Jump to content

Welcome to the new Traders Laboratory! Please bear with us as we finish the migration over the next few days. If you find any issues, want to leave feedback, get in touch with us, or offer suggestions please post to the Support forum here.

  • Welcome Guests

    Welcome. You are currently viewing the forum as a guest which does not give you access to all the great features at Traders Laboratory such as interacting with members, access to all forums, downloading attachments, and eligibility to win free giveaways. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free. Create a FREE Traders Laboratory account here.

zentrader

Trading for the least amount of money

Recommended Posts

Hi everyone,

 

I recently had to step away from trading for the last 4 months. I wasnt able to continue due to the cost of charting and other trading expenses. I know ninja trader has charting for 50 bucks a month but i dont know where u could get a cheap data feed.I would love to be able to get back in the game but cant afford 150 bucks a month for the charts. Does anyone know a cheap start up for charts. I would open a tradestation account but dont have the capital right now. I mainly want to get back to testing my ideas and sim trading.

 

cheers

zentrader

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Ninja only costs money if you want to trade real money with the chart trader/super DOM. Its free for charting/backtesting/sim.

You could try that with opentick. That would essentially be free but you get what you pay for data quality wise with them. DTN iq you can get for 55 a month if you just stick with spy/qqqq, 75 or so if you want cbot emini data.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Are you trading futures? Open ECry includes data/charting in their platform - costs nothing for access to their platform.

 

BINGO!

 

Open a small account at OEC and charting with all the data you could possibly want is FREE to customers. Now, I am guessing that they will want to see some sort of trading at some point, but even if not I believe it's $25/mo.

 

I think you'll be hard pressed to beat that.

 

And to top it off, it's good stuff! Even though free, better than what I was previously paying $500/mo for...

 

Send me a PM with any specific questions on OEC if you'd like.

 

http://www.openecry.com/

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
DTN iq you can get for 55 a month if you just stick with spy/qqqq, 75 or so if you want cbot emini data.

 

I had a very bad experience with DTN when plugging their data in MultiCharts. Could be an isolated incident, but just an FYI.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Just wanted to follow up on the subject

 

I went to open tick and they still provide free data for the ym. Ninja trader also provides a free version that has charts. So basically u can have the whole setup for free. I know opentick charges for some of the other symbols but if your cool with just trading the ym its free. And free is fabulous.

 

Thanks evveryone

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
cool with just trading the ym its free. And free is fabulous
You can do simulated trading/charting automation with NT/OT combo, actual live trading is not free with NT. For actual trading, you'll still need a broker, some of whom will supply a crippled/minimally functional NT for free with their 'free' data in exchange for commission.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Is the YM still going to be free after the trading switches over to the CME?

 

I wouldn't hold my breath. I have nothing to base that on, but I do not believe the CME offers ANY data for free.... I doubt that will change here.

 

Who knows, maybe the YM traders will unite and revolt!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

i dont understand, why dont you just sign up with a broker like mirus trading which i think provides you with free zen-fire futures data feed. Hell i am using their zenfire data feed now with only a demo account. Then all you have to pay is the 50 bucks to use ninjatrader. So you net net is $50 month total for ninjatrader + zen-fire feed, which is considered one of the better setup for futures.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

The most important point everyone seems to miss here is back fill. These are live feed which is excellent but to do some testing, you need some back fill when the internet or connection goes down. Unless I'm wrong, I couldn't find this answer in opentick website nor did I see non-data feed orgs covering this. What about IB?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
hey

 

i make some test on OPENTICK and OPEN E CRY

 

and the results are diffrent

 

OEC have more NET VOLUME then the OPENTICK !!!

 

 

someone here found it too?

 

Yes, OpenTick does have less volume because it reports from individual exchanges. If not specified it reverts to some default (not recommended even on their site). In order to get all data across all exchanges that the product is traded you need to specify Exchange = @.

Essentially, a request for MSFT would end up looking like this @MSFT.

 

Check out their forums and exchanges page for more info. Also note as the @ symbol works in real time data, it is not supported for Historical backfills for the time being.

 

IB data is sampled data but you should get most/all volume, but probably not all ticks as they are aggregated. Their historical backfill is slow, but it is a one time hassle.

 

It all depends on what your needs are. You do get what you pay for (until OT fixes their end).

 

BTW, is there a way to request continuous contracts thru IB?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

thanks for the answer

 

but im try to understand where i need to spcify the exchange = @

 

to change it but i cant find ...

 

if you can explain again please..

 

thank you very much

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Have you thought about opening a FOREX account? Almost all of them provide a charting package with free data for both real accounts and demo (simulated trading).

 

If you believe that a chart is a chart, then you can use the currencies to test and build your strategies. Of course, if you ultimately want to scalp the e-mini for a tick or two, this would not be the best way to build a strategy to do that. But if you are a swing/position trader, it should do.

 

I hate that I am going to say this, but if you're undercapitalized the Forex market is a great way to get started. The standard Euro contract is $10.00 a pip. Some brokers have mini contracts that are as little as $1.00 per pip. You could open an account for $200. All your data would be free, you charting free and you could still have a "real world" experience.

 

Before I get my head bitten off, I know the number one reason new traders fail is undercapitalization. But I am not going to tell someone they have to have $50,000 to start to follow their dream. It's their dream, and where they are at presently is where they are at. Far be it from me, a dreamer myself, to stamp on another's dream.

 

With that said, Some FOREX demo accounts never expire so you could test things out while you saved up money to trade for real.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
thanks for the answer

 

but im try to understand where i need to spcify the exchange = @

 

to change it but i cant find ...

 

if you can explain again please..

 

thank you very much

 

Spyro, don't know your platform but check with them first. The @ symbol is part of OT API but your platform may/may not support it.

Also note that Yahoo includes extended hours volume in their quotes. You may or may not want this so just make sure you are comparing apples to apples between broker feeds.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

When you are just paper trading, I completely agree that you want to keep costs as close to zero as possible.

 

In my opinion, this is the best combo:

 

 

Charting:

 

Ensign Windows is 39.95 / month.

 

Data:

 

FXCM feed is included free.

Interactive Brokers provides stock/futures/bond data for free. Account minimum required is $2,000 USD (or is it $5,000USD?)

 

HOWEVER: a "bug" if you like with I.B; once you have deposited the funds and your account is active, you can withdraw your 99% of your funds (leave like $50 in there).

 

After a few months, they will send you an auto generated email along the lines of:

 

"please note, your account is below the minimum, please deposit additional funds or your account will be closed..." etc.

 

What they actually do is seize the funds from inactive low-balance accounts, however because that is such a cruel thing to do, they have to give plenty of warning. Like 2- 4 months.

 

After you get the warning emails, go into your I.B account and click the button that indicates you are putting in a deposit. This begins the cycle again - After a month your 'pending deposit' expires, you get another warning email, send another 'pending deposit' note, wait a month, etc etc..

 

I have had an old I.B account with less than $10 in it for over a year now. :roll eyes:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Once you are hooked up with IB feed, you can use Ninjatrader and Quotetracker,both are professional level programs that are basically free. Also if you use multiple monitors like I do, both of them have free floating charts. Halleuya !!!

Edited by OAC

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Have you thought about opening a FOREX account? Almost all of them provide a charting package with free data for both real accounts and demo (simulated trading).

 

If you believe that a chart is a chart, then you can use the currencies to test and build your strategies. Of course, if you ultimately want to scalp the e-mini for a tick or two, this would not be the best way to build a strategy to do that. But if you are a swing/position trader, it should do.

 

I hate that I am going to say this, but if you're undercapitalized the Forex market is a great way to get started. The standard Euro contract is $10.00 a pip. Some brokers have mini contracts that are as little as $1.00 per pip. You could open an account for $200. All your data would be free, you charting free and you could still have a "real world" experience.

 

Before I get my head bitten off, I know the number one reason new traders fail is undercapitalization. But I am not going to tell someone they have to have $50,000 to start to follow their dream. It's their dream, and where they are at presently is where they are at. Far be it from me, a dreamer myself, to stamp on another's dream.

 

With that said, Some FOREX demo accounts never expire so you could test things out while you saved up money to trade for real.

 

Actually, the number one reason why traders fail, new or otherwise, is that they don't know what they're doing. If he wants to trade FX, it won't matter whether the cost is $10 or $1 or ten cents. Knowing what he's trading and how to trade it is paramount.

 

If he wants to trade index futures, on the other hand, a cheap way to do it is to analyze and take signals from the emini and enter the trade on the ETF, whether DIA or SPY or QQQQ.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


  • Topics

  • Posts

    • Date: 21st February 2025.   European PMI Disappoint, Weighing on Euro Before German Elections   The Euro is the first currency to witness the volatility on this month’s PMI reports. The French, German and British PMI data have resulted in the Euro being the worst-performing currency of the European Session so far. However, will the Euro continue to decline throughout the day? European Purchasing Managers’ Indexes The French Purchasing Managers Index was the first European index to be made public. The release resulted in the Euro instantly declining 0.24%. The main concern from the French data was the Services PMI which fell from 48.2 to 44.5. Previously the market was expecting the data to remain more or less unchanged. The weak data triggered the decline which came to a halt after Germany’s PMI was released.     The German Manufacturing PMI read 0.5 points higher than previous expectations and the Services PMI was 0.2 points lower. The data from Germany was a relief for Euro investors and the price rose 0.12% higher. However, traders should note that the price of the EURUSD continues to remain 0.20% lower than yesterday’s close. The price of the EURUSD will now depend on the PMI data from the US. The value of the US Dollar will depend on its PMI release this afternoon and the Consumer Sentiment Index. Analysts expect both the US Services and Manufacturing PMI data to remain above the 50.00 level in the expansion zone. German Elections 2 Days Away Germany is set to hold a general election this Sunday, February 23rd, following the collapse of the coalition of social democrats, liberals, and greens. Given the country's highly proportional electoral system, German polls provide a strong indication of potential government formations post-election. The main concern for Germany is the AFD party who are Far-Right Nationalists. Currently, ahead in the polls are CDU (centre-right), and AFD (far right), followed by the SPD (centre-left). Traders should note that the results of the elections are likely to trigger strong volatility on Monday, but also influence volatility today. Economists may become further concerned if the far-right gains power for the first time due to uncertainty. If the government, similar to France, is unable to form a coalition, this would also be a concern for the Eurozone. Furthermore, the Euro this week is also under pressure from comments from members of the European Central Bank. ECB Governing Council member Fabio Panetta said to journalists that officials need not slow interest rate cuts, as January's 2.5% inflation is still expected to reach the 2.0% target this year. He also advised the European economy is weaker than previously expected. EURUSD - Technical Analysis and Indicators The EURUSD is trading above the 75-bar Exponential Moving Average and 100-bar Simple Moving Average on the 2-hour chart. However, the price is moving away from the key resistance level at 1.05058 indicating the price is losing momentum. The short-term volatility is indicating the price is retracing downwards. On the 5-minute timeframe, the price is trading below the 200-bar SMA and is also forming clear lower lows and highs. Simultaneously, the US Dollar Index is trading above the 200-bar SMA on the 5-minute chart confirming no current conflicts. Currently, the US Dollar is the best-performing currency of the day attempting to regain losses from the past 2 weeks. Watch today’s Live Analysis Session for more signals as they develop!   Key Takeaway Points: Weak French Services PMI triggered an initial Euro decline, but German PMI provide a slight relief. However, EURUSD remains lower than yesterday’s close. The Euro’s direction now depends on the US PMI reports, with analysts expecting US data to stay in expansion territory. Sunday's German election could drive volatility, especially if the far-right AFD gains power or if coalition formation proves difficult. ECB official Fabio Panetta suggested no need to slow rate cuts, citing weaker-than-expected economic performance and expected inflation decline. Always trade with strict risk management. Your capital is the single most important aspect of your trading business.   Please note that times displayed based on local time zone and are from time of writing this report.   Click HERE to access the full HFM Economic calendar.   Want to learn to trade and analyse the markets? Join our webinars and get analysis and trading ideas combined with better understanding of how markets work. Click HERE to register for FREE!   Click HERE to READ more Market news.   Michalis Efthymiou HFMarkets   Disclaimer: This material is provided as a general marketing communication for information purposes only and does not constitute an independent investment research. Nothing in this communication contains, or should be considered as containing, an investment advice or an investment recommendation or a solicitation for the purpose of buying or selling of any financial instrument. All information provided is gathered from reputable sources and any information containing an indication of past performance is not a guarantee or reliable indicator of future performance. Users acknowledge that any investment in Leveraged Products is characterized by a certain degree of uncertainty and that any investment of this nature involves a high level of risk for which the users are solely responsible and liable. We assume no liability for any loss arising from any investment made based on the information provided in this communication. This communication must not be reproduced or further distributed without our prior written permission.
    • BE Bloom Energy stock, watch for a range breakout, target 34 area at https://stockconsultant.com/?BE
    • APLD Applied Digital stock. nice rally, watch for a top of range breakout at https://stockconsultant.com/?APLD
    • UAL United Airlines stock, watch for a narrow range breakout, target 122 area at https://stockconsultant.com/?UAL
    • WBD Warner Bros Discovery stock, watch for a range breakout at https://stockconsultant.com/?WBD
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.