No. of Recommendations: 3
Yes, IB can be a bit unfriendly at first, for sure. But I wouldn't go back for the world, now that I'm used to it. I'm trying the "basket" feature for the first time, but it's a bit scary.
I have been using basket trader. That really seems the way to go for actively trading MI screens.
My orders are using their MidPrice algorithm and it does seem like the executions are good, but wonder whether VWAP may be better for less liquid stocks.
I do get a lot of warnings and notifications and it takes a bit to figure out whether to ignore them or not.
Also, I tend to have accounts that are 85% invested, so updating requires sell orders first with a delay for buy orders.
Otherwise, they will cancel an order or two due to not enough cash.
That seems to be happening even though I have margin accounts. Have not figured out why yet.
Ultimately I'd like to be able to enter basket orders in evening, or morning, and then go about my day without paying attention.
Not there yet.
My mostly manual process for updating right now is:
- export from IB the account holdings
- remove whatever holdings are not part of the MI blend (BRK-B and some other long terms holds for me)
- copy that portfolio holding list into a rebalance spreadsheet
- generate current MI picks and weights using either GTR1, RunRadis, or Radiscreen (in order of preference)
- import new holdings and weightings into rebalance spreadsheet
- decide if cash will be added/removed, and what rebalance threshold is (to reduce small trades)
- run macro that generates basket file
- log in to trader workstation and import basket file
- triple check that the orders make sense, $ values correct, etc.
- submit and cross fingers
It is much more tedious than the old FolioFN update and exchange method, and my spreadsheets are not elegant.
Hopefully I can automate this more using one of IBKR's API's, Python probably.
Mark
