I've reviewed some of the most popular Futures Brokers available to retail traders and rated them based on Commission. Finding the best broker based on commission should be one of the top factors you have when selecting your broker, because you can save you thousands of dollars per year by choosing the right one. I've put together a table comparing each broker based on their "advertised" commissions. Some brokers are negotiable in their commission rates, so be sure to call the broker your interested in before making the final decision. Remember, Commissions alone should not be your sole determining factor in choosing your broker, you should also consider data feed speed and reliability as well as the trading platform offered in which you will be placing your trades on.
Tuesday 7 December 2010
Best futures Broker Based on Commissions, Data Feed, and Trading Platform
I've reviewed some of the most popular Futures Brokers available to retail traders and rated them based on Commission. Finding the best broker based on commission should be one of the top factors you have when selecting your broker, because you can save you thousands of dollars per year by choosing the right one. I've put together a table comparing each broker based on their "advertised" commissions. Some brokers are negotiable in their commission rates, so be sure to call the broker your interested in before making the final decision. Remember, Commissions alone should not be your sole determining factor in choosing your broker, you should also consider data feed speed and reliability as well as the trading platform offered in which you will be placing your trades on.
Thursday 21 October 2010
Video on How to Read the Time and Sales
A live trade setup from the chat room today showing what the time and sales should look like on a breakout trade for the Dow emini futures (YM).
Video on How to Read the Time and Sales
A live trade setup from the chat room today showing what the time and sales should look like on a breakout trade for the Dow emini futures (YM).
Saturday 16 October 2010
Rithmic Data Feed (Optimus Futures) vs InteractiveBrokers
In this video I go over the Rithmic data feed and how it is one of the fastest data feeds available for futures traders. I compare Rithmic vs Interactive Brokers data feed and detail the strength and weaknesses of both.
Rithmic Data Feed (Optimus Futures) vs InteractiveBrokers
In this video I go over the Rithmic data feed and how it is one of the fastest data feeds available for futures traders. I compare Rithmic vs Interactive Brokers data feed and detail the strength and weaknesses of both.
Wednesday 13 October 2010
Automated Trade System From NinjaTrader to Bracket Trader to Interactive Brokers
This is a Video I made showing automated trades being sent from NinjaTrader to Bracket Trader to Interactive Brokers
Automated Trade System From NinjaTrader to Bracket Trader to Interactive Brokers
This is a Video I made showing automated trades being sent from NinjaTrader to Bracket Trader to Interactive Brokers
How to Setup an Automated Trade System From NinjaTrader to ZeroLine Trader
There are several reasons why someone might want to use ZeroLine Trader over NinjaTraders built in Trade Management software. You may like Zeroline Trader's trade management software over Ninjatraders ATM software because it is easy to use and you can customize your strategies in Zeroline Trader to your liking. You may also be using Zeroline Trader over NinjaTrader because you don't want to pay to have to use NinjaTrader but you like the charts and strategies that you've designed. Many people will install NinjaTrader and develop an automated trade system but never go live with it because of the extra fee's it costs to use NinjaTraders Trade management software. If you are client of Interactive Brokers there is a simple way around those fees by using another 3rd party application to manage the trade like ZeroLine Trader.
What you can do is setup an automated trade system in NinjaTrader and instead of using NinjaTrader trade management software, you send an email out to ZeroLine Trader to place the trade for you, and then ZeroLine Trader sends the order to Interactive Brokers. Using the Perl script I've written, and with a little bit of coding, this is a very simple setup and gives you a fully functional automated trade system for Ninjatrader through Interactive Brokers without the extra cost of having to own Ninjatrader or pay the extra cost for placing each trade. Having the automated trade system run directly through Ninjatrader to Interactive Brokers will be slightly faster and may be slightly easier to setup; however, using ZeroLine Trader as a middleman to save on the extra fee's may be worth it.
Here are the Downloads you will need-
NinjaTrader
Charting and Trading Platform
ZeroLine Trader - Trade Management Software
Mailenable - Free Mail Server
ActiveState Perl - Free Scripting Software
HPT's ZeroLine Trader Perl Script - An email client that checks your email and enters a trade into ZeroLine Trader when a new alert is found in NinjaTrader
Interactive Broker’s TWS Demo - A Free Demo account with Interactive Brokers
Visual C++ 2005 from Microsoft -This is software required by the InteractiveBrokers API to register properly
What you can do is setup an automated trade system in NinjaTrader and instead of using NinjaTrader trade management software, you send an email out to ZeroLine Trader to place the trade for you, and then ZeroLine Trader sends the order to Interactive Brokers. Using the Perl script I've written, and with a little bit of coding, this is a very simple setup and gives you a fully functional automated trade system for Ninjatrader through Interactive Brokers without the extra cost of having to own Ninjatrader or pay the extra cost for placing each trade. Having the automated trade system run directly through Ninjatrader to Interactive Brokers will be slightly faster and may be slightly easier to setup; however, using ZeroLine Trader as a middleman to save on the extra fee's may be worth it.
Here are the Downloads you will need-
Charting and Trading Platform
How to Setup an Automated Trade System From NinjaTrader to ZeroLine Trader
There are several reasons why someone might want to use ZeroLine Trader over NinjaTraders built in Trade Management software. You may like Zeroline Trader's trade management software over Ninjatraders ATM software because it is easy to use and you can customize your strategies in Zeroline Trader to your liking. You may also be using Zeroline Trader over NinjaTrader because you don't want to pay to have to use NinjaTrader but you like the charts and strategies that you've designed. Many people will install NinjaTrader and develop an automated trade system but never go live with it because of the extra fee's it costs to use NinjaTraders Trade management software. If you are client of Interactive Brokers there is a simple way around those fees by using another 3rd party application to manage the trade like ZeroLine Trader.
What you can do is setup an automated trade system in NinjaTrader and instead of using NinjaTrader trade management software, you send an email out to ZeroLine Trader to place the trade for you, and then ZeroLine Trader sends the order to Interactive Brokers. Using the Perl script I've written, and with a little bit of coding, this is a very simple setup and gives you a fully functional automated trade system for Ninjatrader through Interactive Brokers without the extra cost of having to own Ninjatrader or pay the extra cost for placing each trade. Having the automated trade system run directly through Ninjatrader to Interactive Brokers will be slightly faster and may be slightly easier to setup; however, using ZeroLine Trader as a middleman to save on the extra fee's may be worth it.
Here are the Downloads you will need-
NinjaTrader
Charting and Trading Platform
ZeroLine Trader - Trade Management Software
Mailenable - Free Mail Server
ActiveState Perl - Free Scripting Software
HPT's ZeroLine Trader Perl Script - An email client that checks your email and enters a trade into ZeroLine Trader when a new alert is found in NinjaTrader
Interactive Broker’s TWS Demo - A Free Demo account with Interactive Brokers
Visual C++ 2005 from Microsoft -This is software required by the InteractiveBrokers API to register properly
What you can do is setup an automated trade system in NinjaTrader and instead of using NinjaTrader trade management software, you send an email out to ZeroLine Trader to place the trade for you, and then ZeroLine Trader sends the order to Interactive Brokers. Using the Perl script I've written, and with a little bit of coding, this is a very simple setup and gives you a fully functional automated trade system for Ninjatrader through Interactive Brokers without the extra cost of having to own Ninjatrader or pay the extra cost for placing each trade. Having the automated trade system run directly through Ninjatrader to Interactive Brokers will be slightly faster and may be slightly easier to setup; however, using ZeroLine Trader as a middleman to save on the extra fee's may be worth it.
Here are the Downloads you will need-
Charting and Trading Platform
Monday 11 October 2010
QuoteTracker to ZeroLine Trader Automated Trade System
I have written a perl script which enables you to make automated trades based off of signals generated in Quotetracker.(Thanks to Boogster for the original script)
This automated Trade System works the same way my Bracket Trader Automated System for QuoteTracker works, so I have made 1 video detailing how to setup Zeroline Trader to enable automated trades. I Like Zeroline Trader over Bracket Trader for the Automated Trade system because Zeroline Trader has more options to configure strategies and you can setup the automated trade system to trade multiple symbols very easily.
Here are some Tips-
Make Sure your Page is named "Futures" in ZeroLine Trader and your email template is setup to trade the Contract based on the Data Row ID in ZeroLine Trader
How to setup the Order Email template in QuoteTracker-
For reference on how to setup the ATS, you may want to watch my other videos.
Boogster made a very detailed post on how to make an ATS and I decided to make a tutorial video following his guide. If you have a broker that accepts API connections like Interactive Brokers, then you can make this Automated Trading System for Free. Here are the downloads you'll need-
Medved Quotetracker - Free Charting Software
ZeroLine Trader - Trade Management Software
Mailenable - Free Mail Server
ActiveState Perl - Free Scripting Software
HPT's ZeroLine Trader Perl Script - An email client that checks your email and enters a trade into ZeroLine Trader when a new alert is found in QuoteTracker
Interactive Broker’s TWS Demo - A Free Demo account with Interactive Brokers
Visual C++ 2005 from Microsoft -This is software required by the InteractiveBrokers API to register properly
The Videos below were made as a tutorial for setting up QuoteTracker to Bracket Trader as a complete Tutorial. If you had trouble getting the ATS to work for ZeroLine Trader, these other Tutorial videos I made for Bracket Trader ATS may help you, as the only difference between the ATS between the two applications is the Order configuration and Perl Script. The old Perl Script used for BracketTrader will not work for ZeroLine Trader, you must download the new one above.
HPT's ATS Tutorial Part 1 - Downloading Software Setup
Part 2 - Installing and Configuring software
Part 3 - Setting up Quotetracker & ATS Email Tempelate
Part 4 - Bracket Trader Setup & Live Trade
Part 5 - ATS Exit Signals & IB Demo Account
Example of ATS Exit signal working
I would like to give a special thanks to Boogster for his work on the ATS perl script, Jerry for his awesome charting software QuoteTracker, and Hong for his excellent Trade Management software ZeroLine Trader.
This automated Trade System works the same way my Bracket Trader Automated System for QuoteTracker works, so I have made 1 video detailing how to setup Zeroline Trader to enable automated trades. I Like Zeroline Trader over Bracket Trader for the Automated Trade system because Zeroline Trader has more options to configure strategies and you can setup the automated trade system to trade multiple symbols very easily.
Here are some Tips-
Make Sure your Page is named "Futures" in ZeroLine Trader and your email template is setup to trade the Contract based on the Data Row ID in ZeroLine Trader
How to setup the Order Email template in QuoteTracker-
For reference on how to setup the ATS, you may want to watch my other videos.
Boogster made a very detailed post on how to make an ATS and I decided to make a tutorial video following his guide. If you have a broker that accepts API connections like Interactive Brokers, then you can make this Automated Trading System for Free. Here are the downloads you'll need-
The Videos below were made as a tutorial for setting up QuoteTracker to Bracket Trader as a complete Tutorial. If you had trouble getting the ATS to work for ZeroLine Trader, these other Tutorial videos I made for Bracket Trader ATS may help you, as the only difference between the ATS between the two applications is the Order configuration and Perl Script. The old Perl Script used for BracketTrader will not work for ZeroLine Trader, you must download the new one above.
HPT's ATS Tutorial Part 1 - Downloading Software Setup
Part 2 - Installing and Configuring software
Part 3 - Setting up Quotetracker & ATS Email Tempelate
Part 4 - Bracket Trader Setup & Live Trade
Part 5 - ATS Exit Signals & IB Demo Account
Example of ATS Exit signal working
I would like to give a special thanks to Boogster for his work on the ATS perl script, Jerry for his awesome charting software QuoteTracker, and Hong for his excellent Trade Management software ZeroLine Trader.
QuoteTracker to ZeroLine Trader Automated Trade System
I have written a perl script which enables you to make automated trades based off of signals generated in Quotetracker.(Thanks to Boogster for the original script)
This automated Trade System works the same way my Bracket Trader Automated System for QuoteTracker works, so I have made 1 video detailing how to setup Zeroline Trader to enable automated trades. I Like Zeroline Trader over Bracket Trader for the Automated Trade system because Zeroline Trader has more options to configure strategies and you can setup the automated trade system to trade multiple symbols very easily.
Here are some Tips-
Make Sure your Page is named "Futures" in ZeroLine Trader and your email template is setup to trade the Contract based on the Data Row ID in ZeroLine Trader
How to setup the Order Email template in QuoteTracker-
For reference on how to setup the ATS, you may want to watch my other videos.
Boogster made a very detailed post on how to make an ATS and I decided to make a tutorial video following his guide. If you have a broker that accepts API connections like Interactive Brokers, then you can make this Automated Trading System for Free. Here are the downloads you'll need-
Medved Quotetracker - Free Charting Software
ZeroLine Trader - Trade Management Software
Mailenable - Free Mail Server
ActiveState Perl - Free Scripting Software
HPT's ZeroLine Trader Perl Script - An email client that checks your email and enters a trade into ZeroLine Trader when a new alert is found in QuoteTracker
Interactive Broker’s TWS Demo - A Free Demo account with Interactive Brokers
Visual C++ 2005 from Microsoft -This is software required by the InteractiveBrokers API to register properly
The Videos below were made as a tutorial for setting up QuoteTracker to Bracket Trader as a complete Tutorial. If you had trouble getting the ATS to work for ZeroLine Trader, these other Tutorial videos I made for Bracket Trader ATS may help you, as the only difference between the ATS between the two applications is the Order configuration and Perl Script. The old Perl Script used for BracketTrader will not work for ZeroLine Trader, you must download the new one above.
HPT's ATS Tutorial Part 1 - Downloading Software Setup
Part 2 - Installing and Configuring software
Part 3 - Setting up Quotetracker & ATS Email Tempelate
Part 4 - Bracket Trader Setup & Live Trade
Part 5 - ATS Exit Signals & IB Demo Account
Example of ATS Exit signal working
I would like to give a special thanks to Boogster for his work on the ATS perl script, Jerry for his awesome charting software QuoteTracker, and Hong for his excellent Trade Management software ZeroLine Trader.
This automated Trade System works the same way my Bracket Trader Automated System for QuoteTracker works, so I have made 1 video detailing how to setup Zeroline Trader to enable automated trades. I Like Zeroline Trader over Bracket Trader for the Automated Trade system because Zeroline Trader has more options to configure strategies and you can setup the automated trade system to trade multiple symbols very easily.
Here are some Tips-
Make Sure your Page is named "Futures" in ZeroLine Trader and your email template is setup to trade the Contract based on the Data Row ID in ZeroLine Trader
How to setup the Order Email template in QuoteTracker-
For reference on how to setup the ATS, you may want to watch my other videos.
Boogster made a very detailed post on how to make an ATS and I decided to make a tutorial video following his guide. If you have a broker that accepts API connections like Interactive Brokers, then you can make this Automated Trading System for Free. Here are the downloads you'll need-
The Videos below were made as a tutorial for setting up QuoteTracker to Bracket Trader as a complete Tutorial. If you had trouble getting the ATS to work for ZeroLine Trader, these other Tutorial videos I made for Bracket Trader ATS may help you, as the only difference between the ATS between the two applications is the Order configuration and Perl Script. The old Perl Script used for BracketTrader will not work for ZeroLine Trader, you must download the new one above.
HPT's ATS Tutorial Part 1 - Downloading Software Setup
Part 2 - Installing and Configuring software
Part 3 - Setting up Quotetracker & ATS Email Tempelate
Part 4 - Bracket Trader Setup & Live Trade
Part 5 - ATS Exit Signals & IB Demo Account
Example of ATS Exit signal working
I would like to give a special thanks to Boogster for his work on the ATS perl script, Jerry for his awesome charting software QuoteTracker, and Hong for his excellent Trade Management software ZeroLine Trader.
Wednesday 29 September 2010
Interactive Brokers Data Feed vs. Optimus Futures Rithmic Data Feed Video
This video is comparing IB's data feed vs. Rithmic data feed from Optimus Futures brokerage. IB's data feed is down on ICE, and Rithmic is working as usual.
Interactive Brokers Data Feed vs. Optimus Futures Rithmic Data Feed Video
This video is comparing IB's data feed vs. Rithmic data feed from Optimus Futures brokerage. IB's data feed is down on ICE, and Rithmic is working as usual.
Tuesday 28 September 2010
MY TF chart with signals
The first 11 charts is 1 day of TF on a 10 tick chart.
10 tick chart
20 tick chart
30 sec chart
10 tick chart
MY TF chart with signals
The first 11 charts is 1 day of TF on a 10 tick chart.
10 tick chart
20 tick chart
30 sec chart
10 tick chart
Saturday 18 September 2010
Correlation Trader vs. Signal Trader
Crude Oil Correlation vs AUD/JPY & AUD/USD
Crude Oil Signals
Correlations only work until they don't. Friday, we saw Crude Oil get crushed. I made the mistake of basing my trades off the correlation of AUD/USD, AUD/JPY vs Crude Oil. This trade idea may work on a longer term basis(several Days), but I am a Day Trader, and I need to stick to what works for me, and right now, trading signals on a minute to minute basis and using stops has been working fabulously.
Crude Oil Signals
Correlations only work until they don't. Friday, we saw Crude Oil get crushed. I made the mistake of basing my trades off the correlation of AUD/USD, AUD/JPY vs Crude Oil. This trade idea may work on a longer term basis(several Days), but I am a Day Trader, and I need to stick to what works for me, and right now, trading signals on a minute to minute basis and using stops has been working fabulously.
Correlation Trader vs. Signal Trader
Crude Oil Correlation vs AUD/JPY & AUD/USD
Crude Oil Signals
Correlations only work until they don't. Friday, we saw Crude Oil get crushed. I made the mistake of basing my trades off the correlation of AUD/USD, AUD/JPY vs Crude Oil. This trade idea may work on a longer term basis(several Days), but I am a Day Trader, and I need to stick to what works for me, and right now, trading signals on a minute to minute basis and using stops has been working fabulously.
Crude Oil Signals
Correlations only work until they don't. Friday, we saw Crude Oil get crushed. I made the mistake of basing my trades off the correlation of AUD/USD, AUD/JPY vs Crude Oil. This trade idea may work on a longer term basis(several Days), but I am a Day Trader, and I need to stick to what works for me, and right now, trading signals on a minute to minute basis and using stops has been working fabulously.
Thursday 2 September 2010
Crude Oil Intermarket Correlation vs AUD.JPY & Intraday Trend Analysis
As you can see from the charts, Crude Oil and the AUD/JPY have been highly correlated as of late. We see Crude as a buy when it is oversold relative to AUD/JPY and Crude as a sell when overbought relative to AUD/JPY.
In this chart you can see how AUD/USD put in a higher low when AUD/JPY & Crude Oil were putting in a low for the day, suggesting a bullish divergence.
A common theme intraday for Crude Oil has been a second initiation in buying/selling in the direction of VWAP around 1 to 1:30pm EST, with a close near the low/high of day.(Please note my charts are Pacific time- Add 3hrs for EST)
In this chart you can see how AUD/USD put in a higher low when AUD/JPY & Crude Oil were putting in a low for the day, suggesting a bullish divergence.
A common theme intraday for Crude Oil has been a second initiation in buying/selling in the direction of VWAP around 1 to 1:30pm EST, with a close near the low/high of day.(Please note my charts are Pacific time- Add 3hrs for EST)
Crude Oil Intermarket Correlation vs AUD.JPY & Intraday Trend Analysis
As you can see from the charts, Crude Oil and the AUD/JPY have been highly correlated as of late. We see Crude as a buy when it is oversold relative to AUD/JPY and Crude as a sell when overbought relative to AUD/JPY.
In this chart you can see how AUD/USD put in a higher low when AUD/JPY & Crude Oil were putting in a low for the day, suggesting a bullish divergence.
A common theme intraday for Crude Oil has been a second initiation in buying/selling in the direction of VWAP around 1 to 1:30pm EST, with a close near the low/high of day.(Please note my charts are Pacific time- Add 3hrs for EST)
In this chart you can see how AUD/USD put in a higher low when AUD/JPY & Crude Oil were putting in a low for the day, suggesting a bullish divergence.
A common theme intraday for Crude Oil has been a second initiation in buying/selling in the direction of VWAP around 1 to 1:30pm EST, with a close near the low/high of day.(Please note my charts are Pacific time- Add 3hrs for EST)
Sunday 22 August 2010
AUD/JPY Carry Trade and SP500 Correlation
There is a high correlation between the SP500 and AUD/JPY and also AUD/USD.
This chart shows SPY(SP500 vs AUD/JPY)
Australia's elections over the weekend has resulted in hung parliament, which will take some time to resolve once all the votes are counted. With Issues in Australia over elections we might see AUD/JPY selling (risk aversion/unwinding carry trade) and this will help the bears bring the SP500 down. We are also seeing continued strength in the USD/JPY and Treasuries which has caused weakness in Crude Oil and Copper due to the inverse correlation relationship. (Crude Oil and Metals like copper have high correlation to AUD/USD, CAD/USD, and NZD/USD).
The bear scenario for next week-
SELLING IN-AUD/JPY, CAD/JPY SP500, Crude Oil, and Copper
BUYING IN- JPY vs all currencies, 30yr bonds, and VIX
Here are some old Intermarket Correlation resources from ForexAutomaton the period 2002-2008-
Here are some links that look at Currency Correlation of the AUD/JPY vs SP500 and the current state of 30 year treasuries-
This chart shows SPY(SP500 vs AUD/JPY)
Australia's elections over the weekend has resulted in hung parliament, which will take some time to resolve once all the votes are counted. With Issues in Australia over elections we might see AUD/JPY selling (risk aversion/unwinding carry trade) and this will help the bears bring the SP500 down. We are also seeing continued strength in the USD/JPY and Treasuries which has caused weakness in Crude Oil and Copper due to the inverse correlation relationship. (Crude Oil and Metals like copper have high correlation to AUD/USD, CAD/USD, and NZD/USD).
The bear scenario for next week-
SELLING IN-AUD/JPY, CAD/JPY SP500, Crude Oil, and Copper
BUYING IN- JPY vs all currencies, 30yr bonds, and VIX
Here are some old Intermarket Correlation resources from ForexAutomaton the period 2002-2008-
Here are some links that look at Currency Correlation of the AUD/JPY vs SP500 and the current state of 30 year treasuries-