What is your favorite stock broker?

If you are trading stocks, what online broker company can you recommend?
How long have you been using their services? What are its strong and weak sides?

My main broker is OptionsHouse...but that's primarily because I trade options. They have the best pricing for options by far. Thinkorswim would be my choice for a good all-around broker. And if you are really taking it serious, Interactive Brokers is a good one. I've also heard great things about TradeStation, but I have no first-hand experience with it.

And good luck! There are a ton of resources on here!

Hi Viktorados,

I use Interactive Brokers. They are unmatched in terms of security and ability to trade global markets at reduced rates.

You can trade global stocks, options, futures, forex and more all from the one account, with real time data provided at minimal costs (usually exchange fees) if you're a non-professional investor.

They have their own TWS software, which can be a bit daunting to new users, but if you take the time to read the manual (or relevant bits to your trading), you'll find it a piece of software that can almost do anything you may require now or in the future in terms of order routing and placement. You can also get API front-end software that links to it to provide even more functionality.

Downsides for most retail traders are you need to open at least a 10K (USD) account, their data can be patchy for volume, and their customer service can at times be lacking as they assume you know what you're doing, and they have some pretty big people trading with them, so the small guys don't matter to them too much. But if you have money and experience these downsides don't tend to apply.

I've been with them over 5 years now, and I imagine I'll be using them either as my primary or backup broker for the next 5-10 years at least...

Hope this helps, feel free to throw any questions my way...

PS

Hi pablosanchez,
Thank you very much for your reply. It is very informative.
I am wishing to enter FOREX market. I want your genuine guidance
in this matter.

Is FOREX trading profitable?
Do you use any softwares if so, which ones/
Do you use any autobots which guides you to trade forex?
Do you think anyone can enter FOREX or some special technical training is required?

Awaiting your reply

Ixdream,

I am not pablo but I started getting into forex last year so I can answer some basic questions.

Like any type of financial market, there's plenty of profits to be and money to be lost. You win when someone else loses. Some people can't take that idea and should not be in the markets at all.

You don't need any softwares, in forex all the softwares from brokers are very good.

I have tried a few autobots, known as expert advisors in metatrader platforms, and none of them worked long term.

To be profitable, you will definitely need some kind of training and persistence long term.