Best Broker/Data feed combo

[TexFly]

Hello,

I always found a bit confusing the selection broker/data. I'm trying to get back to my Ninja project and I have put my IB account to sleep. I do remember some problems related to historical data and number of instruments loaded. I selected IB, at that time, for the cheap commissions...

So...please help me with my re-selection process: what's the best data feed/broker combo? Yes I 've already been here http://www.ninjatrader.com/support/h...rical_data.htm
but that page doesn't have the info that I'm looking for.

Ideally an account with only one company that provides brokerage and data at a very competitive rate without killing you with wire transfer, inactivity and other fees!

...and works well with NT, of course!

Thanks for the help.

[NinjaTrader_Jason]

Hello TexFly,

Unfortunately I am not in a position to recommend one broker partner over the other. Perhaps other users can provide information about their experiences with our broker partners.

All broker partners will provide a data feed in NinjaTrader. The link you reference will show what type of data is supported per broker technology.

[TexFly]

Hi Jason,

Thanks for the reply. I didn't expect for NT Staff to provide recommendations...;-)

NT Users out there...yes you can!

[TexFly]

Please help!

I'm looking for help on selecting my broker (Stocks). I have IB and TD but I always had problems with both in the pass.

Anyone?

[NinjaTrader_Jason]

Hello TexFly,

Besides IB and TD Ameritrade, the only other broker that supports stock trading in NinjaTrader is MBTrading.

[kenny1924]

Getting the NinjaTrader project going with Futures and Equity trading takes time. It is the selection of the broker, data feeds, historical data collection, and then getting used to all of the new functions/approaches in Ninja makes it a 'project' like you referenced.

I have struggled with TD Ameritrade, so went to IB. Found IB does not provide adequate data feeds, and hence am testing MBTrading.

Have you made your selection and have you found MB Trading as the best of all?

ISSUE> MBT is not giving me Historical Tick data beyond 10-12 days for ETFs and Stocks. Is this what you have found also? Of course, I am collecting data as days go by, but for a new stock like IBM or MSFT or BBRY, it will only give me 12 tick chart data from 2/18 to 2/25!

Kenny

[xraptorx]

What problems are you getting with IB? I was looking at IB for my main broker account and was going to use their data feeds. I am interested in trading equities, forex and commodities and thus IB made sense from fees.

What are the problems with IB and NT

[NinjaTrader_Jason]

Please note that IB does not support historical tick data in NinjaTrader - only historical minute and daily data.

I am not quite sure how much historical tick data MBTrading provides. Please contact them for clarification.

[xraptorx]

I am not a day trader but more a mechanical trader on based on time series charts (5m, 1h, etc). But I do want Renko Bars. Do I need tick data in order to build Renko Bars of would this work from IB data feeds?

[NinjaTrader_Jason]

Renko bars are build by historical tick data. Unfortunately you will not be able to load historical data in renko charts when you connect to IB.

[xraptorx]

Thank you Jason

Once the historical tick data is saved in the NT Database, will future Renko bars be built properly with the data feed provided by Interactive Brokers?

Thank you

[NinjaTrader_Jason]

You will receive realtime data in the renko charts when connected to IB. However please note that this is not tick by tick data. When connected to IB in NinjaTrader, you will receive snapshot data in charts. Realtime data is updated every 250 milliseconds which means it does not have to contain each and every tick that occurred.

[kenny1924]

Thanks Jason.

Setting up Ninja, Data Providers, Brokers, and the correct Technical Setup takes a while, and I wish it was not this challenging.

So, I went with TD first. No data feeds that met the Renko Tick requirement. Then without looking properly, I just talked to IB Customer Service and figured $10 a month (worst case) would give me what I need. No. So, closed that account.

Now, I am asking all kinds of questions and have the following conclusion since it is NOT documented ANYWHERE:

Kinetic, IQ/DTN etc will provide all the common data elements, but in addition will give Historical Tick data for the LONGEST timeframe. This will cost a minimum $60 to $90 per month (with indices). To figure out costs, you have to know a lot about exchanges or contact their sales.

MB Trading will give Historical Tick, but they ONLY give 30 days of Historical Tick on Equity. It will cost $7.50 per month unless you generate minimum thresholds.

What Jason is saying is absolutely correct. Get a MB Trading and load your symbols and start collecting the data.

Finally, no one tells you that you are really filling up that disk FAST. So, be careful on what you do there. Number of symbols, amount of historical minute/day/eod data. It is easy to go crazy.

Issue is if you are going to see intra-day charts on a swing trading method, and use any sophisticated system, you will need TICK DATA.

Do NOT forget to get dual internet connections if you are getting serious in trading, since Ninja starts complaining quickly (right fully so) that your internet connection is down even if it for a second. I have DSL/Cable and 4G LTE. It has to be a different network since when Cable is down, another Cable connection will not help (even over WiFi since it traverses the same datalink).

Lots of thoughts although not completely for the forum topic. But, hope it helps.

Kenny

ps: Unless I make money from real money trading (doing SIM now), I care about my costs. After that Kinetic might be the BEST.