $700 puts it out of reach for people in Mexico, Brazil, India and Indonesia, where most users prepay for mobile service because they lack the credit to qualify for contracts that offer subsidized phones.

At an America Movil SAB store in Mexico City, the Curve costs 3,339 pesos ($273) without a contract, compared with 9,359 pesos for the iPhone 4. Eighty-six percent of America Movil’s clients prepay for service, according to the carrier, Latin America’s largest.

Besides luring consumers with lower pricing, RIM has won over wireless-service providers who like the BlackBerry’s data compression, says Kevin Restivo, an analyst at IDC in Toronto.

“What RIM has done really well is create a device for all users,” he said. “RIM has some very distinct advantages that people tend to overlook, advantages that attract carriers.”

Lower Phone Bills

 

[johnny333]

Correct me if I am wrong, I don't think online brokerages have min amount to maintain in account

During a crisis, many kinds of shares are hard to sell off. Penny stocks, companies with low fundamentals. Even holding them for long term will not see much results

For Etrade, the more you have in your account, the less you pay per trade. They will also waive the fees to their more advanced trading platform if you trade more frequently.

Even Tradestation offers some perks for frequent traders. They will after all make more from you, if you trade more.

To open an account with Dukascopy required a minimum of US$50,000. Now I heard you can open one for less. The boom years are over & companies can't be that picky about their clients. Even billionaires have been hurt.

I only own the established blue chip companies of Malaysia. During the "crisis" the KLSE grounded to a stop. There were no takers because everyone wanted to hold cash. It was that bad, everyone was fearful of a global financial meltdown

 

[johnny333]

Sorry to disappoint you, been living in Canada for the last 20 plus years.

get a good CA it will take care of my tax planning.

Arch coal NYSE if you are interested, Encana is also good for long haul

I'm happy for you eh.
Canada is great place.

I still have some mutual trust investments in Altamira which I put in there 20+ years ago. I think it's made more than my CPF in Spore :(

 

[silverfox@]

It is all a matter of advertising, RIM has a very secure DATA, and most Biggie's are using RIM product.

I am just waiting for the run and sell it in January 2011.

I am more into Canadian mkt.

Yes, the secure data is a big plus and that is where I see the potential. However from what my friend told me who is working in the IT dept in a MNC company, he said quite a few of these MNCs are preparing to ditch corp BBs for Apple. I am trying to find out more, but it seems maybe their co's vested interest is in Apple so that's why.

However, secure data is their strength plus they have this new product tablet rim. Maybe they might force their way to hit the heights of over a $100 like what Apple did

 

[blueblobster]

I can accept the challenges of the market but not an unlevel playing field. It reminds me too much of what's going on in Spore .

I've only bought & sold shares, and done FOREX. Have to admit to blowing a few Forex accounts. It's now time to go into something safer

I'm a newbie to the options/contract market which I'm exploring to minimise my risk exposure. Also need a hobby as I don't see myself queuing for 4D or TOTO

If you want to trade futures and yet still minimize risks, try spreads. Slow and steady using EOD data only. Lower margins too for exchange recognized spreads.

Margin is an indication of how much risk an exchange attached to a trade. So if they allow you to reduce your margin from trading spreads, it is an acknowledgment from the exchange that the risks are lower. All said, in the worse case, you CAN lose both sides and magnify your losses.