Looking To Day Trade Ftse Futures

Hi there,
I am quite new to these BB so please excuse me if I am a bit naive. Basically I have been working in a futures and options back-office for some good houses like Morgan Stanley and Salomon Brothers in London for the past 12 years. I really want to trade my own account in FTSE futures. I am aware of all the risks but feel like I have to get out of the 9-5 rut and day trade from home and make my own destiny. I have been studying the FTSE chart on ADVFN daily looking for patterns etc, and have a useful guide from the masteryoftrading.com from an ex-pit trader come electronic trader which has explained the mechanics i.e widening spread quite often indicates a directional change.
What I am now looking for establish a reputable online broking account. Looks like either Easy2trade.com or Mandirect.com . I am however open to any other suggestions. Also I am looking for a real-time pricing source that shows both the cash and futures market.
Finally if anyone has any useful tips (apart from don't trade FTSE futures) I would greatly appreciate them.
I am not asking for much but hopefully someone may be out there may be able to help.
Thanks in advance
FTSEBOY

Look at IB as well as the others. If you are working for yourself the bottom line on commission is really important. Reduce your outgoings as much as possible.


However I'd say start with a cheaper and more liquid futures contract first. Like the (I bet everyone on here knows what I am going to say!) I'll whisper it......Eurostoxx50.....

Oh and yes Mytrack are a good all round data feed, coupled with Sierra Charts about the cheapest combination available. Unless you just use Sierra with the IB feed.


Good luck

Hi FTSEBOY

Welcome to T2W

I agree with everything Helen has said.

My advice would be to start small, don't be a hero and work your way up.

HTH



PS: FTSE Boy is not my son as I haven't got one that I know of
PPS: You never hear a woman saying that

If you want to actually have the chance of making enough money to live on forget ESTX, stick with FTSE it is more than liquid enough unless you are considering trading in excess of 50 lot clips.

ESTX moves 30% less in terms of physical points and is worth 30% less in terms of £ per point. If you feel that you are inexperienced enough to have to mess about with ESTX, then you are not in a position to consider trading for a living.

Why not try for a prop traders position rather than do it yourself, at least to begin with - then you get to keep the salary and use the company money for training yourself.

Oh I do love a debate with TBS first thing in the morning


My argument would be yes it is easier to make money on FTSE and DAX (and I agree with TBS that in the long run as a full time professional it's a better vehicle) but by the same token it is also easier to lose it. As a new futures trader the odds are you will lose. So why not start by trading an instument that will keep you in the game longer so you can learn your craft?

Unless you are very very careful you can get wiped out very fast, start cautious and start small. If you can't afford to do that for a year or so and still afford to live then you probably can't afford to go full time trading. In which case the prop trading idea TBS suggested is probably a good alternative.


HTH

If you can't afford to do that for a year or so and still afford to live then you probably can't afford to go full time trading.

No debate, exactly the point.

I'm familiar with both of Malcolms courses, and would just warn that should you decide to go the ESTX50 route that Helen suggests, you'll find his strategies dont work anywhere near as well as they do on the FTSE - due mainly I believe to the relative lack of movement as TBS points out.

H.

Not sure an ex-pit trade turned electronic trader is the best place to go for advice? Very few locals survived the transition from the floor. I know of at least 2 who have just finished the knowledge...( my brother being one of them!)