I'm looking to make a switch from CFDs to Single Stock Futures for FTSE100 stocks.

I see that EUREX provides SSF for FTSE100. But there don't seem to be many brokers that advertise EUREX SSF??

Interactive Brokers do SSF and CFDs for FTSE100 and that would be fine, but I've seen the comments from BigMike saying how the aggregate feed is no good and I'd like to begin to learn DOM trading and don't know if I'd be wasting time learning from a DOM from an aggregate feed?

So I could go to IB and get a feed from somewhere else for Sierra or Ninja I guess, but where to I get my feed for EUREX SSF?

[also - I believe SSF might trade too thickly to provide a learning experience for the DOM?? - so maybe I could forget the feed for SSF??]

Any help specific or general appreciated.

leo33 

I'm looking to make a switch from CFDs to Single Stock Futures for FTSE100 stocks. I see that EUREX provides SSF for FTSE100. But there don't seem to be many brokers that advertise EUREX SSF?? Interactive Brokers do SSF and CFDs for FTSE100 and that would be fine, but I've seen the comments from BigMike saying how the aggregate feed is no good and I'd like to begin to learn DOM trading and don't know if I'd be wasting time learning from a DOM from an aggregate feed? So I could go to IB and get a feed from somewhere else for Sierra or Ninja I guess, but where to I get my feed for EUREX SSF? [also - I believe SSF might trade too thickly to provide a learning experience for the DOM?? - so maybe I could forget the feed for SSF??] Any help specific or general appreciated.

Are you sure that single stock futures are liquid enough to trade? You should check the EUREX market statistics for FTSE stocks. I would not be astonished, if the market is rather dry.

Did you consider trading exchange traded funds? This might be a better choice than single stock futures.

Right. Thanks FatTails for this. I've looked at Eurex - Market statistics (online) To my uneducated eye it looks like this SSF is somewhere beyond thin, pretty much no trade at all? - Can that be right?

I'm coming from CFDs and [at IGMarkets] there the stocks trade thickly and the ETFs are thin. I assumed stock futures would trade thickly. Wrong I guess. I like the idea of ETFs as from what I understand they might offer less risk than a stock, but I've no experience trading them as yet. I'll give it a closer look.

I want to switch from IG to reduce commission costs. For FTSE100 stocks it looks like I can do that through Interactive Brokers trading either the SSF or the stock CFDs they offer [both trade with the same commissions].

My real aim is to trade small and cheap, continue to learn and take my small losses. But, I'm not sure I can learn the DOM trading CFD at IB; I'm not sure about the aggregated feed and I'm unsure about volume in CFD? Will that volume just be IB CFD volume, I don't think there's a central market for CFD?? So many questions

leo33 

Right. Thanks FatTails for this. I've looked at Eurex - Market statistics (online) To my uneducated eye it looks like this SSF is somewhere beyond thin, pretty much no trade at all? - Can that be right? I'm coming from CFDs and [at IGMarkets] there the stocks trade thickly and the ETFs are thin. I assumed stock futures would trade thickly. Wrong I guess. I like the idea of ETFs as from what I understand they might offer less risk than a stock, but I've no experience trading them as yet. I'll give it a closer look. I want to switch from IG to reduce commission costs. For FTSE100 stocks it looks like I can do that through Interactive Brokers trading either the SSF or the stock CFDs they offer [both trade with the same commissions]. My real aim is to trade small and cheap, continue to learn and take my small losses. But, I'm not sure I can learn the DOM trading CFD at IB; I'm not sure about the aggregated feed and I'm unsure about volume in CFD? Will that volume just be IB CFD volume, I don't think there's a central market for CFD?? So many questions

CFDs are private contracts. This means that you trade against one counterparty only. And you know that this counterparty trades against you, because the counterparty has a winning edge. It is similar to a private casino. You only play against the house. As CFDs are private contracts, they are not regulated by any financial services authorities. There is no stamp duty. I bet that it is the stamp duty which made CFDs popular. Gambling was simply shifted from the exchange into those private contracts.

With CFDs you have significant counterparty risk. If you counterparty goes bust, that's it.

Stocks and ETFs are traded at central markets. This is not limited to a single market, but a joint stock company may apply that their stock is traded at several exchanges. In the US, the exchanges and electronic networks are regulated in a way that the trader can access the national best bid and best offer through any of them.

FOREX has no central market, but there are numerous electronic networks. If you trade through a retail broker you either trade against the house or with other FOREX traders through an electronic communication network.

Futures are typically traded on a single central market. Unlike CFDs, you do not trade against the house, as the exchange itself does not participate in the game, and your counterparty risk is limited.

Thanks. ok. Hmm. The SSF may not have the volume to trade, the CFDs have the the counterparty risk and I have unknowns regarding the volume in CFDs [and the suitability of the feed at IB for learning the DOM].

ETFs look interesting. I'll put some work in that direction.