Futures  |  JAN 2009

Futures For You by Carley Garner

Futures For You by Carley Garner FULL SERVICE OR SELF SERVICE? Should I use a full-service futures and option broker or trade for myself online? This is a decision that is often made with little research or thought but has the potential to have the biggest impact on the bottom line. I would argue that traders should put nearly as much effort into finding a broker and determining the service type that fits their needs and desires as they do researching the markets that they will be trading. Making a mistake in the choice of your service level can be costly. An inexperienced trader opting for a deep-discount online rate may accumulate far more in market losses and trade placement errors than paying a full-service broker would have ever cost. This is not to imply that a full-service broker will assure accurate speculation and prevent losses, but using a good broker may avoid some of the common newbie mistakes. In addition, it is possible that having an experienced broker to bounce ideas off of may improve results.

by Carley Garner