First, auto-trading must be server-based to eliminate ISP and power failure. TradeBullet and Trader68 are non-starters.
OptionsExpress commissions are too high and there are several testimonials on C2 forums as to its unreliability (please correct me if I am wrong). OE is a non-starter.
The other GEN3 brokers only offer auto-trading for one type of trading each. If I wish to auto-trade more than one system, I must split my capital between two separate brokers. That limits my options.
C2 needs a low-cost, reliable broker who offers GEN3 auto-trading for all trading instruments.
I can’t agree more. It is a shame to not have a real good option for stocks and futures at a minimum. I don’t trade FX through C2, so I am not sure about autotrading FX.
OX is not bad for stocks, as long as you keep you capital in the right range. For example, trade about 1000 shares to minimize cost per share.
OEC works very well for futures, but is costly.
Jim
I would love to see a GEN3 auto-trading for all instruments from around the world, too, so I can sleep better. It does not make sense to split buying power across multiple accounts, especially for small accounts. It is also risky if we can only trade instruments in US exchanges. What if US Congress passes the 0.5% round-trip trader tax later this year to kill all the trading activities at US exchanges?(http://www.rallycongress.com/no2tradertax/1536/tell-congres-to-block-trader-tax)
For now, I use TradeBullet with InteractiveBrokers and rent a trader desktop at CNS (http://www.commercialnetworkservices.com) to eliminate ISP and power failure. Also I keep a UPS-power computer and multi wan broadband router at home (http://www.cradlepoint.com/products/mbr1000-failsafe-broadband-n-router), just in case CNS goes down (0.04% of chance. It did go down 5 times, total 357 mins for the past 802 days). Also I keep my eyes on C2 systems trading instruments on non-US exchanges, just in case.
TradeBullet support is top-notch, and its integration with IB is seamless, almost no effort to set it up.
You can trade international stocks/options/forex/futures with InteractiveBrokers at fairly low price with its universal account. IB support is not good, but which broker can you trade instruments at 80 exchanges from 18 different countries?
For now, I use TradeBullet with InteractiveBrokers and rent a trader desktop at CNS (http://www.commercialnetworkservices.com) to eliminate ISP and power failure
what system are you trading? If you are using a scalping system, then an autotrading path that is unmonitored by you is likely not to get the profits that the vendor shows. This is a well-known issue to C2 people who tried this…
I don’t like scalping system nor martingale system with high win%. I like to trade low win% system with rigid stop loss. VP Trader, Double Crosser, and RD30 are good examples. I don’t mind high win% system with continuous 14 winning months managed by pro like ETF Timer.
Hi Hengfu,
Your posts again are very helpful, especially the reference to CNS, I did not know such services exist - I have not studied it yet and might have some questions about it later.
BTW, are you still trading Precision Futures or did you have some issues with fills or slippage? On my TB/IB setup, for futures systems I have "Synchronize with C2" unchecked as you said you have it, however, for my stock systems I have to have it on. Once, when I had it unchecked I got 3 times as many stocks filled than what the system signaled, with Sync on it works fine.
I am also keeping my eye on RD30. I sent the vendor a PM on 3/11 and he responded that he is in the process to provide a full description and back tested data - nothing so far yet.
Hi, Karl:
I am still trading Precision Futures, the slippage is getting larger at $5.82 per side per contract after trading 448 contracts. Not sure if it is due to too many subscribers or C2 server delay. C2 server delay is becoming longer, and I may have to use slower intraday systems. One signal I got has 3 minutes delay due to non-response C2 server, right around the market starting to free fall today, cost me quite some profit.
I don’t know about your stock scaling problem, because I don’t autotrade stocks. I only manually trade stocks in my accounts that can’t be autotraded with very slow systems now. Also, I don’t use C2 new “Setup AutoTrading”, which I found problematic during testing. I use “Use old page instead” to setup autotrading. I only use scaling 1.
I found an issue with scaling and C2 has fixed it, and you can debug your TB log file to see if it is the similar problem for your scaling. See the thread:
http://www.collective2.com/cgi-perl/board.mpl?want=listmsgs&boardid=9323885&threadhilite=6522
I understand why you are trading Double Crosser and considering Precision Futures
But VP Trader (1.2 profit factor and very volatile equity curve) and RD30 (1.2 profit factor and NEGATIVE APD) are terrible systems. I would suggest you drop both immediately. What in the world did you see in these 2 ???
Ouch! Give a new system a break (VP Trader). Have you read the system description? Remember, it’s about making profit and protecting capital, not having a pretty equity curve.
Jim
APD and PF are nice to look at, but they can be deceiving.
C2 APD calculation is not quite correct as it does not consider trades without adverse excursion. Saw too many beautiful equity curves and high PF systems, but they have high win% and inverse average_win/average_loss, only to fall speculatively later. Simply PF can be manipulated using martingale.
I only worry about letting profit run and cut the loss quick.
A new system shuold not "get a break" - in fact - systems tend to perform a lot better when they are new, than later. Several have done statistical analysis on this site, and that was the overwhelming fact . So therefore, you are in a heap of trouble…
And to this point, I am amazed that even one person subscribes to VP Trader.
Trouble, with a capital “T” that rhymes with “P” and stands for POOL
I suppose you are right there may be a connection somewhere between high risk and high subscribers, because you would certainly have to be high to listen to your diatribe.
Why do I sink to your level? I’m done.
Jim
Why do I sink to your level? I’m done.
It may have something to do with mistaking personal success as a PF of 1.2 and an equity curve that would make an Arkansas Razorback proud…
Seriously, why are you arguing?
