So,what's better ?

[Ninja]

Guys, remember IG markets Uk has also bought out IdealCFDS in SA. You now have access to the best charts in the modern world along with a large part of the UK platform available to trade CFD's here in SA -you can also trade the alsi here for free....no charge nada. You only pay the spread which is 6 pips in 6 out i think. You have the choice of a mini, midi and std contract and the great thing is that if you load a stop loss your margin requirements are drastically reduced. Enjoy....I believe the address is igmarkets.co.za....they also offer a demo account. If you want to trade forex or int indices you need to open their offshore account.

[SimonPB]

nothing is free .. and how do they offer 6 point spread when at times the actual ALSI has a wider spread ??

[Ninja]

apologies...spread min right now as we speak is 9 in and 9 out....I have confirmed with them on the phone that the only cost is the spread....there is no other cost!!(Apart from the margin which everyone has to pay and is lower than anywhere else in sa as it is linked to your stop loss. Fact. Charts are better than anything in SA. Fact. If this is half as good as the UK operation it is 10X better than anything else in the country. Fact.

[#4]

yip, IGMarkets is not a viable trading option for Alsi futures - can't speak for currencies. The spread is locked, and you cannot enter the bid / ask auction, which means you have to buy at the extremes of the spread - a surefire way to lose every time

[SimonPB]

not commenting on the charts - I haven't seen them in years .. but if the margin is lower, then they not going via safex coz safex sets a required margin .. and at 9 either way, that's expensive .. OST is a little 1 and a half points cost (inclusive evetrything) and an actually spread that is currently 2 points as I type .. so IG about R50 more expensive each way ..

[Ninja]

Skaapie....a locked spread is what the majority of traders insist upon for sdecurity....if your spread is 20 and the alsi moves 400 points in a day how is that a sure fire way to lose cash unless you a sh%t trader?? And you can enter the market at any price you choose...no different to anywhere else....a spread that is not fixed is something i stay well clear of in forex and indices trading. Check out the charting and website......streets ahead of anything else.

[SimonPB]

a locked spread is surely then a fake spread ?? I like to trade the real price ..

[Ninja]

ok...thats your thing Simon....not mine.....I trade the dow and I know whenever I trade its 1 pip in and 1 pip out......never changes....never ambushes me in the middle of a trade....no it is very secure. Anyways, thats my preference, I argue not, just osaying these offer a killer platform, why put up with dwt who are still dealing 1980's style when you have this??

[SimonPB]

I don't use DWT ..

[#10]

Yup IG.co.za....very nice.Rather resource-heavy.I can't really browse other stuff at speed.Must be the Java screens on IG.So,OK....it's time I updated my Desktop.. Anybody have ideas on a Desktop that loves speed?Yeah, I also have an ADSL line( maybe that's also a limiting factor, for speed.)Anyway...I'm all ears.

[#11]

Well ADSL you should be at biggest your exchange can handle. Most often 4 MB down speed.
Desktop any of the new machines high-end specs, about 2 gig ram min (pref 4 to 6 gig). Just not a Celeron processor. The math co pro (and internal cache) is limited/missing so the use of external RAM mem to compensate=slower pc. You should be looking at dual core with fastest FSB (front side bus) speed. Also you want a 1 terrabyte hdd SATA drive. Something like this should set you back about 6-8k max. Anything more is overkill for what you need.
Your main limit is speeds over ADSL

[#12]

Cheers mate.Yup,I'm still running a Celeron D from 2006 with an XP Home os....and the Dinosaurs welcomed another one.

[#13]

Dropped you a mail where to look for new PC

[#14]

Jeezlike okes? Are you not listening to what Simon has to say? The spread is everything in Alsi trading. If you are trying to capture 100pts, and IG markets is forcing you into a 30pt spread - then you are paying 30pts when you buy - and another 30pts when you sell. 60pts man - that is a total rippoff? You need to capture 600pts minimum to make that worth while. Compare that to OST, with spreads on the ALSI ranging from 2-12 pts on average and 1.5pts in fees. Nuff said, I am lighting the braai now.

[Rams]

I agree with SKAAP, the spread is everything and trade the actual price as Simon says. I have looked at previois charts,live charts and my own trades, and must agree that with the ALSI,make small profits more often in one trading day :the spread on OST allows for that.

[TOPIX]

Nope, I disagree. A small spread in a period of low activity means nothing. You have to look at the spread in times of high activity when traders are active to make comparisons. However, the spread is not the biggest problem. For an Intraday trader, the biggest problem is slippage. OST is too slow - period. If you enter a trade on the spread, by the time you have entered your password etc etc, you have missed the trade. And if you trade @market to secure the trade, the slippage kills you. Ninja is right. A fixed spread is a lot better - your risk is defined! On a fixed spread, you essentially pay a small premium during quiet market hours, when a variable spread may be lower, but then your broker ensures that the spread will not widen during even the most volatile market conditions. Fixed spreads allow you to better plan your exits without having to worry about slippage and an unknown spread that inflates transaction costs during times most critical to traders. So, if you're a "one trade a day" trader go for the variable spread. If you're an intraday trader, go for the fixed spread.

[TOPIX]

And you are ill informed. The spread is 9 points in and 9 points out. That is 18 points and not 60 points.

[SimonPB]

surely the point is simple .. if you trade against a fixed spread - what are you actually trading ?? a shaded price ?? in other words the price that your broker has decided to show you .. that's a lotta trust you have in your broker !!

and then to say your risk is defined by a fixed spread is niave in the extreme .. sure your spread is defined, that is merely one of many risk points .. and the reality is that a fixed spread moves as well, so missing an entry equally likley ??

lastly, slippage isn't your biggest issue as a trader (intra-day or otherwise) .. it is slippage, spread and costs ..

[Ninja]

The spread is not fixed, and it is not 60 points....my word guys check it out for yourselves. You can trade live spot indices, as well as futures. There are no other costs apart from 9 in and 9 out on average. No ther costs, unlike OST! The OST charting package is sh#t to be polite and when you compare total costs there is no difference. The same platform as igindex london is avail;able to now trade the alsi. Igindex london is the largest spread betting house in the uk and has been voted no.1 in the latest forex traders awards. Why have they been around for over 35 years and still win awards like this?? London trades more forex than any other country in the world. Do you think ost or dwt are even a pimple on the ***** of IG? Dont write them off before you try them......a lot more people use them than ost and dwt combined multiplied by 10! And for a reason! Their charting is the best in the world, their support is world class, very competitive spreads excellent dealing platform. How long have ost's customers been begging for better charts than those you can draw by hand? I still wont trade with ost as their platform is 100 years behind IG's. thats a fact - this is not a hobby for me - its a business, I am damn sure not going to be disadvantaged out there because my platform still operates in the dark ages. This is a company in a different league - if you want a professional trading platform why not use the best out there? Try it....if you think ost / dwt or anyone is better, faster, more reliable, cheaper then use them......I have used all 3 and my opinion is that there is no comparison. OST has the best training programme in the country and probably one of the best in the world thanks to Simon.....but whats the use of training your customers and then they leave to trade elsewhere cause the platform is not no.1 in the market? AS a trader I demand the best charting package available in the world, I want to plot multiple timeframes, indicators - I want to deal through charts directly, I want all the bells and whistles, I want it all. I am the customer, and my comms go to that company that gives it to me - not on misplaced sentimental bullsh*t.

[#20]

So...IG.co.za it is then.