r/wallstreetbets .... is this something to worry about?

[Budge]

brokerage accounts are a differrent beast. The Fed is targetting Investment bankers now, then they will move to regular bankers. If they target firms that offer stock accounts, it means they will debut an alternative before attacking them. In theory the Fed could become the first and last lender for everyone. After all they create all the money, why do they need Banks in the age of AI to do a job they could do just as well and in the process con the masses that they love them.

Unless you hold the stock certificate in your hot and sticky fingers you really don't own it. Depository Trust Company (DTC) owns it. Kinda like that money you think you have in your bank account. You don't really own that, it can be seized at a moment's notice by the bank on government orders.

You think that's air you're breathing?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DT7bX-B1Mg

[bpcw]

Got this from IG Index today, a UK based broker:

Trading restrictions on GameStop and AMC

Due to the recent extreme volatility, and in order to prioritise the service we give our existing clients, we are not allowing any new positions to be opened on the US stocks GameStop and AMC Entertainment.

These restrictions apply to all IG accounts, and will be reviewed regularly. You will still be able to close any open positions that you have in these stocks. Any orders that you have already placed on these two stocks will remain.

In addition, if you have any spread betting or CFD positions open on either stock, please be aware that the margin required to keep them open will increase to that listed below from 4pm (UK time) on Monday 1 February. Please ensure that you have enough money on your account to cover the margin requirement.

Stock New margin AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc 100% GameStop Corp 100%

[NoLimit201]

The commodities market is a different beast as it is so huge, let's see if they can affect it as strongly as they can individual stocks. If the Fed allows this, then it is game over for banksters and it means the Fed wants them dead in less than 24 months

While the number of members of the SubReddit WSB increased from 2Mil to 7Mil within one week, the WSB traders still can not move the needle on the huge cap silver market on their own. BUT, they are not alone. They just triggered the war and they've got huge resonance from the market. Look at the huge vol of SLV ETF and options on Thursday and Friday they can't do it alone. Silver price manipulation/depression is widely acknowledged by the whole market, other parties are joining them. I suspect that a silver price above $50 could not be considered as crazy as GME at $300. The discussion about a potential/upcoming silver short squeeze is all over the media. If the short squeeze happens, it's unprecedented. The impact on the whole market could be huge.

The world is changing. The power and force of the masses are much much more huger than we can imagine. We will see.

[NoLimit201]

Got this from IG Index today, a UK based broker:

Trading restrictions on GameStop and AMC

Due to the recent extreme volatility, and in order to prioritise the service we give our existing clients, we are not allowing any new positions to be opened on the US stocks GameStop and AMC Entertainment.

These restrictions apply to all IG accounts, and will be reviewed regularly. You will still be able to close any open positions that you have in these stocks. Any orders that you have already placed on these two stocks will remain.

In addition, if you have any spread betting or CFD positions open on either stock, please be aware that the margin required to keep them open will increase to that listed below from 4pm (UK time) on Monday 1 February. Please ensure that you have enough money on your account to cover the margin requirement.

Stock New margin AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc 100% GameStop Corp 100%

TDAmeritrade changed the margin calculation too. The options buying power of my acct significantly changed many times on Friday from positive to negative and then back to positive because of my GME BB positions, I couldn't even do options on other stocks when it's negative. I suspect they were adjusting their calculation factors based on their interest and backlash from customers.

[SOL]

And from nowhere a new Trading Platform will emerge. How fast we don't know but the faster it appears the direr the consequences will be for traditional brokerage firms and surprise surprise, the Fed will unofficially back it. Which means the SEC and all the Forces that the Fed indirectly controls (and there are many and they are all powerful) will be told to stand down and allow this destruction to occur. You never piss on an already pissed of crowd. You offer them sugar before you strike, the sugar puts them back into a stupor, the mistake these Fat middle brokers made is to assume they are all-powerful and that they can keep stomping the masses, now the backlash will start and it will erupt like a 1000 year old volacano.

Many Tactical Investors have already moved away from Robinhood and our subscribers are a lot more open minded than the average Joe. This suggests that the silent fury is huge and that the media is not covering it fully or trying to put a lid on it.

[semantic]

The commodities market is a differrent beast as it is so huge, let's see if they can affect it as strongly as they can individual stocks. If the Fed allows this, then it is game over for banksters and it means the Fed wants them dead in less than 24 months

While the number of members of the SubReddit WSB increased from 2Mil to 7Mil within one week, the WSB traders still can not move the needle on the huge cap silver market on their own. BUT, they are not alone. They just triggered the war and they've got huge resonance from the market. Look at the huge vol of SLV ETF and options on Friday they can't do it alone. Silver price manipulation/depression is widely acknowledged by the whole market, other parties are joining them. I suspect that a silver price above $50 could not be considered as crazy as GME at $300. The discussion about a potential/upcoming silver short squeeze is all over the media. If the short squeeze happens, it's unprecedented. The impact on the whole market could be huge.

The world is changing. The power and force of the masses are much much more huge than we can imagine. We will see.

Great comment NoLimit. I'm heading off the reservation for this one and bought PSLV. Nothing that significant but showing my support. This might be corny but I'm thinking about the Joplin classic lyric, "Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose". If you spend any time on WSB and related boards and it's an incredible the vibe - crazy, but incredible. Throw in the current social situation and this movement could have some legs and turn into a financial Arab Spring of sorts. Grab your popcorn

[scott]

I remember 1980-81 or thereabouts the Hunt brothers from Texas almost cornered the silver market. Many think they would have if laws weren't changed to stop them. Sol is right in that it will be very interesting, perhaps critical, what the FED does.

[LoriPrecisely]

I am new and just now in the process of choosing my trading platform. In the "Welcome to the Tactical Investor" article, you list the best brokerage firms for non-US residents as Schwab, Fidelity, E-Trade, and Interactive Brokers. Is this the same list you recommend for US residents? Is one better than the other in light of this potential action from the FED? Thank you

[Eric]

Schwab customer service is 1,000,000x better than Fidelity and 999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999x better than Robinhood.
My ranking only including brokerages I've used and in the limited ways I have used them:
1) Schwab - My taxable account is here. Customer service is awesome, mobile app is acceptable to good.
2) Fidelity - My wife's IRA and 403b and HSA is here. Be aware of poor customer service for retail investors. They don't care much about you, they care about your employer and the thousands of accounts that come with servicing your employers retirement and health savings accounts. Excellent web trading platform, good mobile app.
3) TDAmeritrade - My 401k is here. Horrible web trading platform, have not tried customer service or their mobile app or the Think-or-swim platform (that always gets rave reviews).
4) Robinhood - I left them after too many "glitches" where I was unable to make trades in a timely manner (even for non-meme stocks).

[Budge]

Schwab customer service is 1,000,000x better than Fidelity and 999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999x better than Robinhood.
My ranking only including brokerages I've used and in the limited ways I have used them:
1) Schwab - My taxable account is here. Customer service is awesome, mobile app is acceptable to good.
2) Fidelity - My wife's IRA and 403b and HSA is here. Be aware of poor customer service for retail investors. They don't care much about you, they care about your employer and the thousands of accounts that come with servicing your employers retirement and health savings accounts. Excellent web trading platform, good mobile app.
3) TDAmeritrade - My 401k is here. Horrible web trading platform, have not tried customer service or their mobile app or the Think-or-swim platform (that always gets rave reviews).
4) Robinhood - I left them after too many "glitches" where I was unable to make trades in a timely manner (even for non-meme stocks).

Schwab is buying TDAm. Have accounts at Fidelity, TDAm and IAB. No real problems any of them but I find IAB v clunky and like it least.

[SOL]

Schwab is buying TDAm. Have accounts at Fidelity, TDAm and IAB. No real problems any of them but I find IAB v clunky and like it least.

Eric if you use the think or swim platform you will find TD is pretty good. Schwab is buying or has completed the acquisition. However, they have decided to leave TD's platform as it is.

Then there is Etrade and there is also the option for Tastyrtrade. Etorro is a possibility only because it allows one to connect their brokerage account to Paypal, but in fast moving markets its crap, at least from what I have heard so far

[jlhooter]

Schwab is buying TDAm. Have accounts at Fidelity, TDAm and IAB. No real problems any of them but I find IAB v clunky and like it least.

Eric if you use the think or swim platform you will find TD is pretty good. Schwab is buying or has completed the acquisition. However, they have decided to leave TD's platform as it is.

Then there is Etrade and there is also the option for Tastyrtrade. Etorro is a possibility only because it allows one to connect their brokerage account to Paypal, but in fast moving markets its crap, at least from what I have heard so far

Maybe there are better platforms, but for a free tool (I do have a very small account with them, and I think you need an account, but with little to $0 I believe) ThinkorSwim is excellent. I use it for TA and alarm triggers (which go to my phone) and I have written a few custom TA tools. I also use if for the TI MU Spreadsheet (although it has limitations with Excel). It has a very good interface for trading, but I don't use the trading features because my retirement IRA is with Fidelity.

[Triplethought]

Maybe there are better platforms, but for a free tool (I do have a very small account with them, and I think you need an account, but with little to $0 I believe) ThinkorSwim is excellent. I use it for TA and alarm triggers (which go to my phone) and I have written a few custom TA tools. I also use if for the TI MU Spreadsheet (although it has limitations with Excel). It has a very good interface for trading, but I don't use the trading features because my retirement IRA is with Fidelity.

jl I'm surprised you use thinkorswim so much. I loaded it just to update your spreadsheet (and my version of it too) but it's so damned complex on the screen. Even with my wide screens it's overwhelming. I think if I became a professional trader I'd try to like it more. I like to view option pricing there but I'm pulling back on option trading given the recent losses I've had and the uncertain nature of the markets. I have a small TD account but the few times I've traded with it I find logging into the website a little less confusing than trying to trade with the thinkorswim platform.
I'm still trading with the vanguard website and it's pretty clunky but it's the devil I know. I'm leaning less on my spreadsheet these days and just trading without updating it in the interest of time. But that means I rely on the Fills thread to pick up on trades I may have missed. Sometimes I get in even cheaper than others. Sometimes I miss a play entirely.

[langdj]

Barchart.com for the win!

I pay $200 a year and love my TA charts, alerts, watchlists etc. Having watchlist that change colors based on events / prices etc is a game changer. It saves me a lot of time to get what I need at a quick glance. Then when I actually want to trade I log on and use whatever broker my account is in.

[SOL]

Barchart.com for the win!

I pay $200 a year and love my TA charts, alerts, watchlists etc. Having watchlist that change colors based on events / prices etc is a game changer. It saves me a lot of time to get what I need at a quick glance. Then when I actually want to trade I log on and use whatever broker my account is in.

I would say if you are willing to put some effort for TA, there are very few places that can match tradingview.com and i think it costs for the pro version which is all you need is under 180 per year. The free version is also pretty good. They have over 100K indicators to play around with, you can set alerts, and you can link up to a large number of brokers so you can trade directly from your account. However it takes a bit of playing with but the real power is the number of TA tools that are available and the huge number of customizations you can come up with




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