Article by Top Futures Brokerage Firm

Hi all,
I'm in discussion with a top Chicago based futures brokerage firm - with the view to them writing an article for our Articles section. We can publish whatever they give us - or we can tell them what we most want to know.

So, this is your opportunity to express your interests and concerns and voice the questions you most want answered. Keep in mind this is a direct market access futures broker - so all the usual concerns about spread betting and CFD providers do not apply here. Ditto with specific questions about stocks and options etc.

So, let's have it - list the things you most want to know about life inside a top futures brokerage firm . . .

#1 Why would a top futures broker want to waste time on the masses of T2W.

Are all orders passed to the exchange all of the time.

How much damage has the MF Global bankrupcy caused to the rest of the U.S. futures industry ?

Have you had many customers close their accounts because they no longer trust the system of segregation of client funds ?

gc1 said:

How much damage has the MF Global bankrupcy caused to the rest of the U.S. futures industry ?

Have you had many customers close their accounts because they no longer trust the system of segregation of client funds ?

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Ffs - just ask them how their top earning trader trades. Technical approaches or otherwise ?

gc1 said:

How much damage has the MF Global bankrupcy caused to the rest of the U.S. futures industry ?

Have you had many customers close their accounts because they no longer trust the system of segregation of client funds ?

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Any non US citizen is 100% certified mad to keep any cash (of any proper size) in a US financial instituion. The damage over the last 10-15 years has been done. The list of corruption in the US financial markets, the regulators and the courts is a long one. Then add in the paranoia about 'potential terrorist money' and you're dealing with a financial system/government that's gone stark raving mad and therefore is dangerous to the safety of your funds.

Folks, don't forget this is a nation whose airport immigration regularly holds up Amir Khan for several hours when he flies in for training/a fight because of his name and the fact that their computer tell them he often visits Pakistan. He's therefore viewed as 'highly suspicious'. If they treat a well known and easily verifiable championship boxer like that, who knows how they'll view you and your money.

YOU'VE ALL BEEN WARNED - DON'T PUT ANY DECENT MONEY WITH A US FINANCIAL INSTITUION. The US Federal government is way out of control..........

anley said:

A

Folks, don't forget this is a nation whose airport immigration regularly holds up Amir Khan for several hours when he flies in for training/a fight because of his name and the fact that their computer tell them he often visits Pakistan. .....

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They used to stop Ted Kennedy as well, though in his case I'm not so sure they were far wrong.

No Fly List - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

pboyles said:

They used to stop Ted Kennedy as well, though in his case I'm not so sure they were far wrong.

No Fly List - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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See, these are the kind of morons you're dealing with.

Believe me, foreign money is going to drain out of the US over the coming years and I'd advise everyone who's dealing with a US firm who has 6 figures of more deposited to get the hell out.

YOU'VE ALL BEEN WARNED.

anley said:

See, these are the kind of morons you're dealing with.

Believe me, foreign money is going to drain out of the US over the coming years and I'd advise everyone who's dealing with a US firm who has 6 figures of more deposited to get the hell out.

YOU'VE ALL BEEN WARNED.

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Returning to the thread topic; the issue(s) you'd like the futures broker to address are . . . ?

Anyone got anything to add?

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

In no particular order, here are a few things that spring to mind:

1. What is a futures broker and what do you do?
2. How did you get started in the industry?
3. How long have you worked as a broker?
4. What qualifications are required to be a broker?
5. How are you remunerated and do you receive a bonus?
6. What are the hours like? (Do you drink Cristal Champaign with clients in Chicago nightclubs until the early hours of the morning?)
7. Do you have people working under you and who are you responsible to?
8. Can you talk us through a typical day?
9. How has the credit crunch affected the brokerage industry?
10. Are you affected by the various rescue packages and new legislation regarding the activities of financial institutions?
11. Does your role attract much media attention and, if so, is it warranted?
12. What advice would you give to someone who wants to become a futures broker ?
13. Do you have stat’s about which traders are most profitable / unprofitable. For example, are swing traders who hold positions for days or weeks more profitable than day traders?
14. What are the ratios of your client base in terms of institutional traders to prop firms to retail traders?
15. What can you tell us about the methodologies and practices employed by your most successful clients? E.g. the instruments they trade, timeframes and - of particular interest to T2W members - do they utilise technical analysis (TA)?

pboyles said:

Are all orders passed to the exchange all of the time.

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quite easy to check by putting through an order in a quiet period and watching the tape on another feed.

brie said:

Sorry Timsk, but I think asking those questions is a wasted opportunity.

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Hi brie,
I take your point, but my post served its purpose rather well in as much as it bumped the thread and provided the stimulus for someone else (you!) to provide a list of more searching questions! Thank you for your excellent suggestions - I've provided the broker in question with a link to this thread, so he'll certainly see your posts.
Tim.