wallstreeter, If you check back a few weeks in the archives over in the "Daytrading Fundamentals" thread, I have done some tutorial posting on ARCA over there. MBT also has some great reference materials on their website. They key thing about ARCA is, it is a "preferencing engine" which will go work your order... but you have to understand how to time your orders vs. market momentum, where to set your (always LIMIT) prices, when not to use it, etc.
ARCA is the most fantastic ECN tool, if you figure out how to use it, will get you in on the bid and out on the offer, especially great for working larger positions. ISLD is of course a key ECN tool too... complimentary to ARCA... usually faster if the size is there, not always the case though. And ISLD traders tend to be taking the same side of the market you want, not the opposite.
Goldman-Sachs and JP Morgan have recently invested megabucks in ARCA... soon ETrade will be routing some of their order flow through it, making it even better for us direct access traders.
Regards, -Steve |
