Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Technology Stocks : Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Candle stick who wrote (824)	11/20/1997 11:00:00 AM
From: Oeconomicus	Respond to of 164684

Stick, most brokers require substantial account equity before they will let a customer do spreads. For example, ETrade requires $25,000 and Fidelity, last I heard, requires $50,000. If you meet that, the next hurdle is options experience. The easy approval is for covered writing and long calls and puts. Next level is spreads/combinations. The toughest approval is naked writing and I have no idea what kind of equity they require for that as I have never asked for that level even though I've traded options for more than ten years. As for trading/execution capabilities, I don't know who has online capabilities for combinations, but vaguely recall Accutrade advertisements that implied such. With ETrade, you have to place combination orders over the phone (they waive the $15 surcharge). I can't say I'd recommend E*Trade (though their option commissions are OK), but I haven't moved elsewhere yet (an inertia thing). Good luck. Bob PS: Sorry thread for the off-t.