Is scalping allowed?

[alexaherself]

Scalping simply means that your target is about the same distance as your stop.

Please excuse my mentioning that that's not a description/definition that I've ever encountered before, not one I recognise, and not one that suggests any logic or purpose at all to me.

you're unlikely to be able to trade manually at a speed that would bother a modern SB firm. Their limits tend to be around 20 trades per ten seconds or 50 trades per minute.

All my comments above apply equally to this assertion. That bears no resemblance at all to the policies/practices at any spreadbetting firm where I've ever traded.

 

[Luc.Chase]

"Scalping simply means that your target is about the same distance as your stop."

Yes, as I was writing I was aware that some would not entirely agree with that definition. And I really should have said...
"Scalping simply means that your target is the same distance or less as your stop."
To elaborate further; and is a trade that is usually exited before any significant pullbacks.

I really don't think time should be part of that definition. It is really about profit vs risk vs probability.

I'll try to find my sources.

Regarding the T&Cs quoted. I hope they don't include cases where your target Limit order is immediately met even many, many points away. Even a news event could trigger that at any time. Those T&Cs would be enough to make me close my account with them as it reveals weaknesses in their order-execution processes ( and it disagrees with my working definition of scalping).

 

[gle101]

Scalping simply means that your target is about the same distance as your stop. What you're referring to is high-frequency trading.
Spread-betting firms don't care if you scalp. But remember to make money scalping your trades need to be profitable at least about 80% of the time. If you can do that, then you should make money.

Regarding high frequency trading. Unless you're using a computerised trading system, you're unlikely to be able to trade manually at a speed that would bother a modern SB firm. Their limits tend to be around 20 trades per ten seconds or 50 trades per minute.

"Spread-betting firms don't care if you scalp". Sorry, but this is simply not true, if you have "too long" winning streak they might very much start to manipulate your account, this by changing the back office parameters in order to set a stop of your winning trades. I have said this before, but most of the SB firms do not have not good enough platform infrastructure in order to give a decent service for trading the demanding markets of today.

 

[jkane]

prospreads.com

 

[alexaherself]

prospreads.com

A surprising recommendation, given what you said here?: "prospreads has glaring weaknesses. The software is outdated, only works with certain browsers. No mobile platform which is a major blunder on their part , overnights margins way too high as they are not an real exchange and do not need to adhere to USA exchanges. No Vix trading".

 

[luckystrike23]

 

[jamezz34]

If you want to become a scalper you need to forget spread betting....it takes many hours of screen time and watching the order flow, occasionally I will even buy at the bid and sell on the offer.....markets chop about a lot more than they used to and it has become a lot harder to spot the momentum.....You won't be able to be a pure scalper on retail commission rates so you will have to cherry pick your trades, unless you join a firm....If you still want to do it, open a futures account not a spread betting account. Sorry if I sound gloomy!

 

[king156]

If you want to become a scalper you need to forget spread betting....it takes many hours of screen time and watching the order flow, occasionally I will even buy at the bid and sell on the offer.....markets chop about a lot more than they used to and it has become a lot harder to spot the momentum.....You won't be able to be a pure scalper on retail commission rates so you will have to cherry pick your trades, unless you join a firm....If you still want to do it, open a futures account not a spread betting account. Sorry if I sound gloomy!

Where to open a futures acc? Any recommendations then?

 

[jamezz34]

You could try someone like AMP futures, RJO, Advantage Futures etc...You will also need a good DOM, now If you don't want to fork out for TT, you could always use Jigsaw Trading through Ninjatrader. It depends on what you can afford...TT is a must if you are spreading, but for just scalping you can get away with Jigsaw..

I'm not affiliated in any way

Hope that helps